Photoperiod experiment

Okay, SO, I have silica sand, which sucks, but I was told by several very highly recommended sand/live rock sellers that their sand is part silica, and that my diatoms will go away after a LONG time, but they will eventually use up the part of the silica that can be dissolved leaving behind silica sand that is not soluble.

While I'm waiting for someone local in my reef club or otherwise to be getting rid of 50 pounds of sand that I can afford, I'm going to be doing some experimenting.

The main question is will a 24 hour ON photoperiod screw with my 2 damsels, engineer goby, small zoo, GSP and mushroom frags?

I'll explain... See my current photo period is 2pm-9pm after cutting back from 8am-10pm. But I've noticed that by 7pm the diatoms on my sand and rock are starting to go away. When the lights are out they go away COMPLETELY every day, which I find odd as no other algae I have ever dealt with is THAT quick to go. Anyway, I was wondering if I "burned it up" with a 24-36 hour photo period maybe it wont come back Anything's worth a shot if it wont hurt my livestock, hence the question.

BTW I've got a 56 gallon column running a 175W 12K MH about 9 inches from the water line. Without cooling my temp never goes past 80 (at least so far this winter) so that wont be a concern, and I have fans that i can activate if need be too.

Thanks in advance... I'll see if I cant whip these things one way or another...

 

chrisnif

whilst I dont believe a long daylighy period will do any long term harm to the species you mention, it may possibly stress them short term

diatoms , will clear once the silicates are used up, the brown you see is the dead skeleton of the creature rather than the live one

so IMO, I would let nature run its course as I dont believe light has any bearing on the lenght of time they are present

I have set up tanks and not run lights for a couple of months, still get diatoms, just cant see them as plainly

Steve

 

I'm going to turn it off tonight. I found the problem with my algae wasnt so much my sand or my light, but the window next to the tank and the light it was letting in....hence when I left the light on overnight last night there was still no algae...