blackout length without killing coral & nem

[Bloodasp]

I would agree. Somehow after much thought about this thing pest algaes are far more resilient than your precious coral and would live through a blackout no matter how long it might be. All that would happen is they would stop growing when the lights are off and just grow in significant amounts once the lights are on.

As far as blacking out lights though. I would think corals are capable of surviving for quite a significant amount of time. I've lives in the tropics for a significant amount of time and during typhoon season it is not uncommon to have typhoons that last as long if not longer than a week at a time without the sun peeking out even once 20+ times a year. And if it wasn't for human intervention this coral reefs would still be thriving.

When I did a blackout I did not wrap my tank up so no light would get in. But there was a die back of the HA and my hermits eat very well in that time. Once they reach a decent size they kept the HA down to 0 in the tank there is always going to be roots and HA will grow if algae eating inverts and snails are removed. But that is why they are in our tanks in the first place to clean up what we do not want in the tank. So this is what I did reduced HA so there was next to none and let the cleanup crew do there job. When Hermits die off replace what dies off or was eaten by larger hermit. This has kept my tank nice and clean I also have a fuge in my sump which helps remove the phosphates.
Bill

[Funky_Fish14]

I bet you could prolong the blackout time by feeding your corals plentifully during the period. (Like phyto, zooplankton, and say mysis or krill to the nem). Corals feed a lot in the wild and in captivity we rely mostly on the light to take care of their energy and nutrient needs.

Comments?

Cheers,

Chris

my tank gets extra zoo plankton, and say mysis rotifers after lights out just for the corals. I hand feed the Nems shrimp west coast cough and bought from Steveston dock so they are fresh and full of nutrients unlike the one you buy from the stores they have been washed and cut in many cases and any eggs have been stripped from them not the one from Steveston docks. they are fresh and if they have eggs then they go in also fish like them too. I do take the shell off them but other wise I include everything my nems are spoiled they don't et the shrimp as redily with the shell on.

Bill