can u leave your lights off to much?

[BigDaddy420]

in my 55, ever since the kid threw the things in the tank ive barricaded it so he cant get to it, until i can get my alarm installed. i dont leave the lights on very much anymore in there because of it, i turn them on for a few hours while i feed and watch them eat and things like that but they dont get a regular cycle of light. i read that oscars prefer the dark, and i know the pl*cos do too, so my question, am i leaving my lights off to much?


edit: i dont have any plants or anything in this tank.

 

[Orion]

Unless the room in which the tank is in is a dungeon, then no. When your living in 10-20 feet of water in the lake, your hardley ever going to see a whole lot of lights anyway, so most are able to do just fine with the ambient light in the room. The lights are mainly so that we can view them better, or to grow plants.

They do get somewhat of a regular cycle just from the day/night cycle of the earth and the ambient lights in the room. But with an aqurium light it's just a lot more pronounced for them.

So I don't think that you'll cause any harm or discomfort to them. But on the other hand you shouldn't have any algae problems!

 

[BigDaddy420]

oh yeah, the tank is crystal clear which is amazing since sunlight hits on directly, 2 big windows in the room, no way to avoid it. i didnt think it would hurt them, i was more concerned with my oscars colors being affected the light.