Question: When should the light go on and off?

Hi all,

So my newt tank is in my basement, so there is a overhead light that is controlled by two switches. Anyway, I am wondering when a good time would be to turn the light on in the morning and turn off at night? My Dad gets up to walk the dog before me, so the light is usually on when I get up, if it is not though than I turn it on. So my Dad probably turns it on anywhere from 7:15-8:15 am, is that a good time for "sun-up" ( turning the light on )? And I usually turn it off......hmmm......well, it depends. Some nights I will turn it off at 8:00 pm, other night I wont turn it off till 10:00 pm ( like tonight ). So I was wondering what a good "sun-up" "sun-down" times would be? What time do you turn off and on you light for your newts? Plus if the "sun-up" time is early it might give me an excuse to get up early :yawn:. -Seth

Being as you live in the area where the newts were collected, maybe it would be best to copy the day length in your part of the world? The lights on my newt tanks have dimmer functions so the newts aren't shocked by bright light suddenly coming on at full brightness, before i had the dimmers i would always put the room lights on for a while before the main aquarium lights to simulate a sort of dawn and dusk period.

I like the "dawn and dusk period" idea, thanks Chinadog!

I like the gradual dawn and dusk idea as well, and will try to start doing that.

You'll wan to simulate the natural day and night cycle of your area. 8am to 8-10pm can be stressful eventually. Remember the shortening and lengthening of the light cycle is what alerts newts to breeding season

Oh no!!!! i did not think of the breeding stuff!!! i hope i haven't messed up there breeding already!