Natural lighting???

4 posts

Discuss all topics related to freshwater and planted tanks.


platipus12321
 
Posts: 23
Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2008 10:46 pm

Natural lighting???

by platipus12321

okay i have am starting to set up a 55 gallon, but the room that i will set it up in has no windows at all, do i need natural lighting


a1k8t31524
 
Posts: 939
Joined: Sat May 26, 2007 5:10 am

by a1k8t31524

no..... you should be fine, natural lighting can cause excess algae


kempie
 
Posts: 8
Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2008 6:35 pm

by kempie

If you wish to keep live plants, invest in decent lighting tubes and leave them on for apx 6hrs a day. Ideally get a couple of tubes and cycle them on timers through low light/high light/low light to simulate dawn/midday/dusk.

Algae will always appear, but you can keep that at bay by (suggestion) getting some ancistrus (bristlenose plecs) or otocinclus catfish. Both are great at algae control, ancistrus get about 6" long, oto's about 2".

Oto's are peaceful, delicate and cute.

Ancistrus are fairly peaceful hard-as-nails armour plated things which can take and dish out beatings without much trouble.
Ancistrus can be a bit funny with each other unless they've got plenty of hiding places. They can breed like rabbits too (fetching $$$ from the lfs) if you get the tank right. Always ensure they have bogwood to hang around on - they eat it as part of their natural diet, neglecting this will result in shortened lives.

Don't get a sailfin plec coz they get lazy and huge, and make lots of muck.
Also those sucking loach things are good when they're small, but become a real pita when they get to 5-6" long. I had one that used to eat the slime off my altum angelfish rather than the algae (he subsequent went back to the lfs).


yasherkoach
 
Posts: 1306
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2008 1:24 pm

by yasherkoach

I agree with kempie, get a good plant bulb

the 55 gal I have is situated in a corner of a room with 2 windows on each side...when the sunlight is beaming, rays of natural light stream into the tank...very nice look plus it gives the fish etc natural calcium and the plants love it...but you must have blinds so you can regulate the light (key to natural lighting :)

but to use natural light ONLY...absoltely a no-no

Natural lighting???

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