| To keep your plants and fish healthy, proper lighting | | | | are different. Unfortunately, many people make |
| is critical - without the right amount and type of | | | | mistakes with lighting, causing their beautiful aquatic |
| lighting, the life in your aquarium won't have a chance | | | | plants to wither and die in the span of a few weeks. |
| to thrive. A home aquarium doesn't receive adequate | | | | But if you know what amount of lighting to use to |
| light, relative to what fish are exposed to in nature. | | | | keep plants alive, they will flourish, and stay vibrant |
| Fish need about 12 hours a day of light, so it's | | | | and colorful. Install a tri-phosphor tube or full |
| recommended to set up a timer for the lights to | | | | spectrum fluorescent bulb to supply the plants with |
| ensure consistency. Inadequate or unreliable amounts | | | | the full spectrum of light they need to grow. |
| of light will stress your fish. | | | | Although the lighting you employ depends on the |
| Most basic aquariums come with lighting already | | | | type of plants you have in your aquarium, a full |
| installed, but you can also buy lights if you want | | | | spectrum bulb that covers the red, blue, and green |
| something different. For a novice the lighting in your | | | | parts of the light spectrum should work for most |
| aquarium should be sufficient if it's fluorescent, | | | | setups. |
| however, this only applies to freshwater tanks. If | | | | A fluorescent bulb should do the trick for saltwater |
| you plan on setting up a saltwater aquarium, better | | | | tanks containing only fish, but if you're going to add |
| lighting is a must. | | | | other elements to the mix, such as coral or live |
| Fluorescent lighting keeps fish the healthiest because | | | | rocks, everything changes. This type of aquarium |
| it most closely resembles natural light - and it makes | | | | needs more light. If you plan to start with just fish, |
| your fish look better! Don't use candescent lighting in | | | | and then expand to add other features, purchase an |
| an aquarium, as it gives off a lot of heat and has a | | | | aquarium with space for two tubes so you have |
| tendency to warm the water, possibly causing harm | | | | room to add more lighting as your needs change. |
| to your fish. Luckily, incandescent bulbs are easy to | | | | Corals require large amounts of light, between 5 and |
| replace with fluorescent ones. | | | | 8 watts. |
| For fish only aquariums, use 3 watts of lighting for | | | | Setting up an aquarium and keeping fish can be a lot |
| every gallon of water in the tank. This amount of | | | | of fun, and it makes a great hobby. As long as you |
| light will control algae perfectly - anything stronger | | | | research your lighting needs ahead of time and know |
| and you may notice green algae starting to form. | | | | exactly what your aquarium needs to keep the fish, |
| Remember to change the lights once every 8 | | | | plants, and other features alive and well, you'll be able |
| months to keep a consistent light level going. | | | | to enjoy your aquarium for years to come. |
| For aquariums with plants, the lighting requirements | | | | |