Lights!

[RedBellyRhen]

What kind of lights would i need for my RBP? They are Juvies right now and i have heard things about moonlight and sunlight lights and all that jazz i have a 35gallon tank right now and what kind of lights or what voltage or wat or whatever it is i would need.

 

[BigShawn]

You don't NEED light for your piranhas they really don't like much light from what I've seen over the years, if live plants if what your wanting others will chime in on that.......

 

[RedBellyRhen]

You don't NEED light for your piranhas they really don't like much light from what I've seen over the years, if live plants if what your wanting others will chime in on that.......

Ok thanks and nah i dont plan on adding live plants to my tank

 

[Piranhafury]

i use blacklights on my RBP tank

 

[Zander_The_RBP]

i use blacklights on my RBP tank

what the hell is the point of that ?


Blacklights produce light mainly in the UV spectrum (some in the high blues /purples) so more than 75% of the light they produce your not going to be able to see and all that unfiltered UV light probably isn't great for your p's either !(it is UVA and UVB though so it probably wont give them cancer or anything though.)


@ OP

Moonlights are only needed for nocturnal fish or night viewing so you probably don't need those. "sun lights" just refers to your day time lights(to be honest i've never actualy heard that term used im just assuming)

Theres 6 types of lights (most are variations of flourescents but some are not) commonly used for aquariums these are
T5 Flourescent(available in High out put or normal output variants)
T8 Flourescent
T12 flourescent
Metal halide
Power compact flourescent
LED (less commonly used but used alot in DIY set ups)


ALL are mesaured in watts, voltage is the same in all wall outlets in north america(120 V).

for general purpose viewing use what ever lights make your tank bright enough.


Personaly i believe that flourescents no longer have any place in aquarium lighting and that LED or Metal halide is the way to go, metal halides produce a ton of light but produce a fair amount of heat (on the bulb itself not nessicarily in your tank) and LED's are super efficient produce almost no heat and alot of light.

I guarentee in 5 years no one will know what a flourescent is or was it'll all be LED's (and not just for aquariums, for everything).


Your going to have to be much more specific in what type of lights you want before we can suggest which bulbs and spectrums.

Generaly though you will want lower wattage bulbs for piranhas until they are settled in.

Research the type of lights you want (factor in cost and availability to you) then we cna tell youw hich bulbs to get.

 

[RedBellyRhen]

what the hell is the point of that ?


Blacklights produce light mainly in the UV spectrum (some in the high blues /purples) so more than 75% of the light they produce your not going to be able to see and all that unfiltered UV light probably isn't great for your p's either !(it is UVA and UVB though so it probably wont give them cancer or anything though.)


@ OP

Moonlights are only needed for nocturnal fish or night viewing so you probably don't need those. "sun lights" just refers to your day time lights(to be honest i've never actualy heard that term used im just assuming)

Theres 6 types of lights (most are variations of flourescents but some are not) commonly used for aquariums these are
T5 Flourescent(available in High out put or normal output variants)
T8 Flourescent
T12 flourescent
Metal halide
Power compact flourescent
LED (less commonly used but used alot in DIY set ups)


ALL are mesaured in watts, voltage is the same in all wall outlets in north america(120 V).

for general purpose viewing use what ever lights make your tank bright enough.


Personaly i believe that flourescents no longer have any place in aquarium lighting and that LED or Metal halide is the way to go, metal halides produce a ton of light but produce a fair amount of heat (on the bulb itself not nessicarily in your tank) and LED's are super efficient produce almost no heat and alot of light.

I guarentee in 5 years no one will know what a flourescent is or was it'll all be LED's (and not just for aquariums, for everything).


Your going to have to be much more specific in what type of lights you want before we can suggest which bulbs and spectrums.

Generaly though you will want lower wattage bulbs for piranhas until they are settled in.

Research the type of lights you want (factor in cost and availability to you) then we cna tell youw hich bulbs to get.

Thank you SOOOOOOOOO much this was verry helpful!