Lighting for a Salt Water Fish Tank

Choosing the right lighting for an aquarium can be as important as your water conditions. When choosing saltwater aquarium lighting, it's important to know exactly what you need to make your tank look its best while keeping your fish, corals and invertebrates healthy and happy. Showcase your saltwater fish tank in its best possible light with aquarium illumination.

Instructions

    • 1

      Know the size you need. Measure the width of your tank and know the amount of gallons to properly choose the perfect size of lighting. Most lighting comes with a fixture and bulbs. If your tank is 4 feet wide, choose a lighting fixture that is complimentary to that width.

    • 2

      Learn about the types of aquarium lighting, such as fluorescent, incandescent, compact fluorescent, LED/moon and metal halide. They all range in a variety of Kelvin scale measurements. These measurements are the temperature scale of your lights. A higher Kelvin rating will mean a higher temperature. Your lowest Kelvin rated lights will be regular fluorescent lighting with incandescent, LED/moon, compact fluorescent and halides being stronger accordingly. You need a higher Kelvin rating for tanks that will include corals. LED/moon lights are low wattage and great for fish only saltwater tanks.

    • 3

      Educate yourself on bulb life. The bulbs in your lighting fixture will not last forever. The longest-lasting bulbs are of the fluorescent variety such as regular fluorescent bulbs and compact fluorescent bulbs. These are also not as expensive as metal halide bulbs, but do not give off as much wattage or Kelvin ratings.

    • 4

      Consider prices. When choosing aquarium lighting, higher the wattage means a higher the price. Metal halide lights are the most expensive, while regular fluorescent lights are the least costly. However, don't scrimp on costs if it means that your aquarium won't be getting the light that it needs.