Fish Tanks and Choosing the Right Aquarium Light
Okay, so you have decided that tropical fish look really cool and that is what you will stock your aquarium with.
You want to see all the bright colours of the tropical fish so you will need an aquarium light.
You are all ready to buy a light for your new aquarium and there are so many different types, which one do you buy? Is it the compact fluorescent, regular, high output (ho) fluorescent or the very high output (vho) fluorescent? Looking further you see two more types, the metal halide and the LED - Light Emitting Diodes.
How do you make sure you buy the right aquarium light for your tank? I hope you remembered to write down the dimensions of the fish tank because you will need them! Before you can choose the type of light you need for your tank, you need to decide on what fish you will housing in your tank.
Once this is determined and to get the best results, I suggest you do some research and find out their lighting requirements.
For example, if you decide on Tetra Neons, research what type of lighting is best for them.
Aquarium Light Types Regular Fluorescent Light These are very affordable, cheap to run and easy to replace.
Most starter tanks will come with this type.
Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb In comparison to regular fluorescent lights, these are much brighter, intense light.
Be aware that these lights produce heat and may raise the water temperature in your tank.
This means you will need a special hood, often with a fan, because of the heat produced.
High Output (HO) Fluorescent Light These usually last longer but are more expensive than regular fluorescent.
They also require a T5 light fixture.
Very High Output (VHO) Fluorescent Light Produce a lot of heat and very expensive and need a special fixture.
They do have fans built into the lighting unit but you may also need an aquarium chiller to prevent your tank water from overheating.
May produce dead fish otherwise! Metal Halide Light Bulb As close to sunlight as you can get but they are very expensive to buy, operate and replace.
They produce a lot of heat and usually must be fan cooled.
Ballasts with fan units included are widely available.
Mostly used to light a reef tank with anemones and corals that need higher intensity lighting.
LED Aquarium Lights Although not as affordable as fluorescent lights they do come with added advantages.
How long should you leave the fish tank lights on? Anywhere from 6 to 12 hours because just like other animals, fish need rest as well.
Leaving them on longer can cause algae growth.
You could invest in a light timer, but I found it easy just to switch them on when it got dark and then off again before I went to bed.
A really cool thing to do with an aquarium light timer is to turn on the various lights at different times.
For example, with a compact fluorescent hood incorporating an actinic bulb (produce only the blue end of the light spectrum), a full spectrum bulb and a moon light (delivers a night time lunar glow) you could simulate dawn and dusk in your aquarium! Although I never had one, I don't think they were available when I bought my aquarium; I was at a friend's place recently and her aquarium had a moon light in it.
It produced an awesome effect when all the other lights in the room were off.
You want to see all the bright colours of the tropical fish so you will need an aquarium light.
You are all ready to buy a light for your new aquarium and there are so many different types, which one do you buy? Is it the compact fluorescent, regular, high output (ho) fluorescent or the very high output (vho) fluorescent? Looking further you see two more types, the metal halide and the LED - Light Emitting Diodes.
How do you make sure you buy the right aquarium light for your tank? I hope you remembered to write down the dimensions of the fish tank because you will need them! Before you can choose the type of light you need for your tank, you need to decide on what fish you will housing in your tank.
Once this is determined and to get the best results, I suggest you do some research and find out their lighting requirements.
For example, if you decide on Tetra Neons, research what type of lighting is best for them.
Aquarium Light Types Regular Fluorescent Light These are very affordable, cheap to run and easy to replace.
Most starter tanks will come with this type.
Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb In comparison to regular fluorescent lights, these are much brighter, intense light.
Be aware that these lights produce heat and may raise the water temperature in your tank.
This means you will need a special hood, often with a fan, because of the heat produced.
High Output (HO) Fluorescent Light These usually last longer but are more expensive than regular fluorescent.
They also require a T5 light fixture.
Very High Output (VHO) Fluorescent Light Produce a lot of heat and very expensive and need a special fixture.
They do have fans built into the lighting unit but you may also need an aquarium chiller to prevent your tank water from overheating.
May produce dead fish otherwise! Metal Halide Light Bulb As close to sunlight as you can get but they are very expensive to buy, operate and replace.
They produce a lot of heat and usually must be fan cooled.
Ballasts with fan units included are widely available.
Mostly used to light a reef tank with anemones and corals that need higher intensity lighting.
LED Aquarium Lights Although not as affordable as fluorescent lights they do come with added advantages.
- They consume less energy and run much cooler
- They have a much longer life span and there is no filament to break
- They are small and compact
How long should you leave the fish tank lights on? Anywhere from 6 to 12 hours because just like other animals, fish need rest as well.
Leaving them on longer can cause algae growth.
You could invest in a light timer, but I found it easy just to switch them on when it got dark and then off again before I went to bed.
A really cool thing to do with an aquarium light timer is to turn on the various lights at different times.
For example, with a compact fluorescent hood incorporating an actinic bulb (produce only the blue end of the light spectrum), a full spectrum bulb and a moon light (delivers a night time lunar glow) you could simulate dawn and dusk in your aquarium! Although I never had one, I don't think they were available when I bought my aquarium; I was at a friend's place recently and her aquarium had a moon light in it.
It produced an awesome effect when all the other lights in the room were off.
