squealor
Aquarium Advice Regular
When looking at lighting for my upgraded puffer tank, I noticed that they sell a lot of lamps as either FW or SW. Which do you choose for brackish?
Brackish Lighting?
- Thread starter squealor
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JDogg
Aquarium Advice Addict
are you planning to grow brackish tolerant plants? if that is the case then the FW bulbs. if not plants then you would be fine with just a simple fluorescent bulb (to much light will give you algae)
squealor
Aquarium Advice Regular
No plants... I've heard that plants in a brackish tank are tough to keep, so I'm going with silk...
I was going with this light, but do you think it's too much?
http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsU...5/cl0/coralifefwt5aqualightdoublestriplight30
I was going with this light, but do you think it's too much?
http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsU...5/cl0/coralifefwt5aqualightdoublestriplight30
Jarred Darque
Aquarium Advice FINatic
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2006
- Messages
- 682
OK, obviously in the real world, both fresh water and saltwater (and brackish) rcieve the same lighting, which is basically like the 50/50 lightin we put over our slatwater tanks. Freshwater does not utilize all the color spectrum, just the white light (for the most part) so we dont put the actinic part over our FW tanks. Brackish is well.. brackish. First thing to look at is what type of lighting is good for your fish, if it is a GSP, they really REALLY look much better with SW type lighting, I dont know baout other brackish species, but probably the same, also, ther are going to be some SW bacteria and organisms that can survive in brackish, so again, I would recommend a SW type lighting system
JDogg
Aquarium Advice Addict
yes, just us a simple t8 fluorescent strip light IMOsquealor said:
coldmachineUK
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I find my puffers look a lot better with actinic lighting. I use a T5 pc luminaire, with one daylight blue (half blue half daylight) and one moonlight blue. Turning them both on gives a really great light effect and really makes the puffers stand out.
Btw, you won't regret going with silk plants as opposed to testing brackish tolerant. Most brackish tolerant species come from FW and need adapting. This is rarely mentioned in online articles. So, it's a royal pain in the neck to do (it's over a longer period and more gradually than acclimatising fish even). On top of that, even if you do manage it there's no guarantee they'll live long. Trust me, I've tried! I now go with rock for my puffers. I did try lots of plastic plants at one point, with a sand substrate, but I broke the whole tank down and restarted with crushed coral gravel (way easier to maintain and looks nicer IMO) and rocks only. As I say, you won't regret leaving out the plants.
Btw, you won't regret going with silk plants as opposed to testing brackish tolerant. Most brackish tolerant species come from FW and need adapting. This is rarely mentioned in online articles. So, it's a royal pain in the neck to do (it's over a longer period and more gradually than acclimatising fish even). On top of that, even if you do manage it there's no guarantee they'll live long. Trust me, I've tried! I now go with rock for my puffers. I did try lots of plastic plants at one point, with a sand substrate, but I broke the whole tank down and restarted with crushed coral gravel (way easier to maintain and looks nicer IMO) and rocks only. As I say, you won't regret leaving out the plants.
tropicfishman
Aquarium Advice Addict
I would say th esaltwater setup, and heres why, SW parts are made for some abuse, the paint coatings are different in order to stnad up the salty enviorment. since brackish has salt in it, why just go ahead and get the SW lighting that you know can take it. Now I'm basing this on assumption that the parts are made more beefed up so to say.
