Lighting....

[Mugwump]

OK, regardless of what types of lamps that you're running....how long do you leave your lights on..?

I normally run my lamps 11+ hrs a day, and I have plants too.
Exceptions are the small angel fry tanks, I'll leave them on all the time for about the first week or so. This keeps them off the bottom and away from potential bacteria...I do shift the light to the side to make it a bit dimmer, but never dark.
Koi fry/juvies....I'll try to run at least 12+ hrs to help get the color better...Adult Koi pairs,etc are on the standard 11 hr.
Any Zebras that I'd like to possibly get Cobras from...continuous light...
Half blacks that I'm trying to get to express, 6hrs or so...some less..but ambient light during daylight hours...
Occasionally on a pair tank that parent raises, I'll leave the light on during transition to free swimming, and then for a day till the parents get things under control.

[BillT]

I generally keep my lights on 14 hours/day. For lab zebraifsh this can keep they perpetually in a breeding state. Don't know if that works for other fish or even non-lab zebrafish. Lab zebrafish lines have been kept and bred I these conditions for more than 70 generations so those lines of fish could well have been selected for these traits.

I have found out that keeping zebrafish in a room with the lights on continuously prevents them from breeding. Returning them to an on off cycle then results in a lot of breeding. A circadian rhythm is important for breeding. Changes in day/night length mimicing seasonal changes is often used to trigger breeding.

I like your idea of keeping the lights on to the babies to keep them away from bacteria on the bottom.

[greydragon]

for me all lights go out at 9:00pm and on at 8:30am every morning now my baby tanks get 30-45 more min at night then every one else cause i am watching them at that time

[PaulineMi]

Mine come on at 8 a.m. and go off at 9:00.

I kept the fry tank lit with a tank light during that same time frame but had a night light on them for their first two weeks or so.

[BillT]

I think brine shrimp are supposed to hatch better if kept in constant light.

[Mugwump]

I think brine shrimp are supposed to hatch better if kept in constant light.

'wives tale'.....I never use light, escept when harvesting....

[b125killer]

most of my tanks are on a 12 hour timer. the planted 55 gets 10 hours. When I have a spawn I leave the lights on 24 hours.