Toooo Much light - too bright??

[happychem]

Whether you agree or not, svt, is not the point. In oceanography there is a term, "the 1% light level", used to describe the depth in the ocean where most of the light is attenuated, i.e. no phytoplankton growth - although, of course there are many other factors that also affect algal growth. Our homes (and offices) have about the same amount of light as the 1% light level. Obviously this will vary based on how much light is in your house or office.

Sunlight provides considerably more light than a couple of fluorecent lights. Does light stress fish? Sure, but it's really the transition from light to dark that's the problem. Sunrise isn't binary - unlike our lights. The sun rises slowly and light increases gradually, if one is truly concerned about light stressing fish then a slow, automated dimmer would be the way to go. Few tanks have sunlight levels of brightness.

To throw in my own anectode (groan, I hate anectodal references, but since the seal is broken), I have over 100w of light over my 33 g tank. Are the fish stressed or bothered? I doubt it. They never react when the lights switch from moonlight to "daylight". In the years the tank's been up and running none of them have been stressed enough to come down with any disease. Why? I still have less than tropical sunlight levels over the tank.

 

[svtcontour]

Happy chem, I'm not too sure about the 1% levels your talking about but everyone talks about sunlight in open waters, etc. Most of our freshwater fish dont come from 'open waters'. They are from lakes and rivers where the water is not crystal clear like some postcards that show nearly white sand and clear waters. If we were talking about Marine fish, I'd say bright light levels can make sense depending on where they come from. I guarantee if you take a camera 6 feet down into most of the locations where our 'hobby' freshwater fish originate from, the water is not even 25% as bright as brightly light tanks whether or not its anywhere close to sunlight or not. Its just not bright.

 

[anthonylam]

hey guys, the fact still remains that betta don't usually come from places where it's too bright as shawna describes in her setup... i'd still suggest a little less light... wouldn't hurt your eyes, or the fish if u lower the brightness... at least you're sure of that.

 

[Shawna]

So I ended up taking the fluorescent lighting out. I decided, if its too hard to look at the tank in the dark with it that bright, its probably just too bright. Now that Im back to the original lighting, I am happier with what I wasn't happy with before. Thanks for the great debate!

 

[TipStylez]

yeah i dont like the bight lights ether, i use only one clear incendesent blub and its too bright so i keep it on the side most of the plants are, since my 2 low light blue tints blew out...looks so much better in dim lighting then bright.

 

[reiverix]

With two 15w bulbs on a 20g it is still considered a low light tank. You could create a really cool setup with java fern, sag and maybe a tiger lotus for shade.

On my 55g reef I have 400w of light and this is still nowhere near the brightness of natural light.