Right Types of Freshwater Aquarium Lighting

Proper lighting is one of the requirements needed for a marine environment to exist. Fish like other pets need light for some essential activities to live longer. There is a specific need of light in every species found in a freshwater aquarium. Fish tank need specified amount of lighting to create balance in the whole aquarium ecosystem. These are the most commonly suggested types of lighting that can be used in your freshwater aquarium:

Incandescent bulbs are regarded as the least effective type of artificial lighting for your aquarium. They ten to get too hot quickly which is not good for all types of fish. Fish may tend to be stressed out in this type of lighting. Incandescent bulbs are low in luminosity but high in energy consumption.

Fluorescent lamps are the most commonly suggested for freshwater aquarium lighting because of some nice features. They can be easily bought and readily available, reasonably priced as well. One good feature of fluorescent lamps is they shine brightly, high in luminosity but low in energy consumption. This is ideal for those beginners who has tight budget indeed this one is an energy saver. There are several types of fluorescent lamps that you can use for your aquarium lighting needs including the famous type of Compact Fluorescent Lamps.

Metal halide lamps are regarded as the upgraded types of fluorescent lamps it has almost the same lighting capabilities of a fluorescent lamp yet it light more intensely. The intensity of metal halide lamps is almost comparable to the light of the sun. To create balanced marine habitat setting this lamp can be turned on the whole day and put it the whole night to depict a real scene of sun up to sun down which is good for most of the aquatic life inside the aquarium.

Proper Lighting Application

After knowing the recommended types of lighting for your freshwater aquarium it is better to understand also the proper lighting application based on the characteristics of marine life inside your aquarium.

Choose a brighter focused kind of light when your fish tank has deeper water level compared to most normal aquariums so that light beams continuously to the whole aquarium area.

An aquarium which has fish only in it low lighting from a good source maybe applied. It must be 2-3 watts per tank gallon only and must be replaced once in while.

For fish tanks with live plants on it, it is ideal to have a medium lighting of 4 watts per tank gallon. Intense lighting is better but there are types of fish that need specified amount of lighting so a careful research must be done on this.

Proper Light Installation

Freshwater aquarium artificial lighting must be situated in an appropriate place safe for everybody. Most hobbyists usually place the bulb on an elevated spot or area so that lighting can be spread evenly to the whole area. However if you plan to put plants inside your aquarium it is recommended to direct the light to the live plants so that they can grow fast. Plants need light to produce food in the process called photosynthesis. Simulation of light can give much benefit to fish and plants in the aquarium because it depicts the normal sunlight and sundown just like the real sunlight does.

Proper time frame or schedule of lighting must be applied. Just like any other living things plants and animals maybe irritated easily to prolonged lighting. Therefore simulation of light is still the best idea to keep the normal balance of the marine life ecosystem.

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