Aquarium lighting: choosing and using lamps

Buying an aquarium and the fish themselves is far from everything if you are going to seriously conquer the heights of aquarium hobby. At a minimum, the container should correspond to the concept of an integral ecosystem with a change of day and night, therefore artificial lighting will not hurt you, especially since it is not always easy to see the aquarium inhabitants without it. However, everything useful in excessive quantities or with the wrong "reception" becomes harmful, so it makes sense to ask about this topic before purchasing and installing anything.

Some of the inexperienced would argue that he does not need lamps for an aquarium - they say that the fish can be seen even without illumination, and deep-sea inhabitants still cannot be spoiled by the sun's rays. This is largely true, but still experts advise using special lighting devices specifically to form a coherent ecosystem... The fish themselves need a change of dark and light time of day only to develop a regime - they do not have a clock, so only by the presence and absence of light they understand when to rest and do not overwork. To a greater extent, lighting is necessary for vegetation, and you would be greatly mistaken if you think that you can do without it.

Specific requirements are usually formulated as the following list.

• Not just any lamp is needed, but only one that is specially adapted for the aquarium.It is unacceptable to use an ordinary table lamp - it is not at all adapted to coexist with water, and in fact the contact of liquid with electricity is dangerous for the entire dwelling as a whole. The protective casing is usually already included in the structure, but if for some reason it is not there, you will have to use a special glass cover for the aquarium, which at the same time will protect the fish from unintentional escape. Often the required lamp is already pre-installed in the cover.
• The distribution of light should be uniform - there is no point in a lamp that illuminates well and even warms up the upper layers of water a little, but does not have any effect on remote corners of the aquarium. To solve the problem, special reflectors are used, which are evenly attached in the aquarium in certain places.
• It is important to choose the right lighting power, since both lack and excess of light are potentially dangerous. At the same time, each of the inhabitants of the aquarium, be it fauna or flora, has its own idea of ​​how much light should ideally be, and the difficult task of the aquarist is to find a certain balance that would satisfy all living creatures.
• The light source should not be of any one spectrum - the presence of both orange-red and blue-violet lighting is important. It is for this reason that ordinary incandescent lamps are always rejected - they cannot give a blue-violet spectrum, and even contribute to the heating of water in the upper layers.

Inside the aquarium, as in nature as a whole, everything is interconnected, and only the complete comfort of all useful inhabitants of the tank allows us to say that the ecosystem is healthy and not endangered. Photosynthesis is of fundamental importance for plant growth, and it is impossible without lighting.

One side, there are aquariums without plants at all and even without any bottom, except for glass, on the other hand, this is a clear sign of the aquarist's inexperience and unwillingness to do things, all the importance of which he simply does not understand. Plants in an aquarium are perceived by many as a purely aesthetic detail that makes the underwater world more believable, but greens should be there for another reason - it recycles harmful carbon dioxide and releases oxygen into the water column, which fish needs to breathe. Only a few species of fish are able to swallow air directly from the atmosphere, floating to the surface, because all the rest exist mainly due to vegetation and high-quality aeration. Agree, two options for saturating water with oxygen look better than one in any case.

In addition to aesthetics and oxygenation of water, plants can perform some other functions. So, some types of fish have herbivorous habits and will gladly eat not your store food, but fresh herbs that grow right there... For the owner, this is also a definite plus - although the pets will not eat pasture forever, you can still leave them unattended and leave for a while. In addition, peace-loving fish species instinctively seek shelter from predators, while predators, on the contrary, hide in the same place to watch for a gullible prey. Finally, some species of sensitive plants can act as an indicator that the biobalance in the ecosystem is disturbed. If it becomes obvious before the fish begin to die, an attempt can be made to fix the situation.

If different underwater inhabitants need different lighting parameters, there is no surprise that aquarium lamps are different - each type has its own advantages and disadvantages.Each type of equipment has its own optimal field of application, and although there is partial interchangeability, it is better to make the choice fully consciously, therefore we will go through the main types of lamps.

