fishless cycling lights on or off???

[troy1976]

ok might be a stupid question when cycling a new sw tank should it be done with lights on or off i have been reading and seems like it is a preferrance thing, but thought i would ask. i have a 29g that just finished cycling, i did with lights on, and it took about 3 weeks, but have been reading lots on here and some say to do it with lights off, there is another aquarium in the house that is in cycling right now and lights have been off but then they second guessed themselves and started to turn lights on, also i am using this tank to cure my new live rock, so should lights be on or off, the question came up about stuff living in and on the rock so that is why they thought about turning lights on thinking no lights would kill off some off the stuff they want to keep on there.

[labnjab]

As long as you don't have coral leaving the lights off is perfectly fine. It will help keep algae down

[troy1976]

well it looks like there is some zoas on there, or do you think they would be dead.

[coachfraley]

If you think there is some coral on your rock, you might want to run your lights on a short cycle.

Some people run a short 4-5 hr. light cycle regardless (I do).

[rageybug]

I cycle with lights on because you never know what cool stuff is lurking in the LR. If it needs light to survive, you will keep it alive, plus you can sit and watch the LR come alive if the lights are on. I'm sure non-reef people can't imagine watching rocks, kind of like watching my beard grow! You would be surprised how much cool stuff is in/on LR!

[rageybug]

I should add, I only have the lights on during day light hours, and off at night.