Saltwater Fish-Only Tank Lighting
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Saltwater Aquarium Fish-Only tank lighting is an important part of the lifeblood of your aquarium for your fish.   By a Fish-Only tank, we are talking about an aquarium that has no, or very little,  live rock or corals.  If you have a Reef-System tank, we will be covering this type of lighting in detail next week.

It is helpful to understand the spectrum and intensity of light and how it works.  Fish in their natural environment are underwater, resulting in them only getting a defused part of sunlight.  Fish that live in shallower waters, naturally, will receive more intense light than fish that live in deeper waters, or fish that may be nocturnal, where the light spectrum exposure is minimal.

What kind of lighting should I use, you ask?   The most basic type of lighting you can use for your Fish-Only tank is Fluorescent Lighting.  Incandescent bulbs should be avoided because they produce too much heat.  Energy Savers Unlimited offers one fluorescent type light that is popular.  Their Coralife 50/50 lamps are a mixture of 50% 6000 Kelvin natural daylight and 50% 7100 Kelvin Actinic 03 blue. These full spectrum lamps enhance color and clarity while providing the tank's inhabitants with the proper light required for essential biochemical reactions, ideal for saltwater and reef aquariums.  Aquatic Technology also offers and excellent selection of fluorescent, actinic and halide products to choose from. To locate other fish stores or on-line suppliers that sell lights and lighting accessories, visit our Aquarium Supplies - Lighting page.

How long, and often, should your lights be on?   Fish need to maintain a constant, regular schedule in their lives, just like people need.  With your Fish-Only tank, by not having the live rock and corals that need a lot of sunlight to be healthy, you do not need to have your lights on for a long period of time in 24 hours.  For consistency, you can set a timer to have the light come on around your own schedule.  For example, if you work during the day and want to enjoy your fish when you come home after work hours, you would want your lights to be on during that time in the evening.  You could set the timer to go on, say at 5:00pm, and have it go off at, or after, your bedtime.  We feel that 6-8 hours of light is sufficient.  After you work with your aquarium for a while, you'll figure out what works best for you, and your fish.

For more help and information about lighting needs for your aquarium, visit our Aquarium Set Up - Lighting NetLinks section. You can also post a message on our Saltwater Aquariums Bulletin Board, or drop into our scheduled Salt Talk Chat Sessions and discuss your questions with other aquarists.