Last Updated on May 17, 2022 by Guillermina
Can I use grow light for the aquarium? Find out if it is really effective as some claim.
Can I use grow light for the aquarium? – This is one of the most common questions, especially when it comes to beginners in this hobby. Which type of light you will use depends solely on you, some aquarists prefer to use grow lights in their planted aquariums over aquarium lights.
Therefore, stay with us and find out the answers to all the questions that might interest you.
What Exactly Is Grow Light?
Before we get down to business, it is essential to understand what the different types or styles of growing lights are available in the market. What we are going to talk about today is growing light. It comes under two categories; one type which makes use of ultraviolet (U-V) and another type that uses visible light.
Both of them come under energy-efficient lighting systems, as do halogen lamps, LED fixtures, and high-pressure sodium lamps. Furthermore, it is important to note that growing light is often referred to as Metal Halide. This is because high-level blue/violet emitting metal halide bulbs are used in LED grow lights.
This kind of lighting system uses cooling water circulation through the bulb inside our growing chamber where the germination process takes place and plant roots take shape. Now, let’s get to the heart of this article and finally answer the question “can I use grow light for the aquarium”.
What Is Its Main Role?
In short, growing light provides beneficial lighting to your aquarium. Therefore, it is important to note that not every growing light has an equal role.
Since there are different types, styles, and shapes of aquarium lights available on the market today, each of them can be used for a different purpose. Its main purpose is to provide adequate lighting to plants or other aquatic organisms in your aquarium tank. This energy is necessary for them not to get sick due to lack of light intensity, especially in places where there is no sunlight at all.
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Can I Use Grow Light For The Aquarium?
If you have ever looked at a different spectrum of light emitted by one LED fixture from Grow Lighting UK, you have probably noticed that flat linear lighting is far more efficient than high-pressure sodium or halogen lamps. So, for all those who are wondering “can I use grow light for the aquarium”, the answer is yes, you can!
Growing light is quite safe, but also effective for use as an alternative to fluorescent tube type of lights which are used in most commercial growing applications for plants and flowers. Some owners will immediately rush for metal halide lamps because these tend to sound expensive and also a little more rigid in nature.
However, many will agree with us when we say that halogen bulbs are not the best option for an aquarium. This is primarily because the glass used for tube lights has dimensions of 22 – 23mm whereas this type is meant for fish tanks so you can’t fit it too.
The Benefits Of Using LED Growing Lights In Your Aquarium Tank
There are many benefits to using growing lights in your aquarium. Among the most important of all is its economic viability, namely, it is environmentally friendly and provides high-quality lighting without excessive electricity bills.
They do not have any negative effect on your pets, moreover, they are beneficial as these lights emit blue light, which is soothing to fish. In addition, they emit less heat and accordingly don’t affect the water temperature in the tank nor stress the fish.
Furthermore, it is very important to state that they have a very positive effect on your aquarium plants because they are used to stimulate plant growth.
In Conclusion
For all those who are wondering “can I use grow light for the aquarium” – the answer is yes! Grow lights are used to promote plant growth, and usually consist of high-intensity lamps that emit lights with specific wavelengths in order to better perform their specific tasks.
We hope you found this article useful. If you have any questions, let us know in the section below.
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FAQs
Can I Use Any Light For My Aquarium?
It is not recommended to use any type of lighting in your aquarium. Lighting has a unique task, to meet the light requirements of your plants and animals. Accordingly, aquarists generally opt for incandescent, fluorescent, or LED lights.
Do Aquarium Plants Need Full-Spectrum Light?
Aquarium plants require (and use) all the colors of the spectrum to perform a successful photosynthesis process. Furthermore, we must emphasize that the red/blue spectrum provides excellent contrast as it stimulates coloration and displays higher pigmentation in plants. Plus, there is one trick we would love to share with you. Namely, experts advise that you should allow red lights to take at least 50% of your spectrum, while blue lights, on the other hand, shouldn’t exceed 15%. As for the rest of the spectrum, you can balance it with a color like orange, for instance.
Will Grow Lights Hurt Fish?
Growing lights should not hurt your fish. Unlike other sources of light, it emits a blue light that is considered to be completely safe and harmless to underwater life. Accordingly, growing light emits minimal heat so it is hard to expect that it will make the water in your aquarium noticeably warmer or colder.
Is Aquarium Light Same as Grow Light?
There are several points that make the difference between an aquarium and growing light. Some of them are:
- Grow light is designed to help plants grow faster, and on the other hand, an aquarium light is designed to illuminate the aquarium.
- Most LED grow lights consist of several individual LEDs mounted within a casing with a heat sink and a fan assembly and can be plugged into a standard electric socket, while aquarium lights don’t.
- Aquarium lights have more green and less red and blue colors and have the ability to produce a bright white light that helps to show off the uniqueness of the colors of fish. On the other hand, grow lights have a more red and blue light that actually promotes the growth and development of aquarium plants.
