Accessories You Will Need For Your New Aquarium

Lighting Controllers & Timers for aquariums can make your fish stay healthy. It can be a costly hobby if you are starting. Aquariums are expensive, and they take time to set up and get correctly set up. Once your aquarium is in, there is no stopping you from expanding and improving your aquarium with lighting. You don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on an aquarium lighting system then never use it again.

You have many different aquarium lighting systems to choose from here which can be a bit overwhelming. You want to be able to choose the right one that will work well with the tank you are already setting up. This type of decision can also be very confusing when you are first setting up your aquarium. So here are some tips that might help you out as you decide which lighting system to get for your saltwater aquarium.

The first thing to consider is how large of a tank you have. This will dictate how big of a lighting system you will need to buy. Most tanks that are at least four gallons will be good enough for most lighting setups. Make sure that the size of the tank matches with the size of the aquarium as well. For example, if your aquarium is about a quarter of a gallon, then you should also have a lighting system that is at least that size.

When choosing the lighting system to use, go with something that offers more than what is advertised. If the advertisement says that you can put up six lights in your tank then do it. However, if it only mentions four then choose a lighting system that will allow you to do this.

Also, be sure to follow any instructions for the light bulbs that the manufacturer suggests. These bulbs can be very different from the ones that you may be using elsewhere in your home. A poor choice of bulb can significantly shorten the life of your aquarium lamp. The manufacturer will have specific guidelines about the bulbs that should be used in an aquarium, so make sure to follow them carefully.

Once you have selected a good aquarium lighting system, you will be ready to install it in your aquarium. Most systems these days will come with mounting hardware. This will allow you to simply screw the fixture into the wall or ceiling of your aquarium. You can also buy special adapters that allow you to plug in other accessories such as lights or pumps into them as well. Follow all instructions very carefully so that your aquarium does not become ill-performing because it is not installing the lighting system properly.

When everything has been installed, test it. Use an inexpensive flashlight to test the lighting system to ensure that there are no kinks or gaps where the cords enter the tank. Be sure to also check the bulbs and their wires for fraying and burn out. This is especially important if you use fluorescent lighting. Regular incandescent bulbs will burn out much more quickly than any fluorescent bulb.

Be sure to keep your aquarium lighting system charged at all times. A dead battery will reduce the effectiveness of your lighting system greatly. If you forget to change the batteries on your aquarium lights, you could be in trouble if the fish start to starve because they cannot get enough food to survive. If you live by the coast, be sure to check your light bulbs before putting the fish in the tank.