Aquarium lighting is a very important aspect of having a healthy aquarium. If you have a freshwater aquarium chances are you have a fluorescent light to illuminate it. If you have a saltwater reef aquarium you would need a different type of light such as a metal halide or acintic bulb.

Fluorescent lights are fine for freshwater  (or saltwater fish) aquariums and can create wonderful effects. This kind of lighting however, is inadequate for a reef aquarium. The amount of light fluorescent bulbs emit is sufficient for a marine (or fish only) aquarium but not for corals. The spectrum of light that they put out is not in the same spectrum that the corals need to produce growth.

The metal halide bulb or an acintic bulb emits the proper amount and type of light for the reef aquarium. Choosing which type of bulb (or combination of bulbs) to use in a reef tank will be determined by which type of corals you have chosen. Some corals like bright, intense light. Other corals like softer diffuse light. Remember that corals live at various depths in the ocean reefs and where they live determines which type of light they have adapted to.

An important thing to know, is that as the bulbs in your lighting system age, their intensity will be reduced and they may even shift slightly in color balance. When you replace an old bulb with a new one, your corals will recognize the change. They may close up for a period of time and eventually reemerge after they become accustomed to the new lighting conditions. When they reemerge, there is a chance that they will have shifted in color in response to the new lighting.

Proper aquarium lighting for a fish only tank is relatively simple. Lighting a coral reef aquarium is more complex. Once you have determined what kind of lighting your aquarium needs, it will be a healthy and beautiful fixture in your home or office.