Subject: Lighting Your Aquarium

For the process of photosynthesis, which allows plants to create nutrients necessary for fish and plants, and this process takes place only in the light, light is necessary for your aquarium.

Natural light is seldom satisfactory, as during the summer there is too much light, and during the winter there isn't enough. For an aquarium, there are three types of lighting available:

* Incandescent bulbs

* Fluorescent lamps

* Mercury vapor lamps

Incandescent bulbs were used almost exclusively at one time and are still used occasionally. Incandescent lights work well in very small aquariums and as spotlights in larger aquariums to light a specific group of plants.

Most aquariums now use fluorescent lighting, while the power consumption is the same; they provide about four times the amount of light.

While available in many colors, not all of these colors are appropriate for aquarium use.

For More Information Visit:
http://maximumheavytraffic.com/wiland697/fp22.htm

Plants require the blue-violet (for cell division) and red (for individual cell growth) parts of the light spectrum for most efficient growth potential. The same lights that nurseries use successfully are also used by aquarium enthusiasts.

Mercury vapor lamps are being widely used now, while they are very economical to use, they hand above and separately from the aquarium. These are more expensive, but far more economical because the output doesn't diminish even after long periods of use.

An aquarium should be lit for at least 12 hours a day and not more than 16 hours a day; stronger lights do not make up for this time period!

Using more than 16 hours a day is not beneficial to either the fish or the plants, and can actually cause harm to both.

Setting a timer for a 13-hour elimination time is ideal. For the plants, most aquariums get too little light during a 24-hour period.

Too much light is not harmful; a good rule of thumb is for each liter of water, 0.5 watts of light is required.

Take a look at:
http://maximumheavytraffic.com/wiland697/fp22.htm

Remember also that a dirty aquarium glass can filter up to 20% of the light in an aquarium. A lamp should come with a reflector to maximize the light it provides.

All aquarium tubs should be replaced after a year, or about 5,000 hours of use.

Be Sure To Visit:
http://maximumheavytraffic.com/wiland697/fp22.htm

Thank you,

Bill Anderson
http://maximumheavytraffic.com/wiland697/fp22.htm