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!

After over 1 year and a half now since its construction , seems to have found a good method of administration for the ' marine aquarium in the living room , the one with the DSB, and the animals respond well, showing full color and in excellent shape. Too bad about the park lights, lame, only 4 of 39-watt T5 fluorescent tubes + LED strips of blue and purple (previously 6 pipes ...), surely will be improved soon with a nice LED fixture.
Just yesterday I made some tests:

• Nitrates: 2 mgl
• Phosphates: absent
• Ca: 370
• Mg: 1280

The nitrites I have not measured specifically in the last 6-8 months I have always found "high", ie between 0.02 and 0.05 mgl, although no animals seem to be affected and despite many efforts to lower them (or maybe just make them disappear ...).

These values ​​are obtained through:

1. monthly water changes of 15%
2. calcium dose: 50 ml of both flasks (balling method) every other day
3. Vodka dose: 0.5 ml on alternate days
4. feeding fish: once a day with mixed granules and flakes of nori seaweed
5. feeding invertebrates: 2 times per week, with a peeled shrimp and other small pieces of shrimp, mussels, clams (both with pump turned off for 2 hours)

I infer from the values ​​reported having to increase the dose of calcium (I use the method BALLING , but I admit to miss a dose ...) and, after increasing the illumination, could also increase the frequency of food given to fish the coral , even a small of phosphates and nitrates to 5 or 10 mgl would not be a problem, and the corals react with greater growth.

Which model to choose between the chillers for the aquarium?
Among the new and especially among the used, since the cost is estimated between 250 and 500 €.
Goal is to keep the summer temperature below 28 °, the ideal would be able to have it at 26 °, but also a couple of degrees higher animals certainly can bear and thus consume less watts of light, while 30-32 ° are too many and if kept for 15-20 days can cause serious damage to animals, sometimes irreparable, resulting in death.
It happens for example to find out who dismantles the aquarium, for moving, more often set up an aquarium larger, 1000 or other reasons, and among the various accessories also sells air conditioning, big boy, heavy enough that device that serves to cool the 'aquarium water in summer.
The choice is important, because these air conditioners have significant costs, as well as become important figures related to animals that may die without a cooler high temperature.
Personally I have lost 3 corals for aquariums without this accessory this summer, and in my aquarium are all small pieces, but in their small had a value of at least 100 €, not to mention that water values ​​have deteriorated following the death and ... a minimum of sentimental value.
Cool water in the 3 summer months is therefore essential for those who breed LPS and SPS corals, see which models are suitable for aquariums 300-500 liters, better still take it bigger and not smaller.
Even for consumption, seems to consume a little less, but can remain on much longer because his power is not adequate ...

• TECO TR10 (again about 450 €) for aquariums up to 300 liters (in my own would be minimal, perhaps a better TR15 used ... which DaniReef wrote in the past have tried for a long time personally)
• Artika 300 (again about 300 €) for aquariums up to 200 liters (really too small for my 80x55x55, the risk of not being able to keep the temperature below 28 ° is real
• Hailea HC-150A (again about 350 €) for aquariums up to 300 liters. TECO China because of cheaper, consume little and seems to work well on some forum reading, I would say that the 300 to 250 liters will stoop to stay calmer, better here then the model used HC-300, wanting to save money

And do you not compute? In the case of the refrigerator, for those who have read articles on various Autocostruzioni in Italy and abroad, is unlikely to be able to build something contemperaneamente efficient, economical and safe. Why do not we also safety aside, is that relating to the electrical part, is related to the connections that bring water from the air conditioning unit and vice versa, without forgetting that the chiller is typically used in marine aquariums, with rooms capable of rapidly oxidize all metals that are not expressly suited for use in water.

And the fans? Some will think that I have not considered the use of fans, maybe something like the models and technology offered by TECO-chill (but are designed as "economizers", ie as an aid to systems already equipped with a refrigerator. The problem with these solutions wind / evaporation, is precisely that they consume so much water. And for long periods of absence, as in the 2, 3 or 4 weeks of summer holidays, it becomes difficult to provide a water supply sufficient for the automatic refill system .
Council however, absolutely, the use of a tangential fan for those who use metal halide lamps, so comfortable in the winter to heat the water and save on the consumption of the heater (otherwise said thermostat), but deleterious the summer to keep the temperature low ...