Aquarium Lighting - How Much is Just Right?

Lighting is one of the most often-neglected aspects of maintaining an aquarium.

Many inexperienced aquarium owners make the mistake of using too much or too little light, and some even disregard lighting altogether. Aquarium lighting is always important -- aside from the fact that it makes your aquarium more attractive, it also helps keep your fish healthy in a number of ways. Here are some tips to keep in mind.

#1 - The right amount of aquarium lighting replicates the lighting in the fish's natural habitat. In most cases, 12 hours of lighting a day is a good balance, since there's roughly 12 hours of good sunlight in most parts of the world. The closer you get to the way nature designed fish to react to light, the healthier and happier your fish will be.

On the other hand, when you use too much lighting (such as by not turning off the light at all), you might induce some unnecessary stress in your fish. Some aquariums come with lighting hoods with timers, so you can set exactly when you want the light to turn on and off. This can be pretty helpful for aquariums that are in the middle of the house, where it's hard to get any natural lighting.

#2 - Be careful with natural lighting. Some aquarium owners place their aquariums near windows, where natural light takes care of most of their lighting needs. The problem with natural light is that it can promote algae growth, and direct sunlight can harm fish and raise the water's temperature to dangerous levels.

#3 - Fluorescent lighting works better than incandescent or halogen lighting. Fluorescent lamps are closest to natural lighting, and fish are generally more comfortable with the hue. Lamps with a slightly blue hue are especially good for coral reef aquariums, because it replicates the colour of the water under 20-30 feet of water.

#4 - Using live plants in your aquarium will tell you whether or not the aquarium is getting enough light. Look at the leaves of any live plants you may have -- if they are losing their colour, then you might need to light up the aquarium a little longer. If algae is growing a little too quickly, then you may be leaving the light on a little too long. Trial-and-error is often the best way to see just how much lighting your own aquarium needs.

The right type and amount of lighting is always affected by the size and shape of your aquarium, the kinds and number of your fish, and whether or not you'll be using live plants in it. As with everything else, it's always best to do your share of the homework before setting up your first aquarium.

Aquarium Lighting

For more information on a variety of set-ups please go to Aquarium Lighting

And visit us at http://www.uniqueaquariumdesigns.co.uk/index.php where you can download a free copy of the Complete Aquarium Guide

This article may be freely distributed without modification and provided that the copyright notice and any author's information remain intact.