Lighting while gone

Question
Hi Stephanie! I have had my cichlid for about two years now and she is very healthy and happy. Every time I leave for a weekend or vacation, I turn her light off and have an automatic feeder. I was wondering if I should leave the light on or off when I leave for a week soon? Is one way better than the other?

Answer
Hello,

If you have to chose between leaving the light on or off, off is the better choice. That way, your fish will get some light during the day from windows but will be able to rest her eyes when it gets dark. However, you can also buy timers for your lights. These can be found at most hardware stores, and you plug them into your socket then plug your light into them. You can then set the times you want the light to go on and off. This is what I use for my aquariums when I am away.

I hope this helps.

Regards,
Stephanie