Aquarium Lighting
Metal Halides
preferred brands are Dupla, Geisman and P.A.&.D.C. Style
Lighting is often haphazardly selected, not so much in Marine Invertebrate Aquaria where light requirements are indisputable, (although some confusion regarding correct colour temperature still exists) but certainly in regards to the Freshwater Aquatic garden.
Furniture styles, such as the hooded unit, can dictate the amount of light supplied to a system. Frequently this is inadequate. Lighting options such as suspended units not only offer a pleasing alternative to the closed in, sealed off, claustrophobia of "standard" aquarium styles, but light in this case is treated as an essential "element" for successful plant growth.
Indeed correct light saturation (in conjunction with carbon dioxide and fertiliser), is the mainstay of healthy plants. With a suspended light unit, the aquatic garden is bathed in light and while the plants soak it up the interior design of the home is elegantly upgraded.
Suspended Light Units are available in our own Economy Models:
We have a tidy compact unit available in 70 or 150 watts, designed and manufactured exclusively for P.A.& D.C. There is also a Stream Lined Extruded Aluminium style available in 70 & 150 watts in single, double and triple units or in combination with Actinic Fluorescent globes.
If you want your aquatic plants to grow optimally you should have suspended metal halide lighting over your aquarium.
Fluorescent Lighting
We also carry a wide selection of fluorescent globes, which can be used to illuminate either fresh or salt water aquariums. Fluorescent lighting is suitable for fish tanks up to 18 inches high, however, if the aquarium is taller than this we would recommend metal halide lighting. Likewise if you wanted to keep clams or certain light hungry corals, we would suggest metal halide lighting instead of fluorescent.
Fluorescent light globes come in standard sizes of 18, 24, 36 and 48 inches long. They also come in a range of different light spectrums starting off with red and working their way through daylight and eventually ending up with blue. The different light spectrums are referred to as Kelvin ratings and those resembling daylight have a Kelvin rating of about 6500K. Globes with lots of red in them have a lower Kelvin rating usually around 4500K and the blue lights that make corals and various ornaments glow have a Kelvin rating between 10 & 20,000K.
There are also high output fluorescent globes and T5s.
