Aquarium Lighting – Basic Things to Know

You may think lighting is just for the show of a fish tank but that is a wrong concept because several things lie with the light setting in an aquarium. Beginner aquarists may not understand the importance of aquarium lighting and choose wrong light for a tank which may harm aquatic species and lead too much growth of algae. So, first understand, why lighting is an important part of fishkeeping then only mount light.

Bright Lighting helps you see the colors of the aquatic species prominently but you have to understand whether your pet is a diurnal or a nocturnal species. You should consider a few things before you select lighting for your fish tank:

1.      Consider the Species You are Keeping in the Aquarium

Different specimens need different lighting for their tank. While choosing a pet fish, learn about its necessities and comfort for adding illumination in the house of your finned buddies. Some fish love high light and others prefer moderate lighting that they receive while dwelling in rivers and oceans. Usually, most of the freshwater fish prefers warm rays of sunlight, so you can keep bright light in the tank of this fish.

Remember, many fish are nocturnal species who don’t like bright light. So, don’t keep bright light in the aquarium of those fish.

2.      Know the Effect of Light on the Fish

Fishkeepers can choose fluorescent, LED and incandescent lighting for their tank but they should be aware of the heating issue, as incandescent light causes too much heat in a fish tank. So, keep the lights on for 4-5 hours a day to maintain balance. It will be better if you use LED light for your fish tank to maintain warm and cool effects in a balanced way.

3.      Learn about the Effect of Light on the Live Plants in Aquarium

Live plants depend on high to moderate lighting because light produces energy that helps the plants in surviving in water for a long time. Green plants make their food with the photosynthesis process, so light plays an important role to them.

Before you purchase light and plants know about the intensity of light for the plants. Some freshwater plants need high light and other requires low light in their tank.

4.      Acquire Information about the Time Limit of Lighting in a Fish Tank

The tropical fish and plants in the aquarium generally receive 12 hours of light in a day because extra-lighting effect is not good for their health. Therefore, hobbyists are recommended to whether off the lights of the tank after a specific time period or install an automatic timer lighting at the uppermost portion of the tank.

5.      Light Can Enrich the Colors of the Colorful Fish Breeds

If you set a bright light in the fish tank then it will help to enrich the colors of the fish. You may ask how! It is quite simple, the bright lighting helps in darkening the pigments of some fish breeds, which will gradually increase the colors of the fish.

Note: Too much light in the fish tank can result in algae, so check the need for lighting and control it as per need.

Final Thoughts

Lighting is one of the important parts in fishkeeping because without a proper light your pet fish cannot be disease-free, as light is on of the weapons to kill bacteria and other infection in a fish home.