I was never able to get either of mine to be active at any reasonable hour. You might be able to shift its schedule somewhat by turning the lights on early in the morning, keeping the room fully dark as soon as it is dark outside and feeding just before you go to bed. It is worth the experiment, especially starting now before it finds a rhythm in its new environment. I was limited in my ability to experiment because my tanks are in rooms that did not allow me to control the lighting on a regular basis.
For night viewing you can use red lights. Red is miserable for photography but it is a color they don't see. Blue may be even brighter than white to their eyes. Don't try to leave white or blue lights on 24/7 as this will definitely stress her and likely end her life early. However, I typically leave a red light on all night (or 24/7 if I don't have a timer).
Except for the extreme nocturnal part, this is one of my favorites for interaction. Both Puddles and Beldar would come to my hand to be stroked for parts of their lives. My theory on octo "enjoyment" for being touched is not so much curiosity or friendly attachment but the thought that their skin may itch and our hands are softer than live rock. If you decide to allow physical contact, I recommend not trying to touch her but let her approach you. First contact is usually quite memorable as both of you will jump (try to limit your reaction, not easy). I recommend not using food as an enticement, they are curious enough to approach you if you leave your fingers in the water for a time and you don't want her to mistake your fingers for food.
For night viewing you can use red lights. Red is miserable for photography but it is a color they don't see. Blue may be even brighter than white to their eyes. Don't try to leave white or blue lights on 24/7 as this will definitely stress her and likely end her life early. However, I typically leave a red light on all night (or 24/7 if I don't have a timer).
Except for the extreme nocturnal part, this is one of my favorites for interaction. Both Puddles and Beldar would come to my hand to be stroked for parts of their lives. My theory on octo "enjoyment" for being touched is not so much curiosity or friendly attachment but the thought that their skin may itch and our hands are softer than live rock. If you decide to allow physical contact, I recommend not trying to touch her but let her approach you. First contact is usually quite memorable as both of you will jump (try to limit your reaction, not easy). I recommend not using food as an enticement, they are curious enough to approach you if you leave your fingers in the water for a time and you don't want her to mistake your fingers for food.