Aqueon Optibrite LED Timer Question

I just upgraded my fish tank light to an Aqueon Optibrite LED for my 16g bow front tank. I’m just a beginner so these are probably stupid questions! It comes with a timer to set the white, blue and RGB modes. Can you give me advice about how much time to set each and what is the purpose of the RGB light mode? I’m gradually replacing the fake plants with live ones. Right now I have an Anubis and anacharus. I’ll be buying plants that need low to moderate light. Thanks!

 

Anubias don't require much light, so it won't need the light on a very high mode.

 

I would set if for 8 hours a day. So maybe have it on from 4pm-11pm.

 

I don't have live plants, but all my tanks on are timers. My 10 gallon and 75 gallon has blue and white LED's.

My blue LED's come on first. An hour later the white LEDs come on. In the evening the whites go off. Later on before midnight, the blue LEDs turn off. I stagger everything so the fish "wake up" slowly with the blue light, instead of just a bright white light suddenly coming on.

AFAIK, the RGB's are for "mood effect" or personal preference. I am unsure if they have any affect on the plants. I'm sure a subject matter expert on plants will chime in with a better answer.

Good luck

 

The RGB will help plants, depending on the part of the spectrum they put out. Plants absorb light in the red and blue parts of the spectrum (mostly blue however!) which is used for photosynthesis. Green is commonly used by some scapers to help increase the saturation of some plants (red will do the same for red plants) and make them appear more green...