Ceej Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 Ok, so... my tank is a 10 gallon Aqueon LED and it is situated in my living room. Light cycle is 10am to 8pm. Lights are all on a timer for the sake of consistency. I want a good 2-3 hours a day with the ability to see the tank. But after the lights go out at 8pm my family and I watch television, and so there is additional ambient light/noise, etc. My idea: make a foldout 3 sectioned 'screen' that I could place around the aquarium to block out at least the excess light. Am I crazy? Will this have any practical effect whatsoever? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lefty o Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 ill vote for slightly crazy. all kidding aside, i dont think tv is going to bother the fish or cause algae growth. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveO Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 What he said.☝️ I have two tanks in the living room and would never do that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sudofish Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 I mean if you watch a lot of bass tournaments or sushi cooking shows it might freak them out a little. 1 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceej Posted August 7, 2021 Author Share Posted August 7, 2021 I was going to put a graphic "Shhh... fish sleeping" on it and everything. Ok, so I won't be doing that. Thanks for the feedback. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalmedByFish Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 @Ceej I have one particular tank that I do that for every night. I use a black piece of construction paper, folded, and set it against the tank corner that faces a light. That's the corner the fish sleep in. That tank is on a desk, so it's easy to just set the paper by it. I've done the same for tanks on stands, it's just trickier to get it to stay in place. Maybe some fish don't need such help, but mine startle when they see light or movement at night. If you think your fish need cover, you might be right! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streetwise Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 Using a siesta or dual siesta can be another strategy for managing viewing time: 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PineSong Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 On 8/7/2021 at 1:40 PM, Streetwise said: Using a siesta or dual siesta can be another strategy for managing viewing time... Thanks for linking that. I had wondered about your dual siesta plan. I have an "off" few hours in the afternoon so I can view in the after work hours without the tank getting too much light. I am glad to know there's no down side and may be an upside for my plants. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbit Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 This sounds like something I would do. Not sure if that means you should or you shouldn’t. 😄 I do worry about messing with my fish’s circadian rhythms by being up so late at night, but I have no way to tell if it’s actually doing them harm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanked Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 Assuming that eventually the room goes dark and quiet, I vote for crazy. The screen has no practical value unless you are trying to stop the fish from watching you or the tv. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenA Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 On 8/7/2021 at 2:58 PM, Ceej said: Am I crazy? Will this have any practical effect whatsoever? Jump on the sofa and make yourself comfortable, Ahhh, it is $150 a session. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MNG Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 You worried about the fish watching TV? I vote : Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HH Morant Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 I would be concerned about increased aggression and fighting which might be caused by the fish witnessing all the gratuitous violence on TV. Just kidding. More likely to bore the fish to death, so maybe a screen might really save lives. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalmedByFish Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 On 8/8/2021 at 12:17 AM, Hobbit said: I do worry about messing with my fish’s circadian rhythms by being up so late at night This is me! Who cares if I'm messing up MY circadian rhythms, just as long as I don't mess up the fishes'. 😂 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbit Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 Yes!! Mine are already so shot 😆 but at least I might be able to help the fish! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streetwise Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 Mine starts at 07:00, with sunset at 21:00. That’s a realistic day length, and with the siestas, it’s like cloud cover rolling through twice a day, or the changing shade from trees. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceej Posted August 9, 2021 Author Share Posted August 9, 2021 I'm not worried about the fish watching television, I'm wondering if their ability to rest is ruined by all that additional light. Sure, the tank lights are off, but the ceiling and TV are on, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenman Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 Ambient lighting shouldn't be an issue as fish experience full moons on a fairly regular basis. A full moon can be pretty bright. The ceiling lighting may even be beneficial. I've had some crazy goldfish who would try to swim sideways if a room light was on in a dark room thinking the light was the sun/moon and where the light was where the surface was. They'd roll onto their side and press against the front glass. They were pretty, but not all that smart. The first few times I thought something was wrong with them but as soon as I turned on their light they'd go back to normal. They just assumed where light was coming from was up. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanked Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 On 8/9/2021 at 7:14 AM, Ceej said: Sure, the tank lights are off, but the ceiling and TV are on, etc. That is the reason your screen is not practical. Unless the tv is very close to the aquarium, there isn't enough additional light to make a difference. If the room normally has a lot of activity and light, the fish will have adjusted. Again, assuming that eventually the room goes dark and quiet, the fish will get there rest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbit Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 If you aren’t sure, you can always try covering the tank in the evenings for a week or so and seeing if your fish seem more energetic during the day. If you think it helps your fish, do it! We all do crazy things to help our fish. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceej Posted August 10, 2021 Author Share Posted August 10, 2021 (edited) On 8/7/2021 at 12:00 PM, CalmedByFish said: @Ceej I have one particular tank that I do that for every night. I use a black piece of construction paper, folded, and set it against the tank corner that faces a light. That's the corner the fish sleep in. That tank is on a desk, so it's easy to just set the paper by it. I've done the same for tanks on stands, it's just trickier to get it to stay in place. Maybe some fish don't need such help, but mine startle when they see light or movement at night. If you think your fish need cover, you might be right! (smug, satisfied nodding): "Thank you very much." Edited August 10, 2021 by Ceej Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalmedByFish Posted August 10, 2021 Share Posted August 10, 2021 On 8/10/2021 at 7:42 AM, Ceej said: (smug, satisfied nodding): "Thank you very much." "What is right is not always popular. What is popular is not always right." ~ a poster on the wall in one of my 8th grade classrooms Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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