Lighting- rules of thumb?

[Andyroo]

Are there a rules of thumb for lighting?
Colour, spacing, wattage per depth, diffusion, distance above surface, angles, humidity issues etc?

I'm doing an in-wall build currently (thanks Fishdance for advice) with epoxy background in a vague aqua to white bottom-to-top fade for a little visual depth on what will otherwise be a pretty skinny set-up (comment welcome). Am thinking of white daylight LED, then a dim white reflected/polarized moonlight overnight. Low power consumption is key, as electricity is annoyingly costly on this rock.

My wife's an interior designer/architect and can get & set whatever is suggested and/or required, and is interested in this challenge. She is wondering if i) normal interior/kitchen LED is Ok, or needs exterior grades, or needs a specific aquarium spec., ii) how high above-water to set the bulb, iii) reflectors/diffusers and about iv) penetration to a 3' depth behind low-iron glass. There are to be plants but we can get keep creative- nothing fancy in mind, thinking mostly of mosses on wood/bamboo & small-leaf lilies ground-cover & mid-water (to surface). Silver aro will be living there until he outgrows the unfortunate 17" width, so drop-eye might be a consideration also.

Substrate (below plants & wood) will be light/white sand of golf-course bunker sand (silica, a little courser than pool filter) and/or "oats" sand, which is the dead, white calcarious leaf of Halimeda spp. marine algae that accumulates into dunes in reef pockets, particularly >75' deep. Yes, it's a headache to get and needs regular top-ups, but it looks spectacular and breathes really well so no/few methane issues.

Note: Tank is the the end of a hallway, so there will be some walking traffic towards and away - would love to not illuminate the person walking up the dark hall so fish won't see 'em & maybe spook, as the tank is long & tall but skinny. Lights angled from front to back?

Thanks,
Andrew

 

[Yulli]

If you want to prevent spooking you will want to ensure that shadows from people who are traveling by will not fall over the tank.

 

[duanes]

If you don't have plants, its only all about what your preferences are.
Fish only need ambient like, so on many of my breeding tanks, I didn't use any artificial lights at all.
Even on my fish only tanks with lights, I had them on timers to only be on when I was regularly home.
I sometimes had two sets, one dim that would got on first (to not spook fish) then the next brighter lights to come on a little later (simulate dawn)
That said there are light bulbs made that really enhance fish colors ( don't know what they would be), but some of the bulbs made for salt water tanks, have color phosphores that do that.

Some of the reef lighting brings out blues or reds in certain of those colored species.
One of the reasons to have them on only when you expect to be there, is some of the intense bulbs promote too much algae growth on the glass, if left on too long.

 

[Sac39051]

With your tank being built in the wall I’m assuming aesthetics of the lighting system will be concealed and your options are pretty much endless. I settled on a cheap beamswork:

https://www.amazon.com/Beamswork-FSPEC-Aquarium-Light-Freshwater/dp/B01LFF07XS

for reference, I have the 48” version hung about 9” over the surface of my 72” long tank. I have it concealed in a floating hood and it grows pothos very well which come out of the overflowsThe tank is about 30” deep and I have pretty good light coverage, bright enough and the color spectrum of this particular model brings out fish coloration particularly well I think. I don’t have a lid of any kind so that would be a factor for you.

for me, this is a good light level with minimal algae growth (runs about 9 hours a day I think, with a bristlenose and gold nugget plec who take care of anything that does grow).

you could get 2 for a very reasonable price. Mine has been running for about nine months with no issues.

Of course, on an open top tank and an endless budget you can go with Kessil freshwater pendants which would provide a great look with the great Kessil shimmer effect if you like that look, and adjust the power level to your liking.

Here is a small bare bottom planted tank I have tied into my sump, color for fish and plants is nice IMO with a small Kessil pendant:

 

[Sac39051]

I just realized you will be doing planted, in which case I would definitely go with Kessil for growth and light penetration

 

[Andyroo]

Brilliant, thanks. I will look up Kessil & Beamswork tonight.
I'm a fan of snails & river gobies, so algae tends to not be an issue. ...at least until the loaches go in
I'll ask my importer about alt. pleco spp., but Govt is unlikely to allow as the common is highly invasive in the rivers.

Yes, Sac, The whole top will be a closed cupboard to the ceiling containing lights, bubbler, current pump plug etc., so yes, there'll be plenty of space for hidden lighting including height from the water for non-aquarium-specific brands (if it was an option).

Budget's very much an issue, but this is also a "do it once" situation pride-of-place in the house. I'm already splurging importing low-iron glass so lights that are adjustable and offer effects (shimmer ?!?) at a lower electrical draw/cost are certainly worth looking up.

I'll set some soft anti-jump netting specific to the lights & electrical fittings, but otherwise I don't think I'll cover specifically - if/when the aro, eel(s), gobies, mullet etc. go up, they'll come back down within the tank. There won't be any sideways option.

 

[Andyroo]

Ok, so, Kessil looks pretty fantastic; that "shimmer" looks particularly groovy. And the spendoolie... ouch. A 72" Beamswork it is
and maybe we'll add-to here and there with Kessils via Xmas & birthdays etc., particularly as penetrating spots for a dappled light situation. Creativity.