Good Lighting For Cichlids?

[Irf]

Hi all,

My Mbuna tank has been running for several months and now it's fully stocked, I'm getting around to looking at other things.

The lighting tubes (36" T5s) are what the tank came with second hand from ebay. Not great, but then again I can't grow plants in there because of the fish! However I'm growing fed up of the colour transitions the fish go through when swimming from one side of the tank to the other (the tank is open on both long sides - not against a wall).

What lighting do people find produces the appearance of their cuchlids? Or is it irrelevant?

Many thanks,

Irf.

 

[dthoffsett]

I find 6500K brings out there colors nicely, especially the labs.

 

[Irf]

Sorry - I'm not really all that certain what that means. What does 65000K translate to in terms of brand/model of T5 tubes? Apologies for being lighting-ignorant!

Irf.

 

[Druchii]

I use 40W Power Glo and Aqua Glo Tubes in my tank http/www.fishforums.net/Members-African-...ks-t169788.html

 

[Ferris]

I use 40W Power Glo and Aqua Glo Tubes in my tank http/www.fishforums.net/Members-African-...ks-t169788.html

That's a good combination - a nice bright bulb and a softer one.

Good to see you posting again Dru - where you been?

 

[adambrum]

65000K is the frequency of the light ie blues,reds ect have different frequencies it should say on the lighting box

 

[anodized]

i use a 6000k / actinic 50/50 bulb in my cichlid tank, 2x65W bulbs in my 55G and it brings out the colour well