Halogen lamps and incandescent lamps in our time are rightly considered the past century. - it is calculated that they actually give more heat than light, and temperature deviations from the norm are undesirable for fish. The fundamental difference between the two types is perhaps that the halogen variety is more durable and requires less replacement. Such equipment has advantages, albeit few, - these are, firstly, low cost, and secondly, the semblance of their light to the sun. The disadvantage is obvious: only 3% of the consumed energy is spent on light, while 97% goes into heating. Because of this, you will have to take high-wattage lamps, and this translates into inadequate electricity bills (especially for incandescent lamps) and leads to even more heating of the aquarium water.

Metal halide lamps should not be confused with ordinary halogen lamps - these are in demand among experienced aquarists, but only on condition that the depth of the reservoir is 60 centimeters or more. The reasons for the popularity of such equipment are understandable - it is inexpensive, does not consume so much electricity, while being able to give a targeted beam of light, and the spectrum from yellow to blue can be selected depending on the model of the lighting fixture. The huge advantage of such a searchlight is that it is the golden mean - you can see the underwater inhabitants perfectly, but they do not experience any discomfort from this, and in general the underwater world looks incomparable in the flickering of light. But here, too, not everything is so cloudless - the owner will have to find a way to mount the backlight at a distance of at least 30 cm from the water surface, because this unit heats up very quickly and strongly. Even fans will not always help here - after 1-2 hours of operation, the lamp must be turned off, otherwise the temperature imbalance is inevitable.

Metal halide lamps are not in vain described as the lot of professionals - they should be handled carefully. First of all, they are not so in demand as they are optimal for reef aquariums with algae and anemones. It is dangerous to touch the lamp or the body of the lighting device - they heat up to such an extent that the likelihood of burns becomes very high. The problem can be partially solved with the help of a fan, which at the same time would also solve the issue of regularly turning off the lighting, but then the aquarium should be separated from the lighting device using a glass partition. Finally, it is undesirable to touch the lamp with bare hands - any greasy print strongly affects the quality of light penetration.

Fluorescent lamps can rightly be called the most popular choice - this is a kind of averaged option that is suitable in almost all cases. Such equipment consumes little energy, and gives good light, but at the same time, the device will have to be connected through a special choke or electronic ballast. Although such lamps practically do not heat up, they will have to be changed quite often - at least once a year, and preferably twice as often. In the process of use, the lamp wears out gradually, and if you use several of them at once, it is important to replace them gradually, otherwise a sudden change in the degree of illumination may shock the underwater inhabitants. With all its advantages, fluorescent lamps require difficult disposal due to the mercury vapor present, and its aforementioned trigger can generate additional noise that interferes with fish.

Fluorescent lamps come in a variety of types, and each is suitable for a specific type of ecosystem. In order not to be mistaken, you need to understand the marking, which consists of a slash "/" and two numbers. Consider the most popular markings:

• / 03 - bright white "actinic" light, used mainly for artificial marine reservoirs in which corals are grown that react to light;
• / 05 and / 89 - variants with an enhancement of the blue spectrum, which is loved by reefs;
• / 79 - enhanced spectrum of red shades;
• / 77 - Perhaps the most versatile solution often chosen by newcomers to the aquarium hobby and simply those who do not know how to choose the right lighting for a complex composite ecosystem;
• / 54 - light, popularly called daylight;
• / 35 - classic white light.

Fluorescent lamps, like fluorescent lamps, have the shape of an elongated bulb or tube. When choosing a model for your aquarium, you must take into account the dimensions of the lighting device, and there is also its own marking for this characteristic. The most common standards are T5 (16 mm in diameter), T8 (26 mm) and T12 (28 mm), the former are most often used at home, since they are compact.

LED, or phytolamp, has recently become more and more popular in all spheres of human activity.where only lighting is required, and the aquarium is no exception to the general rule. They have a lot of advantages - they do not flicker at all, do not heat up, consume surprisingly little electricity for the emitted light, and are suitable for both fresh and salt water. With them, you will no longer puzzle over the placement of reflectors, since individual submersible LEDs can be used for underwater lighting and evenly scatter their own light.

