To light, or not to light, that is the ?

[Beaner3]

Filling my 180 with live rock this weekend, I have heard conflicting views on the use of lighting during the cycling period of live rock. Lights on=mega algae blooms, Lights off= fluctuations in pH. Is there a happy median here? Also, I'm running a 90 gal fuge/sump combo on this mofo, 12lbs of Walt Smith's fuge mud in combination with 20lbs of live sand & another 30lbs of rock in the fuge. 220 lbs LR in the tank, so a total of 282 lbs of live goodness, Sufficient? Thanks in advance.

[besl]

I can only tell you what I did (I also read the conflicting views) which was lights off when I only had the LR in the tank. 282 lbs for a 180 reef is very good - I have 125 lbs in a 125 reef and it has worked well for me.

[Beaner3]

Thanks besl, I like your tag line too, made me laugh, any other thoughts?

[ATJ]

I don't believe you would have massive problems with algae by leaving the lights on. Assuming you were going to have massive algae problems, wouldn't you still have those same problems when you eventually turn the lights on?

I see no reason for fluctuating pH if the lights are left off. In fact, I suggest you would have a fairly stable pH with no lights on as there would be nothing to cause swings. If you were to have lights in a normal cycle (on during the day and off at night) you would be much more likely to have a pH swing, especially if you had any algae in the tank. Increasing circulation and gas exchange would minimise any pH swings by ensuring the water was saturated with carbon dioxide.

I recommend establishing a tank with the lights on. First, if you have any hitchhikers on the rock that require light, they will be more likely to survive. Second, you will be able to get a start on any potential algae problems and can get a clean up crew in the tank nice and early.

[pledosophy]

When the tank is going through the nitrogen cycle, the pH will not be stable anyways, whether the lights are on or off.

IME it makes no difference to the rock or the bacteria growth process if there are lights or not. I have done it in tanks, and also cooked it in buckets for months with no light. The rock did not shown any detrimental affects from being without light.

JME

[Beaner3]

Conflicting opinions,..........I like the different takes, thank you ATJ & pledo, any one else have a thought on this?

[Minotaur15]

I am a firm believer in the give it light and do big water changes to control the ammonia/nitrite levels (a la Harbor Aquatics). If you get algae growth, big deal, get some snails when the NH3/N02 levels are safe. The algae is consuming the nitrogen wastes that would otherwise kill all the other good stuff on the rock as well. IMO,

Dan

[BigDaddy]

I did mine w/ lights on, to help preserve some of the hitch hikers. I did not have a mass algae bloom either.

[ThomasinKind]

I'd do whatever it is that you plan to do once the cycle is over (i.e. lights on).

Algae is going to go through it's cycle regardless...