Lighting

[Seb]

Hiya guys,

I have seen a couple of photos with an aquarium which has two phases of lighting: one which is effectively daylight and bright, one which is dark and kind of blue-ish if you know what I mean. It looked really nice, during the day it has a nice healthy glow, and during the night theres subtle lighting but it still helps you to admire the fish (whats the subtle lighting called?).

What I want to know is, is it healthy to keep a dim light on throughout the night, and do the fish mind it (that is if the low light is meant to be kept on all night, I don't know)? Also, I assume that the tank hood contains 2 or maybe even 3 light sockets so that different lighting can be switched on or off accordingly - sometimes, do you have 2 lights on during the day?

What sort of wattages do you get for lights? I mean, I have one 15W power-glow light - it seems bright enough for a 20g, so I guess its fine.

Um, thats all I can ask at the moment lol - sorry for so many questions!

B)

 

[mrV]

Above my 450 liters tank (150cm*60cm*50cm, l*w*h):

2 x Sylvania AquaStar 36W (10000K)
2 x Philips 865 36W (6500K)
1 x missing

200 liters (100cm*40cm*50cm):

1x Hagen Aqua-Glo 25W
1x Sylvania coolwhite 25W (3000K)

lighting: one which is effectively daylight and bright, one which is dark and kind of blue-ish if you know what I mean

It's moonshine like lamp. I haven't any. Usually they are keeping them with marine tanks.

Daylight is between 4000-6500K.

 

[Kryten]

I guess the tank you saw was quite big. The blue light works best in my opinion with a tank that has blue gravel, causes a beautiful effect.

You normally have to have a big hood to have two bulbs, but I have the same size tank with a 15 watt bulb and it seems to work.

You can have a subdued light if you want, but two points arise from this:

1. This is unnatural for the fish and may give the fish altered or no sleeping pattern, leading to dull lifeless fish. Light is meant to simulate day and night, which will not happen.
2. Is there much point in being able to view the fish at night if you are asleep anyway

It is 100% up to you, but that is my opinion

 

[CFC]

I have 5 tubes in my 75g tank which can be turned on or off independently of each other (2x38w freshwater plant lamps 1x38w red lamp 1x38w blue lamp and 1x8w red lamp) i have them set up on timers to come on and go off in such a way to simulate sunrise/sunset,the small 8w tube is the one i use in the evening as it only dimly lights one end of the tank,i tried using the blue "moonlight" tube for this but found it was still a little bright for nocturnal fish,but left it in as it does bring up any blue on the fish when used with the other lights.

 

[Seb]

Thanks for the help,

Cat Fish Crazy, how did you setup having so many lamps on your tank? Did you get a hood seperately, or did you customise it yourself to have 5 or so light sockets?

 

[CFC]

The tank came with two lights fitted as standard and the other three i fitted myself,very easy to do just buy the units from the fs drill two holes for the tube clips and fit,it does help that the lid on this tank (a jewel rio 300) dosen't have a hood as such its more like two plastic flaps that slot into the supplied light fitting.