LEDs can be either separate or assembled into strips, panels, and even spotlights. Some experimenters do not shy away from “delighting” the fish even with full-fledged light music created thanks to multi-colored ribbons, but for underwater inhabitants this is hardly useful - from such flickering and glare they are more likely to experience stress than receive concrete benefit. That said, the aquarist community is still not fully agreed on whether the use of LEDs in an aquarium is appropriate at all. Potential disadvantages include the high cost of truly powerful and well-protected lighting devices of this type, as well as the not fully understood effect of LEDs on living organisms.

Undoubtedly, in some cases, none of the named options by itself is capable of providing an ideal result... No one forces you to stop your choice on one thing - in complex ecosystems, backlighting is often used, using several types of lighting fixtures at once. The combination always contains fluorescent lamps, the rest of the listed types (except for the very irresponsible incandescent lamps) complement them in one combination or another. Remember that the main task is almost always the search for such light that would resemble the sun as much as possible.

In theory, you can use any lamps of the indicated types, but objectively, you should choose products from only those manufacturers who make lighting fixtures specifically for aquariums. Only such a purchase guarantees the complete safety of underwater inhabitants and the provision of all their needs without risking the lamp itself, which is dangerously close to the water. It is worth paying attention to a number of companies that have earned an excellent reputation in the production of equipment for artificial reservoirs.

• Sylvania. This company is known for its full spectrum lamps, which faithfully mimic sunlight, not only externally, but also in terms of physiological processes in flora and fauna. The manufacturer focuses on the red and blue spectra required by plants.

• Osram. A Czech company, whose products are not sold everywhere in our country, but on the other hand, it is considered almost an example of a combination of price and quality.For little money, you can choose a device of any type and spectrum that will last long enough and will definitely not deteriorate before the expected wear period.

• Hagen. Another brand that offers the consumer a choice of a huge range of lighting fixtures for any aquarium (and terrarium) needs. The products of this brand are considered one of the most durable, frequent replacement of equipment is not required.

• JBL. This brand also offers versatile lamps, but in general the company focuses on the production of the most powerful and brightest equipment. Often, it is her products that are advised for arranging aquariums with tropical animals.

The choice of aquarium lighting device depends not only on its volume and the needs of the inhabitants, but also on what needs the aquarist wants to satisfy. Take at least the same spectrum - it can be red-orange (warm light), green or violet-blue (cold light), and a thinking beginner probably wonders which one is better. The correct answer is none: it all depends on what goal you are pursuing.

Phytolamps in a broader sense are called LEDs that promote enhanced plant growth. - they provide light, which is so necessary for normal photosynthesis, but at the same time they do not heat the water and do not burn the foliage, even if they are located in the very thick of the greenery. By the way, they are also completely safe for fish, therefore their use in an aquarium is 100% appropriate. It is important to know that plants need both a red-orange and a blue-violet spectrum, so the aquarist who wants the best for his herbalist must provide lighting in these two spectra.

Lamps of the green spectrum are used purely for decorative purposes - they effectively illuminate the fish, making their outlines even more mesmerizing.

Of course, in the case of most aquariums, you want to get both benefits - to achieve plant growth, and to improve the beauty of the underwater world. Use full spectrum lamps to kill two birds with one stone - this equipment can do both. At the same time, the emitted light is white, it very much resembles ordinary daylight illumination emitted by the sun.

Lamps for marine aquariums are also distinguished separately, but their difference usually consists only in increased power., which is needed to reach significant depths. At the same time, some expensive models can even imitate moonlight, so your home underwater world will be wonderful at any time of the day.

It is not so easy to determine exactly how much light the underwater inhabitants need - it is possible to calculate the power of devices only taking into account numerous parameters, including the type of water (salt or fresh), the presence or absence of plants and their number, as well as the lighting requirements, the size of the container and its depth, and even the color of the water. Beginners do not bother with all this, and there is no point in this if your ecosystem is quite simple, but you need to be guided by volume and depth.

