What Type of Lighting Should You Get for Your Fish Aquarium?

Lighting is one of the most overlooked fish tank supplies you’ll need to consider when setting up a new aquarium. Finding the right type of lighting may seem exhausting, but a bit of guidance will take the guesswork out of choosing the best system for your fish and/or plants. Here are a few things to consider when choosing lighting for a fish tank.

Types of Fish and Plants

The first thing to consider when searching for aquarium lighting is what types of fish you have or would like to have in your aquarium and if you’re going to add live plants to it. Too much light in a “fish only” aquarium will produce a lot of unwanted algae. Many lighting systems have dimmers that allow you to control the amount of light the fish are getting at any given time and reduce the potential for algae.

Also, what kind of plants will you house in your aquarium? Most plants love a lot of light, while others tolerate a lower intensity of lighting to thrive. Plant lighting has really made strides in the last few years in both quality and lower pricing. At Aquatic Warehouse, we have several excellent brand lines that work for most applications and pocketbooks.

Incandescent and Fluorescent

Both incandescent and fluorescent lighting tend to produce a warmer temperature than LED lighting. Some types of fish don’t like to swim near such warm temperatures. The fish may retreat and not be seen as often if the lighting system heats up the aquarium too much. Even though this type of lighting is sometimes cheaper to purchase initially, they use more energy and the bulbs must be replaced every 10-12 months.

Metal Halide

Not too long ago, metal halides were the go-to light source for plants. They still work very well, but the heat, high energy usage, and lack of color that LEDs give off more than make this type of lighting passé.

LED

LEDs are by far the most popular lighting for both freshwater fish only (Lifegard LEDs):

https://www.aquaticwarehouse.com/led-lighting/Lifegard-LED-Lighting

and also for freshwater planted aquariums (Finnex and many others):

https://www.aquaticwarehouse.com/led-lighting/finnex-led-s

This type of lighting is nice because it’s typically programmable with timers and dimmer options. If you want your lights dimmed at a certain time, you may be able to take advantage of an LED dimmer system. Standard LED lighting may also not give off enough light for plants. You need to make sure the lights are specifically for freshwater planted aquariums. Make sure to ask us at Aquatic Warehouse, because there are a lot of companies that say they do something but don’t. LED lighting can be programmed in many different shades, which gives you options regarding the look of your aquarium. LED aquarium lights often have a longer life span than other types of bulbs. They also save money on electricity, as they take much less energy to operate.

Lighting is just one of the many things you’ll need to maintain a healthy aquatic environment. From aquarium monitors to beneficial bacteria, Aquatic Warehouse can provide everything you need to keep your fish tank running smoothly. If you have any questions about lighting or other supplies as well as how to properly care for your fish, get in touch with the friendly aquarium experts at Aquatic Warehouse at 858-467-9297.