• Aquariums
• Aquarium Fish
• Freshwater Aquarium Fish
• Reef Aquarium Lightning
• Fish Aquariums
• Aquarium Pumps
• Shedd Aquarium
• Custom Aquarium
• Glass Aquariums
• Acrylic Aquariums
• Aquarium Lighting
• Aquarium Corals
• Home Aquarium
• Aquarium Setup
• Aquarium Products
• Aquarium Supplies
• Aquarium Tanks
• Reef Aquarium
• Aquarium
• Saltwater Aquariums
• Aquarium Filters
• Aquariums
• Aquarium Stands
• Aquarium Care
• Wall Aquariums
• Aquarium Hood
• Aquarium Driftwood
• Aquarium Maintenance
• Aquarium Plants
• Aquariums For Sale
• Aquarium Light Timer
• Public Aquariums
• Aquarium Lights

Aquarium Light Timer

Aquarium Light Timer - a timing device to time light in aquarium

A fish-only aquarium requires minimal attention to lighting. You want a timer to turn the lights on and off every day. Tropical fish should get 10-12 hours of light. There is no reason to get an especially bright light because you'll mostly succeed in growing algae. Standard aquarium lights are cheap fluorescents with non-electronic ballasts. These work fine but after a year the bulb has faded (fix with new bulb) and the ballast has standard to make an annoying buzzing sound (fix by throwing out fixture). It is probably best to use a more expensive compact fluorescent fixture, which will include an electronic ballast that won't buzz. If you have a 48"-wide, 55-gallon tank you won't need a 48" wide compact fluorescent strip. A 30" or 36" light will provide more than ample illumination and reasonable uniformity.

A planted freshwater aquarium requires brighter lights, traditionally at least 1-2 watts per gallon. The All-Glass compact fluorescent strip lights are probably a good place to start. Get a clear glass hood for your tank so that you can drop a second strip light on top if necessary.
A saltwater reef tank requires ridiculously bright lights, ideally metal halide. Of course these generate a prodigious amount of heat as well, thus necessitating noisy cooling fans.

The ideal 'photo period', or length of time the aquarium is lit, ranges from eight to twelve hours, depending on the tank. Generally ten hours a day is a good average for most aquariums.

Adjusting the Time

If algae is a problem in the tank, a contributing factor is usually too much light. Reducing the artificial lighting time to eight hours, or a bit less if necessary, will help reduce the algae growth.

If there are live plants in the aquarium, the lighting should be increased. Plants require as much as twelve hours per day; however the time will depend on the aquarium setup and species of plants.

Timer-regulated lighting helps control algae growth, provides fish with a dependable, stress-minimizing waking/sleep cycle, and is ideal for maintaining a plant-healthy environment while the hobbyist is away.

Use a Timer

The biggest obstacle in maintaining uniform aquarium lighting is that owners aren't able to turn the lights on and off at the same time each day. Fortunately there is an inexpensive and easy way to remedy that problem.

Purchase an inexpensive timer and plug the lighting unit into it. Set the on and off times to obtain the desired period of light, then cross that task off your daily 'To Do' list permanently. I highly recommend timers for all aquarium owners.

Programming is a simple three-step process. Set the current time by rotating the numbered dial until the selection arrow points to the proper number. Set the working time by pressing a grey dial clip for each hour desired for operation -- each clip represents 15 minutes. Then, just set the "TIMER ON"; plug the light into the timer, and the timer into an electrical outlet.