Lighting Question

[mfdrookie516]

So i am constantly seeing everybody on here talking about lighting.. mainly in sw, but sometimes on fw... i just have the typical cheap plastic hoods with the flourescent lights that sit on them... I have been considering going with glass tops and putting a big light over top of the tank. For cichlids, tanganyikan in particular, is there any preference on lighting? i have no clue how much light i should be putting in the tank. Now i have one "clear" light and one "black" light... are these suitable, as i have them on all 5 tanks that are up and running or should i upgrade... i have no live plants, just rocks, fake plants, pfs or gravel, and fish... thanks

 

[Sicklid]

In general, moderate to minimal lighting is appreciated by these fish, but really there is no rule... Only those trying to cultivate algae, or not, or want to show off the colors of the fish, or something like that choose special lights... Of course a planted tank is a different matter entirely, but a Fish Only (african?) cichlid tank has no real light requirements...

I have a cheap plastic single tube fluorescent fixture, a 48" 10,000k aquarium specific bulb because it enhancess the fishes colors, but I have most of that bulb diffused and directed away from the tank, which I turn on whenever I feel like looking at the tank... so far, the Anubias and the fish don't seem to mind...

 

[mfdrookie516]

well, i just kind of turn the lights on when i want them on, and turn them off when im thinking about how high my last electric bill was... i usually leave one light on one side of one of my tanks on all night, helps guide me in the direction of the kitchen for those mid-night mt dews lol... ive got central/south americans in one, tanganyikans in one, tropicals in the rest... is that appropriate then? usually i turn them on when i get home from work, then off when i go to bed except that one.. sound ok?

 

[Sicklid]

I think so! I used to have timers, photo periods, over driven ballasts, yada yada yada... Now I do what you do... Come home, click it on, click it off & go to bed...

 

[mfdrookie516]

awesome. now i know once i finally dive in and set up a reef tank, ill have to have good lighting and keep it on a schedule, but im glad to hear at least that im good to go on the fw tanks... thanks

 

[severum mama]

If you don't have any live plants, then lighting is purely personal preference. I remember you saying that you're doing this on a budget, so I suspect you won't want to upgrade unless you plan on going planted. Whatever you have is fine for now.