How long without light?

[stoneodin]

I have a 29 gallon Nano cube advanced LED. The LED powersupply crapped out on me on Saturday so I ordered a new one. Come to find out they are out of them, and have no clue as to when they will get more. Consequently I am going to need to come up with a solution. I am trying to find a new light for the tank, but am wondering how long I can realistically wait before I have to have something over the tank. Anything I order is going to take a week to get to me at minimum.

 

Stock:

3 x acro

2 x monti

2 x acan

lepto

frogspawn

clausto

Duncan

variety of zoas

leather

[Exodus]

I wouldn't wait a week by any means, 72 hour blackouts are pushing it especially with SPS corals. I personally would never attempt more than 4 days. Might want to consider 2nd Day shipping or Overnight.

[stoneodin]

Any ideas on an inexpensive way to limp through for a couple of days?

[B16acrx1988]

Local reefers usually have extra lights laying around. Ask around locally and you might find one.

[clink51]

if your in NYC, i have a 4 bulb HO-T5 setup... otherwise, amazon prime is your best friend

[stoneodin]

Looks like Amazon Prime. I live in Tahoe, not much in the way of local reefers to my knowledge.

[braaap]

Looks like Amazon Prime. I live in Tahoe, not much in the way of local reefers to my knowledge.

 

Prime a Hydra 26. $299.99 and you'll be happy for a long time.

[khuzdul]

I've read others who have had power outages due to hurricanes that their SPS survived 5 to 8 days blackouts with just light coming in from the window. They had established tanks and/or fed rotifers, so their SPS had alternate sources of energy. 3 days of regular room lighting without special measures and no recession / tissue loss is not uncommon. Of course if you did not have to do it I wouldn't...

[metrokat]

You can black out for 3 days but longer than that will affect the tank negatively. You can get a temporary work light from home depot with a cfl bulb. It is fine for now.

 

[Chrisl1976]

yeah, what Kat said. Super cheap version. Or you can spend a bit more and go to Petco/Petsmart and buy a short hood along with a 50/50 bulb.

Remember, there are hurricanes and storms with days of overcast skies. The reefs survive.

[smeagol108]

yeah, what Kat said. Super cheap version. Or you can spend a bit more and go to Petco/Petsmart and buy a short hood along with a 50/50 bulb.

 

Remember, there are hurricanes and storms with days of overcast skies. The reefs survive.

you still get sunburnt in overcast skies...

[clink51]

yeah, what Kat said. Super cheap version. Or you can spend a bit more and go to Petco/Petsmart and buy a short hood along with a 50/50 bulb.

 

Remember, there are hurricanes and storms with days of overcast skies. The reefs survive.

 

 

you still get sunburnt in overcast skies...

 

 

are we still talking about reefs...or....

[smeagol108]

 

 

 

 

are we still talking about reefs...or....

yes, it was the fact that overcast skies and storms does not mean the corals aren't recieving light/uv from the sun.

[Chrisl1976]

you still get sunburnt in overcast skies...

 

Umm.....sure you can, but it takes hours longer verse full sunny day. Full clouds block a majority of the suns powers. Also major difference in penetrating light at depth. Try scuba diving on a cloudy day verse a sunny day, it's significantly different.

 

Here's a little educational readying for you about coral growth on cloudy/sunny days form the NOAA website:

 

In addition to affecting the shape of a colony’s growth, environmental factors influence the rates at which various species of corals grow. One of the most significant factors is sunlight. On sunny days, the calcification rates of corals can be twice as fast as on cloudy days (Barnes, R.S.K. and Hughes, 1999). This is likely a function of the symbiotic zooxanthellae algae, which play a unique role in enhancing the corals’ ability to synthesize calcium carbonate. Experiments have shown that rates of calcification slow significantly when zooxanthellae are removed from corals, or when corals are kept in shade or darkness (Lalli and Parsons 1995).

 

http://www.coris.noaa.gov/about/what_are/

[smeagol108]

 

Umm.....sure you can, but it takes hours longer verse full sunny day. Full clouds block a majority of the suns powers. Also major difference in penetrating light at depth. Try scuba diving on a cloudy day verse a sunny day, it's significantly different.

 

Here's a little educational readying for you about coral growth on cloudy/sunny days form the NOAA website:

 

In addition to affecting the shape of a colonys growth, environmental factors influence the rates at which various species of corals grow. One of the most significant factors is sunlight. On sunny days, the calcification rates of corals can be twice as fast as on cloudy days (Barnes, R.S.K. and Hughes, 1999). This is likely a function of the symbiotic zooxanthellae algae, which play a unique role in enhancing the corals ability to synthesize calcium carbonate. Experiments have shown that rates of calcification slow significantly when zooxanthellae are removed from corals, or when corals are kept in shade or darkness (Lalli and Parsons 1995).

 

http://www.coris.noaa.gov/about/what_are/

Not debating any of this or your original comment. My comment was supposed to be humorous and agreeing to your reference that corals survive cloudy days and storms etc.

[Chrisl1976]

umm...ok