Good aquarium lighting can be the secret to a beautiful fish tank. With the perfect light, your plants and fish will thrive. Not only that, don’t forget that the reason for bringing fish into your home is to see fish. A dark, poorly lit fish tank is usually hiding the beauty that you are trying to create. Let’s get down to the nitty gritty about the most popular fish tank lights available.
Florescent Lighting
Florescent Lighting is by far the most popular of choice for lighting freshwater aquariums. Florescent lights are cheaper to purchase and consume less power than other alternatives. They also put off very little heat. If in the end you choose florescent aquarium lights, you are going to want to make sure you do choose a twin bulb aquarium hood and light. Single bulb units just do no put off enough light for most tanks. One disadvantage to florescent lights is that they have lower power output than alternatives. If you choose a twin bulb florescent aquarium light, you will usually have sufficient aquarium lighting for most.
Compact Florescent
Compact florescent aquarium lights are becoming more popular. They are smaller than traditional florescent lights and put off more power. However, they do cost more. They are also usually perfect for smaller aquariums. They even work well for larger if you just want a little more light without a huge increase in cost.
Metal Halide
Metal Halide aquarium lights are usually used to light very large or deep aquariums. They produce the more light than the other fish tank light choices. This does not come without a cost. They are the most expensive of all of the choices to both operate and purchase. They also are only used in open top aquariums because of their high heat production. If you insist on having the most light possible regardless of the cost, metal halide aquarium lights are probably your best choice.
How long should you keep your aquarium light on each day?
Andrea, It depends on the tank. Light is very good for your plants and fish as long as you don’t have any algae problems. Leaving the light on for 12 hrs of the day or so is healthy for your tank.