Selecting adequate lighting for your saltwater fish tank is essential to the growth of corals and overall health of your aquarium. Though many lighting options for saltwater aquariums are expensive, they are also something you don’t want to go cheap on. Essentially, you pay for what you get and in the long run, you’ll probably save money by keeping your corals alive!

Why it is Important for Coral Health

Corals are one of the most icon features of any saltwater fish tank. They have vibrant colors and come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. There are soft corals such as mushrooms and zoanthids, LPS corals including hammerhead and torch corals, and SPS corals including acroporas. What gives corals their vibrant colors are microscopic algae that live within their tissue. These algae live on the metabolic waste produced from photosynthesis. Without adequate light, corals may begin to bleach as the algae that gives them their color fails to thrive within the coral tissue. Without the microalgae to help nourish the corals, they will ultimately begin to waste away.

Best Lighting for your Saltwater Fish Tank

While traditional T5 fluorescent lights work well in many aquariums, most hobbyists have made the switch to LED lighting. They are compact by design, last much longer, and are far more energy efficient than fluorescent lights. Many even come with apps to allow for easy control when at home or away. The Hydra HD series is a very popular saltwater LED light. They are fully customizable and offer great lighting for your corals.

For more information on lights for saltwater fish tanks, read Lighting Parameters for a Mixed Reef Tank. You can also Aquatic Dreams in Clearfield, UT for all of your lighting and saltwater fish supplies.