January 2012

Dedicated to the breeding of shrimps Red Crystal. For their tranquility, and also because of the small size of the aquarium cubic, not I host fish in this tank.

Dimensions: 25 × 25 × 30 cm model of nanocube Dennerle , contains gross 20 liters of water)
Lighting: 2 11 watt PL fluorescent one (incoming plafo led self made)
Filtering: Filter "to backpack" with filter floss and a handful of razor clams
Water: 25% + 75% tap osmosis
Fish: none
Invertebrates: Red Crystal (6)
Plants: Anubias nana, Java moss (Java moss), Aegagropila linnaei (ex Cladophora aegagropila)
Fund: Flourite (about 4 cm)

We speak of 'lighting in small freshwater aquariums , but also marine, with the ' salt water , why not? I do not often but certain arguments are valid in both environments.
In the end what destingue marine aquarium lighting today is the "color" of light: in fact while you tend to appreciate in fresh light "warmer", including on average between 5000 and 8000 degrees Kelvin, marine aquarists prefer illuminating saltwater aquariums, especially when they contain corals LPS and SPS, with a colder light, color temperature, on average between 12,000 and 20,000 degrees Kelvin.
And to do this to match the blue-white light cold and / or purple, which then raise the average of degrees kelvin, enhancing the fluorescence of corals and possibly stimulating the zooxanthellae (symbiotic algae present in the corals, which they derive most part of their livelihood).

However we try to place a lamp on the aquarium opened, ie, 5 glasses of water in the middle (best to have the sixth ... a glass top cover) put on such a beautiful lamp designed for other purposes, but much cheaper than the ceiling for aquariums or mini aquariums (though slowly come more and more super-cheap products from China, some of good quality, but most require a lot of attention ... sometimes they regret having tried saving at all costs.

What should be done and what features are important?

1. articulated and adjustable, otherwise it gets purchased knowing EXACTLY what is the perfect height for the aquarium that will illuminate.
2. with a solid base, because it does not fall into the aquarium ... what if it's open is a drama! Or mount "in terminal", to be attached to the edge of the aquarium or a shelf or shelf where rests the tank itself (though it may be too thick, measured, too).
3. Attack with "useful", ie standard screw terminals to use bulbs with different color temperatures, so that they fit the type of aquarium you would like to accomplish, and where today there are also good value with LED lamps lumens emitted / watts consumed .
4. possibly with the reflecting surface behind the bulb, so as to maximize the light power of the lamp, regardless of the type chosen.

• Forsa has an E14 base and is designed very flexible and therefore easily adaptable to different heights of aquariums, and is cheap. I see that only limitation is the horizontal attachment of the lamp which therefore limits the choice of that which must remain below a certain length. The IKEA sells light bulbs with attaccto e14 11w max.
• LAGRA , the inexpensive (less than 4 euros ...), always attack with E14, suitable for aquariums less than 30 cm high, is not adjustable in height, can be mounted lamps to 25 watts, but has the advantage of the vertical attack, then lamps no longer even have trouble finding space
• GLOBAL , good and cheap it is equipped with 11 watt PL lamps with the advantage of a faceted aluminum reflector dome.
  For these neon lamps are also solutions with half white and half blue tube, perfect for small aquariums, while IKEA sells neon including 2700 ° kelvin, too hot even for an aquarium sweet, though still usable.

Discourage instead lamps as the Tertial , because the structure is based on the springs which, with time, tend to loosen and within a few months you end the bulb increasingly close to the water ... and finally reaches to a lamp unusable because too "soft" to maintain the position you want.

Even Ikea is beginning to offer some "lighting solutions" based on high efficiency LEDs, as always quite affordable and pleasing to the eye, simple and minimalist.
At the moment though I have not found any "buy and use" for the aquarium, unfortunately, otherwise use the LED is highly recommended because of the low power consumption (low wattage) for the limited heat transferred from water led . Ingegnare know we are with the " DIY "many of these lamps and ceiling lights can be adapted, I think the important thing is to find the right balance to buy a cheap product but it does not involve hours and hours of work!

Philip

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Clearly, thanks for the compliments, Philip, always ready to give advice (and I always hope that someone follows them ... at least in part), especially to those who decided to set up his first aquarium.
Give a bell'avvio quiet patience, let the filter without organic loads for a month. Meanwhile, put your background, some trunk and plants. I would recommend, if possible, add a lamp. Do you have an aquarium by a 60ina of gallons, so 15 watts are just a few, at least 30 must have them to keep the plants well easy. With so few watts of Anubias and Microsorium put it right, but even they are better with more light.
FISH: here is more difficult, the choice is vast, immense because you do not exclude all the fish "large", say those who arrive as adults at more than 10-12 cm in length (or height, as in the case of the famous scalar) . If you tell us what you like, for example one or 2 species, we can take together to see how many fish and what to choose roommates. If you really do not know where to start with a test ... read these 2 posts:
- What not to buy fish for the aquarium aquarium
- Choice of fish in an aquarium of 120 liters

And then scroll down a few fish here card .