When setting up a freshwater aquarium, it can be quite confusing to decide what type of freshwater aquarium lighting is best. There are many types to choose from and the type of lighting you eventually settle for will be determined by the size of tank that you have and the type of fish as well.
Lets have a look at different kinds of lighting and what they are most suitable for:
1.Incandescent Lighting
This is the basic kind of lighting that is used to light up homes. Incandescent lighting is used in lamps and spot lights and is really the most basic kind of lighting. Its popular for freshwater aquarium lighting because it gives a nice, easy light to look at, but only very small aquariums can do with this kind of light. It gives off a lot of heat and is not energy-efficient.
2.Fluorescent Lighting
This is more commonly used for lighting aquariums, and it comes at all a wide range of wattages. It can handle different color spectrums (red to blue to white), bringing out the best in any aquarium. When fluorescent lighting is used in freshwater aquarium lighting, or even in salt water tanks, they look beautiful. The bulbs are diverse, and the fixtures for them are diverse too so that you can get different kinds to put in your tank depending on what you like. You can get single bulbs and multiple bulbs, but this will be determined by the size of the tank, and the size of the bulbs as well large multiple bulbs, for example, would be too much for a small freshwater aquarium. You are also able to install them in different colors. They are easy to source most hardware stores will have them. If you are looking for something basic, search your pet store, they will most likely have it. You can get creative with these too, and design your own fixtures to go along with them.
3.Full spectrum lighting
Also known as daylight bulbs, they are designed to look as much as natural light as possible. They provide a wider colour spectrum than fluorescent lighting, with red, yellow, green, blue and white. They are good for any kind of aquarium really, and the only consideration may be that you have to pay more. They are good for both freshwater aquarium lighting and salt water set-ups too. They are excellent if you have live plants in the fish tank as they provide close to natural light, making photosynthesis much more efficient. Efficient photosynthesis means a much more balanced environment for your fish.
4.Actinic Lighting
These are designed to provide exactly the color range that is required for the photosynthesis process, so they come in as an excellent choice for small or even big tanks that have lots of live plants in them. If your substrate has marine corals and invertebrates, this lighting provides an excellent environment. They should however not be used alone you should combine them with full spectrum lighting of some kind (no. 2 or 3 above). This is because they are heavy in their color combination and will give your tank a bluish tint while not showing off the rest of the colors.
5.Metal Halide Lighting
These are new in the market, and they are the top of the range in both lighting and price. They are the best for freshwater aquarium lighting especially if there are live plants in the tank, but you will pay a lot more. They produce bright and high quality light that supports both photosynthesis and that will show off all your tanks colors to their best. They also vary in temperatures and so can be used in both big and small tanks. Their fixtures will usually hang on the fish tank lid or be specially mounted to fit onto the fish tank so that they can disperse light all over the tank. They are not very popular for freshwater aquarium lighting though, because of their high cost and their special safety requirements.
There are many other hybrid bulbs for freshwater aquarium lighting that have a full spectrum of color and these are usually good if you have only on light fixture in your tank. Remember that no matter what kind of fish you have, they must have light, but from the range of lighting specified here, it should now be easier to make a choice.
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Robert is an experienced aquarist, who owns and maintains his and other people's aquariums. For more great tips on freshwater aquarium lighting, visit www.freshwater-aquariumsecrets.com
