Lighting

[Rorie]

This question is again related to the build of my fishroom!

I am aware that aquarium lighting is only really for our benefit and the fish dont care too much about it. So i was just going to light the room instead of every tank.

BUT, the more i think about it i am not sure. Fish do react to light. Their colours change to next to nothing when the lights are off. So, do they need light?

What about breeding? Their colours are strong when breeding, so maybe if there is not enough light they wont breed?

 

[Primous]

The fish will need light. In terms of watts per gallon it doesn't really matter what type of lighting you have unless you are going to have a planted tank. The fish will need a light cycle of some type (8-10 hours depending on the lights you chose.) Standard room light is not sufficient for this purpose. And while you're considering lights I'd suggest you get yourself some plug timers also which will save you having to turn each light on and off day in day out.

 

[Rorie]

The fish will need light. In terms of watts per gallon it doesn't really matter what type of lighting you have unless you are going to have a planted tank. The fish will need a light cycle of some type (8-10 hours depending on the lights you chose.) Standard room light is not sufficient for this purpose. And while you're considering lights I'd suggest you get yourself some plug timers also which will save you having to turn each light on and off day in day out.

Thats pretty much what i thought the case would be. But i have seen people light the room and the fish still breed....

I am looking at cheap (from the electrical point of view) lighting options. So what if i got LED lighting. I know for planted tanks the LED lighting is really expensive, but does the lighting spectrum and intensitiy matter to tropicals for breeding?

Searching for LED lighting, rope lights come up as the cheapest option....would they work?!