My lighting?

[baron1282]

Hello

My 55 gallon tank has two hoods on it. Right now I am using the light that the hoods already came with. Just the standard fluorescent bulb they came with. Would it be better to update the bulbs to one of these bulbs? Would it help at all? I don't have coral but wouldn't better lighting promote my fish health and the growth of the purple Coraline?

Thanks

Zoo Med Ocean Sun 10,000K Deep Water - Lighting & Hoods - Fish - PetSmart

 

[mr_X]

Not really. A different color lamp might make the fish appear more colorful, but that's all it's going to do for you. Coralline algae doesn't need any special spectrum or high intensity to grow.

 

[baron1282]

Thanks Mr. X!

I was just wondering if better lighting promotes health in fish. I know reptiles and birds both benefit from full spectrum lighting. So that thinking got me wondering if fish would benefit as well.

If anything it would make my fish look better. Which is always a good thing when you are looking at your fish tank!

 

[mr_X]

Check into a lamp that's a bit higher K....something between 12 and 20k. that really makes colors pop.

 

[baron1282]

Would I have to replace the hood lamp or just the bulb in the lamp I have already? I don't got the money for a new lamp as of yet but I can buy the bulbs today and have better looking lighting than what came standard.

 

[mr_X]

Just a new bulb...not a whole new fixture,....if you wanted.

 

[baron1282]

Thank you sir! I will go out today and look and by Monday I will post results. I am at my Masters Program right now and I am almost done for the day and I got a lot of time after before I can go to where I am spending the night. So Pet Smart is calling my name! LOL

There is actually a really cool aquarium shop here in West Lafayette Indiana so I will go there as well.

 

[baron1282]

MrX

How are these bulbs? Good to go? Thanks!

 

[mr_X]

They might look nice. What is your fixture like? 2 lamps side by side or one lamp per so many feet?

 

[baron1282]

Mr_X

No they are just standard 24in hoods with 18in bulbs in them. It's a standard 48in 55 gallon tank with 2 hoods with one bulb each in them.

I replaced one of the lighting with my single bright LED stripe, but it's not that good looking so I was going to put the florescent hood back on with the new bulb in it.

I will say the guy that sold me the lights said "Your going to see things you have never saw before with these bulbs". LOL If that matters, knowing sells people. He was the owner of the shop I bought the lights from.

 

[baron1282]

Results:

Well, I have to be honest. I didn't like it that much, it seemed too purplish to me.
Plus I don't think my Yellow Tang liked it. He hid in his little rock cave he sleeps in and as soon as I switched them back out for the regular bulbs he Jumped out and started swimming around all happy again. I didn't think fish would react like that to lighting, but I see now that lights like the ones I bought are meant for a multiple lighting system. As it allows all the color to pop.

I still have not seen my Six Line Wrasse after the lights came on, he is normally out swimming the rocks but I don't know if the light stopped him from being active like normal? I am a little worried about my Six Line and not seeing him. :-/

It's just weird how the new lighting made my fish react.

 

[mr_X]

Interesting. My fish seemed to show some reaction to the light going on and the daylights going off and turning to just blues early on, but they have since become accustomed to it. They almost know it's going to happen now....and don't skip a beat.
But hey, if you don't like the way it looks, you don't like the way it looks. It's your tank.