When you buy an aquarium, most of them already come with aquarium lights. If your fish tank does not come with pre-installed lighting, however, or if you want better lighting for your marine tank, you need to choose more intense fish tank lights.
Fish tank lights for freshwater aquarium
Using aquarium lighting is extremely important, both for the health of the fish and the state of the plant life and coral life in the aquarium. Many aquarists prefer using fluorescent lights because they resemble natural light in the best manner. Fluorescent lights are not expensive, making it ideal for first-time fish tank owners.
The amount of light to be used for fish tanks will vary depending on the size of the tank and the kind of aquarium that you have. Most of the time, for every gallon of water in the tank, 3 watts of lighting is already enough. The intensity of your aquarium lighting will dictate the manner of algae growth in your tank. If you don’t want fast algae growth in your tank, you need to opt for less intense lighting.
Metal halide aquarium lights for saltwater tanks
Saltwater tanks have different setups than freshwater tanks, and it is for this reason that these types of aquarium typically require different kinds of lighting. Fish tank lights for marine tanks tend to be more intense, especially if there are live corals and plant life inside the aquarium.
Because metal halide aquarium lights offer more intense lighting and higher concentration than normal fluorescent, they are generally more preferred for saltwater tanks. Freshwater tanks can also make use of metal halide lights but only for deeper types of aquarium or those with live plants. These lights also produce a glittery result, perfect for the aesthetic enhancement of your tank and for better visibility as well.
