Aquarium Lighting System Options

When you are looking to raise and have fish in your home in an aquarium, there are going to be many things that they will need to survive and thrive. You may not think this, but undoubtedly one of the most important things that you will need for your fish is the right temperature, and in order to have this temperature, you will need a an aquarium lighting system that will allow you to control the heat in the tank. Depending on the kind of tank, the size of the tank, and the fish that you have, you are going to have different needs when it comes to purchasing the right lighting system.

When you are working with a fish-only aquarium that has different kinds of fish, fake plants for decoration, along with wood or other decorative tank components, then you are going to need to look at getting either a standard or power compact system with fluorescent light with your aquarium lighting. For this type of tank, your aquarium lighting should be around 2 watts per gallon. This is meant to act as a regulator for the day and night cycle of typical fish in an aquarium. When you are using a fish only lighting system, then you are working with a very forgiving set up that gives you the freedom to use whatever bulb you'd like to use. One thing to be sure of with this is that you shouldn't use run of the mill store bulbs, as this can actually cause a growth of algae.

Another type of aquarium lighting system you may have to work with will be used in a freshwater planted aquarium. When it comes to these freshwater planted aquariums, you're going to see an array of fish, plants that are live and planted, along with other decorative items. When you are looking for the right lighting system for this aquarium, you should opt for a standard fluorescent, a VHO, a T-5 HO, a Metal Halide or a Power Compact.

When it comes to the fact that there are live plants in this type of aquarium, it plays into the aquarium lighting system needed. Even though the areas where these plants and habitats are from are usually located in rather murky waters, you're going to still need full light in this habitat. While the actual watts you will need will depend on the kinds of plants and tank you choose from, you're typically going to need around 3 to 5 watts per gallon of water in the tank.

The last kind of habitat that needs a lighting system is marine reef aquariums. These marine reef aquariums are going to be filled with fish, coral, live rock and invertebrate. It's important when working with a habitat like this that you are using a T-5 HO, Power Compact, VHO or Metal Halide aquarium lighting system, as in this habitat the fish and wildlife require light for their nutrition, making it crucial to obtain the right amount of light.