Choosing proper aquarium lighting doesn't just make it easier and more enjoyable to observe your fish, it also makes the plants and animals living in your tank healthier. Read on to find out how to light your tank and create a healthy environment for your fish today!
Though it may seem like aquarium lighting only serves to make it easier and more pleasant to observe your tank, proper lighting also ensures that your aquatic plants and creatures are as healthy and happy as possible.
Lighting is essential for providing the most productive (and comfortable) environment possible for the plants and animals taking up residence in your aquarium. If you have any photosynthetic organisms in your aquarium, including corals, anemones, and live plants, you’ll need to provide artificial light to make sure your plants are healthy and functioning properly.
Good lighting also encourages your fish, crabs, snails and other aquatic animals to behave as they would in the wild, relieves stress and boosts proper eating and resting patterns. Aquarium enthusiasts have several options to choose from when it comes to lighting their tanks, largely grouped into four categories:
- Normal Output Fluorescent Lighting: Fluorescent bulbs are the easiest and most common method to light aquariums. These bulbs are ideal for aquariums with salt or freshwater fish in them. Fluorescent strip lights or tubes work great in aquariums since their longer length allows the whole tank to be illuminated with only one or two bulbs. You can choose from several different color temperatures, like daylight/full spectrum (replicates sunlight for healthy and active fish), plant bulbs (stimulates aquatic plant growth), and warm white (best enhances the beautiful colors of your fish).
- Compact Fluorescent Lighting: Compact Fluorescent bulbs provide the same benefits as normal output fluorescent bulbs, but with greater output from a single bulb rather than a bulky fixture. One CFL can do the work of two standard tubes and saves space in a smaller tank. They also have lower heat emission than standard fluorescents, so controlling the temperature of your tank is easier with CFLs.
- HID Metal Halide: HID bulbs are high intensity lights for more advanced aquarium owners. These bulbs are great for aquariums that benefit from a great deal of light, like a tank with a coral reef inside. These bulbs are also found in very large or deep tanks.
- LED Lighting: LED bulbs are the most efficient way to light your tank, as they produce far more light than another bulb at the same wattage, and for far less energy costs in the long run. Make sure you check the Photosynthetically Active Radiation value on your LED fixture to ensure it will be suitable for your aquarium.
Choosing the right lights for your aquarium doesn’t just make it easier and more enjoyable to observe, it also helps your tank’s inhabitants live healthy and more comfortable lives! Check out our selection of aquarium and plant bulbs today.
