Lighting/CO2 photoperiod question.

[fishwater]

Ok so I just got my pressurized CO2 system up and going, which is going to allow me to extend my photoperiod from 7 hrs. to 10 hrs. My question is: I understand that many people have their CO2 come on about 2 hrs before lights on, when is it best to turn your CO2 off? Is it better to turn the CO2 off with the lights or would it make sense to let the CO2 turn off an hour or two before lights out, therby allowing the built up CO2 to be consumed by plants and lessen chances of night gassing fish? Thanks all for your advice.

[darkcrisis]

My lights are on for 8 hours a day. CO2 turns on an hour before the lights come on. It shuts off an hour before the lights go off. This has been working well for me.

You can start out there and make any adjustments as you go. I found a longer photo period caused algae in my tank. It all really depends on your specific setup. Just keep an eye on the fish, plants, and algae. Then make adjustments to the light cycle and CO2 as needed.

Good luck!

[funkman262]

I would recommend turning it off one or two hours before lights out to minimize CO2 build-up overnight. Always check the fish at lights-on for gasping.