Aquarium lighting fixtures are complete lights units that mount on your tank. There are two reasons to have an aquarium lighting fixture. First, to simulate the natural light your fish would get in the wild, secondly, for you to see the fish and plants, and enjoy the vivid colors.
Lights Fixtures for Freshwater Fish-only Tanks
Artificial rocks and plastic plants decorate the tank, no living plants. The beauty of this for budding aquarists, is that you don’t have to get a fancy lights fixture, as fish don’t photosynthesize! You can hone your lighting choice down to two factors. First, simulate the natural day/night light of your freshwater fish. Second, display your fish to show off their colors.
Lights Fixtures For Freshwater Planted Tanks
Live plants nicer to look at, and with these primary producers in your tank, you’ve got a complete self sustaining ecology in your tank. Keeping live plants, your aquarium lighting fixture must provide the vital light that plants need to photosynthesize. Plants use chlorophyll to photosynthesize, this absorbs light at certain wavelengths (430nm and 680nm).
A dual bulb aquarium light fixture with a red plant growth bulb of 3000K and a full daylight of 6500K for vigorous healthy plants, especially when you are starting seedlings or cuttings.
Lights Fixtures For Saltwater Fish-only Tanks
Without corals to think about, lighting choices are simple for saltwater fish-only tanks. Popular saltwater fish like clownfish, angelfish, and gobies don’t need uber-lighting fixtures. The aquarium lighting system you choose is to delight the viewer. After all, no one wants a dark box in their room. A daylight lamp of 5500K up to 10000K is a reasonable choice. Keep your day lighting down to less than 10 hours per day, too much lighting will boost algae growth.