Aquarium Fluorescent Lighting
Selecting your aquarium fluorescent lighting is one of the most important decisions that you can make when you are setting up your tank. If you have a coral tank, or a tank that has natural plants, your aquarium fluorescent lighting is the life of your aquarium. While water quality is important, the amount of light that is filtered into the tank can make a huge difference in whether or not the life in your tank survives or not.
When you are investing in aquarium fluorescent lighting, there are a few things that you will want to keep in mind. First, you need to determine what type of lighting you will have. There are typically three types of fluorescent lights available for aquariums. These include standard t12, t8 and t5 lights and ballast. Each type of light requires a different ballast in order to function properly. Many people suggest the use of t5HO lights, as these have the highest brightness factor with the lowest amount of heat output. However, if you are not growing coral or plants, you may desire a lower output light to control the amount of algae growth that occurs in your aquarium.
It is important to remember when selecting aquarium fluorescent lighting that some types of lights are suitable for encouraging plant growth while others are no. Lights that imitate the light of the sun should only be used during the day time, while lights that imitate night light should be used at night. Setting up your internal lighting in the hood can be difficult if you wish to do this, as it is not uncommon for sun lamps to require a different ballast than moon lights. As too much exposure to daylight can cause growth of unwanted algae, it is important you make certain that your aquarium fluorescent lighting has a timer so that you can set your day and night cycles as needed.
There are two primary types of aquarium fluorescent lighting that fish enthusiasts deal with. First are already constructed lighting solutions, such as those found in cube aquarium systems, and do it yourself varieties. For those new to owning and maintaining aquariums, it is suggested you purchase the ballast, casing and lights already constructed. This will save you a great deal of headache and hassle. However, if you are good with do it yourself projects, it is possible to customize the hood of your aquarium to have the ideal lighting for your tank project.