Well ...shoot ! .... I did not think about that as an issue !

[Bob Vento]

My system is an outside system and subject to daylight and darkness at night. I was not planning on any artificial lighting for my system.

It will have shade cover and the tank will not be in direct sunlight.

I'm wondering if all this talk about lighting on here is something I should be concerned about? 

Bob

[Jonathan Kadish NYC AA Chair]

With all that Florida sunshine there should be no need.

[TCLynx]

Lighting is for people doing aquaponics in their garages, or basements, or in heavy shade under their patio roof or things like that.

In FL, using lighting seems really counter productive.

[Michael Welber]

Do fish need sunlight? I have my tank covered by lattice and was opening it during the day. But Virginia Kelley's new e-book says that fish should be in the dark? I know people who have aquariums turn on lights over the tank during the day. Should I open the tank back up? Or leave the lattice covering it? 

[TCLynx]

Michael,

     Most fish we grow in aquaponics don't NEED much light, at least not for just growing them.  When I say much, you want to let enough light at your water so the fish can tell the difference between night and day but you really don't want direct sun hitting your water causing algae to bloom.

Some types of fish might like a bit more light or longer day lengths to help them figure out when they should breed.  As for lights over aquarium, often that is more for display or for providing light to the plants in planted aquarium.  Or again with some fish species, trying to get them to breed is often a complex balance between lighting, temperatures, special feed and water chemistry.

Some fish actually prefer it to be fairly dark, I know my catfish don't like bright light much and are quite capable of finding their food in the dark (I often feed my catfish just a little before dusk but if I am late and feed them after dark, I still hear them splashing for it.)  Tilapia can grow just fine in relatively dark conditions (they need to have enough light that they can see the food to eat it) and I think my bluegill prefer enough light to see the food too since if I feed them after dark they tend not to eat it.

[Michael Welber]

Thanks. That's good to know. My fish tank is under the house but does get some light all day, though less in the winter. I'm switching them now to larger food and so far they haven't take to it but I want to be sure they can see it since it floats.