Lighting

[Coop]

When I bought my set up from an individual, it came with two lights. One is labeled as All Glass Aquarium Rapid Start Aquarium Light 32W and the other is Marine-Glo 40W. The Aquarium Light is like a normal fluorescent light and the Marine Glo is a blueish color light. How and when should I use these. Also, should I have a light on during the night and if so should I use the blueish one. The only thing is even though it is blueish, it is still pretty bright. Both lights are 48". Thanks.

[Smokin_Cache]

Re: Lighting

Sounds like you got an Actinic light (the blue one) these are used mainly in saltwater aquariums. As far as I know, from reading only, plants do not use any of the blue spectrum outputed by them. Of course you only have to worry about that if you plan on have live plants. I found that these "blue" light really bring the stripe out on cardinal tetras!

Do you plan on having live plants?

How big is your tank?

[Mzungu]

Re: Lighting

That's true, and reading your other post, the fish that you have would look great with a blue light. Like Smokin said, though, the blue/actinic bulb isn't beneficial to live plants, really.

I wouldn't leave your lights on during the night. Fish need their rest, too (IMO). Also, algae tends to get out of control if you leave the lights on all the time. If you have live plants, I've heard people leaving the lights on anywhere from 8-12 hours a day. Without plants, it's still usually the same.

Do the two lights run the length of your tank, so they're positioned one in front of the other, or are they side by side? I'm sorry, but I'm not sure what the dimensions are for the 72 bow, so that's why I ask.

[Coop]

Re: Lighting

I have been running the white light during the day and the blue light during the night. I guess that explains the reason my rocks and decor was getting algae built up withing a week. I just started, as of yesterday, not running any of the lights unless I am home, and I will run both of them from time to time, but the white mostly. I have no live plants. the 72 bowfront is 48" side to side, so both lights are 48" and placed one in front of the other. Should I leave the regular white light on throughout the day even if I am not home? Is there a better light that I should buy, or was there a reason why the prior owner had both of these lights? He did not have live plants either. Thanks all for the help.

[Tiapan]

Re: Lighting

if it was salt water the blue light in necessary for lots of corals and anemonies. but i tend to put my lights on a timer. just makes it all easier. for a standard tank (no plants) i leave it on 8 tol 10 hours more then that lots o green alge broblems, less and u can have brown alge problems. for planted tanks have the light on 10 to 12 hours more like a full day of sun and then have nice alge eaters (shrmp, bushy nose plecs, ocats ) take care of any excess.

[Mzungu]

Re: Lighting

I agree, timers are my best friend. I can't be sure why the prior owner had these two, but maybe he/she found that only one light wasn't enough for his/her preference. A lot of people also like the blue colored or actinic lights because of the way it brings out some of the fishes' colors, but it can sometimes be too blue, so both a white and blue are on the tank. Who knows!  

[Coop]

Re: Lighting

Sounds good to me. Looks like I will be gettin a timer, any recommendations? Thanks.