Lighting Your Tank

[QHowes]

I have a normal incandecent light for my hood on my 10g tank. I know that if its left on for a long period of time it can heat the water. What are the pro's and con's to having flourecent light? Do i need to keep my light on for my plants to photosynthisize?

 

[guppymonkey]

Incandescent lights are absolutely useless for fish tanks. They heat up the water (as you mentioned) and they are not very good for watching the fish. The fish are healthier with a natural spectrum flourecent light. The plants need a natural spectrum light (which can not be provided by an incandescent bulb) and they need that light for 10 to 12 hours a day. Fish look better under flourecent bulbs. I don't really know of any cons to flourecent lights except the extra cost.

 

[pmoyniha]

What is the spectrum on an incandescent bulb? I ask because right now I cannot afford to put another tube into my tank and so I am supplementing with incandescent. It appears to be helping, but how much I dont know.

 

[QHowes]

Great to hear i will look at flourecent bulbs right away!!! What is the cost and what colours go with what?

 

[carppy]

you can get incandescent bulbs for aquariums in a full spectrum of colours, the trick to keeping the heat down is having it raise higher above your hood. But the bulbs made specifically for tanks don't heat up as much. Also you can pick up a flourescent light balast at any household hardware, or building store for a decent price and they're perfectly safe to use with an aquarium. You don't always have to buy the pro stuff ya know. Flourescent bulbs for aquariums come in all sorts of spectrums, you'll just have to pick the one thats right for your tank for intensity and colour

 

[pmoyniha]

Thanks carppy.