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Lighting is something that should be looked into before you buy a lamp for your aquarium. Here is something you will need to now. The more red the lights you buy the tall the growth of the plant, and the more blue the light is the shorter and more dense the plants inside you aquarium are. All plants in the wild get their energy from the sun. All plants will adapt to want ever you put the plant throw. The more red the light is the taller the plant, the more blue there is the more short and dense growth there is to the plant. You must choice an equally amount of red and blue light to grow beautiful plants.

Plants need a night and day just like houseplants do. You must produce enough like so that the plants inside you tank will thrive. I recommend 12 to 14 hours of daylight a day. Before you buy, remember those 2-3 watts per gallon.
Brief

• Red light promotes tall growth
• Blue light promotes short dense growth
• Daylight hours of 10-14 hours a day

Incandescent Lighting

This kind of lighting is not the best choice of lighting for a well-planted aquarium. These lights produce more heat then light.
Brief

• More heat then light.
• Not the best choice for a planted aquarium
• More heat then electricity
• More for look

Standard Fluorescent (T-12)

The standard fluorescent T-12 lights are the most common types of lighting sold in the United States. Fluorescent tubes last longer and are more efficient then incandescent lights. The tubes can last up to four to five years, but this long life can be a down side, because the color of the light shifts and also lose there intensity very quickly with time.
Brief

• Most common type sold in the U.S.
• More efficient then incandescent
• Color of light fads over time.

(VHO) Very High Output Fluorescent

VHO lights Produces more light than the common standard fluorescent (T-12). Have this in mind, Using a 40 watt standard Fluorescent in a planted aquarium in like trying to read with a 40 watt light bulb, Think of reading with more light, like 100 watt. This more light can be easer to read with. The same thing goes with plants, the more light you have the more they will grow, even this goes to an extended use. These lights run at the same efficient as the standard fluorescent lights.
Brief

• Same efficient as normal fluorescent
• More light in the same amount of space.
• More expensive than standard fluorescent
• Must be run by a ballast designed for VHO

T-8 fluorescent

The T-8 lights run on an electronic ballast, they put out 20% more light more per watt then standard fluorescent. T-8 is very efficient when it comes to lighting the tank.
Brief

• Very efficient
• Run on an electronic ballast
• Put out 20% more light more per watt then standard fluorescent
• Worth looking into.

Power Compact Fluorescent Strip Light’s

This type of light is the newest form of lighting in the aquarium hobby. Power Compact lights Look a bent like fluorescent lamps in the shape of a "U". Compact fluorescent strip light’s produce more light in a smaller surface area, and produce the same efficiency as a T-8 lamp. These lights last up to a year and are expensive to replace.
Brief

• Newest form of lighting.
• A bent fluorescent tube in the shape of a "U".
• More light in a smaller surface area.
• Tube is expensive.

Metal Halides

This kind of light is the most efficient aquarium lighting on the aquarium market. Metal halide produces more light and less heat than, any other form of fluorescent lamp. These lights are very expensive but it is worth looking into.
Brief

• Most efficient aquarium lighting
• Produce more light and less heat than any other form of fluorescent
• Most expensive
• Produce a lot of heat
• Produce UV
• Buy a lamp with an UV Shield
• he light bulb must not come in contact with water or it will explode when the light is on

                                                                          

Aqua Bonneville Digest

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Aqua Bonneville will in our part write new articles related to all aquarium types. We will give you short and fast tips to run a healthier aquarium and provide information on the latest most cost effective methods and technologies.