The volume may not accurately indicate the correct amount of illumination, but it does provide an approximate orientation. In this case, not the entire volume of the vessel as such is considered, namely the amount of water, so that the air gap and bottom soil are not included in the calculations. Therefore, if your aquarium has only 100 liters of water for 200 liters, then gently push off from the second indicator. The calculation of the power of lighting fixtures is made as if your fixture was a classic incandescent lamp.

• If there is no vegetation in the container at all, then the backlighting may be minimal - especially so that you can see your own pets. An estimated power of 0.1-0.3 W for each liter should be enough.
• Many fish, and even algae, do not like the sun very much - they like the shade more. In this case, a little more light is needed, but still a little - 0.2-0.4 W / l.
• The average for an ordinary aquarium is considered to be 0.4-0.5 W / L. However, for ecosystems with a lot of greenery, this is not very good - the plants will grow rather slowly and take on an elongated shape, as they are drawn towards the light.
• A full-fledged herbalist with thickets, where not only fish, but also underwater flora delight the eye, requires lighting at a level of 0.5-0.8 W / L.
• The abundance of plants requiring bright lighting forces the aquarist to purchase the most powerful lighting fixtures that consume 0.8-1 W for every liter of water.

These figures are multiplied by the volume of the aquarium water and we get the desired power of the lighting fixtures. So, for a small aquarium with 30 liters of water, in which there was no room for plants, a power of only 3-9 W / h is needed, but it, turned into a full-fledged herbalist with light-loving plants, will already require 24-30 W / h. By analogy, the amount of lighting is calculated for a large aquarium of 200 liters - it is approximately from 20 to 200 W per hour.

At the same time, almost no one uses incandescent lamps today, and the power for other types of lamps can be calculated according to a ratio of 15: 3: 1, where the first value is an incandescent lamp, the second is a fluorescent lamp, and the third is LEDs. At the same time, the proportion between incandescent lamps and fluorescent lamps is always the same, but LEDs for a truly bright result still gradually increase the proportion, and for an analogue of 180 watts of incandescent, LEDs are needed not by 12, but by 18 watts.

The most common arrangement of lighting fixtures is at the top, above the water - they are often mounted directly into the lid. This installation method is convenient in that you can use any type of lamp - both conventional and elongated. In order for the emitted light to spread evenly throughout the aquarium, reflectors are also installed here, thanks to which the illumination of the water column becomes uniform.

Some of the aforementioned types of lamps, in addition to light, also provide completely unnecessary heating, and there are two ways to solve this problem - either mount fans of sufficient power nearby, or specially raise the lighting fixtures higher and away from the water. In such cases, it is necessary to assemble a full-fledged lighting mast from suspensions and stops.

The location of the light above is considered optimal.because it resembles natural conditions, but with this arrangement, the light does not always reach the bottom. The problem can be solved both by increasing the power of the lamps, and by adding additional elements on the walls or even near the bottom. Among other things, for decorative purposes, lighting is mounted even under the bottom or in the form of a spotlight aimed at a specific shape of the bottom relief.

The aquarium does not need lighting around the clock - it simulates the change of day and night, which means it should turn on and off with a certain regularity, giving the living creatures a signal to rest. Of course, you can do this manually, but then you will have to strictly observe the regime, constantly be at home at the same time and not be distracted so as not to interrupt the schedule. Naturally, this is too difficult, so it makes more sense to use a timer.

A mechanical timer works by analogy with a mechanical clock, its huge plus is that it is independent of power failures - if only it was at the moment the light was turned on.It is impossible to knock down the settings of such a unit, but, like a real clock, it will have to be wound up regularly. Thus, the device allows you to skip turning it on or off, but in any case it is your responsibility to "warn" the mechanism about this.

An electronic timer is more expensive, and in the event of a power outage, cheap models can "forget" all the settings that you set so diligently. Nevertheless, the electronics lend themselves to programming, so you can go away with it for a long time - a good model can be programmed to adhere to the same regime forever, and with an automatic alternation of long and short days.

For information on how to choose a lamp for an aquarium, see the next video.