Lighting for Malawi Cichlids

Hi All

What would be the recommended lighting cycle and types of tubes to be used in a 240l Malawi tank. My tank came with 2 tubes not sure if they are T5 or T8, will check tonight.

Any advise?

Riaan

 

I did my malawi tank with a 30W 10000K T8 tube. It's a crisp light that picks up the color of the fish nicely. And if I do discover a plant (except plastic) that malawi cichlids don't distroy I have the full spectrum required for low light growth. I already have something growing on a piece of driftwood which I suspect to be a form of algae.

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Ran T 8 sunglo 10k and a T 8 coral blue it looked great .I would suggest a dark substrate to bring out the malawis colors
Bright substrate tend to take away the contrast

 

Thanks people.

I use the arachnite substrate as it naturally buffers the PH for me. Im hoping the Black background i have will enhance the colors of the fish. What about the cycle for the fish? Run lights from 6am to 6pm??

Riaan

 

Ok i checked the lights. There are 2 30watt t8tubes in. The one says white and the other red.

Will the lights push my tank temperature up to 30 degrees if the room temp is 28 degrees?


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I doubt the T8's will increase the tank temperature above 28 degrees. Unlike CFL's and MH units the T8's don't give of as much radiant heat. The white is most probably a 6500K daylight and red is the grow-lux type... good for plants

 

In that case, ill remove the red tube as i will have no plants, only plastic ones. Ill then get a 34 watt light. And also remove the white one. Except if the 30 watt white is sufficient.

Lastly could it be harmfull to my fish if i leave the ligt off during the day while i am at work, and leave it on longer during the evening?

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Run both lights malawis like algae
Try both at night with all other lights in the room off, And turning them on if you get home after works will have them like puppy dogs waiting for food looks very nice malawis has nice personalities

 

So you say i should leave lights on from i get home until i leave in the morning?

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No sorry turn them on if you come home and off when you go to bed they will also rest then. It is my routine and they seem to understand this somehow ?

Good luck with your kids lol they will grow on you for sure

 

Have always liked the effect on the colours of most Malawi's when you mix a high spectrum white light(10 000k + .... think Marine mid day lights) with a Blue light (Coralglo) - Balanced viewing of fishes true colours under the white,and the blue just highlighting that colour,if present,of the fish...
Straight blue lighting(sadly,often seen) does absolutely NOTHING in enhancing their natural beauty - washing out any other colour than blue... Just my opinion - shoot me...

If you keep Mbuna - longer lighting periods than the standard 8 to 10 hours for a planted tank is beneficial for algae growth - that is if you don't mind scraping your glass more often... your fish will love you for it though for providing them with a natural food source that they would chow down on in nature...

 

for just fish i would go with 2x10 000K and one Blue 20 000K tubes, adding a blue tube just gives it that crisp clean look, but yes blue on its own is a no no.

 

He,he @Singularity... Aquatic minds.think alike....

 

My setup for the 4ft malawi tank is 1x 10000K (superlight) as called by the LFS (though I don't buy my lights there) and a 1m waterproof blue 5050 LED strip which in my opinion has a more intense blue than the coralglo lights and lower lumens BUT it picks up the most amazing colouring of the fish. Did the same on my community tank but the tannins are still stuffing me around... Plus you can use the LED as an intermediate night light before lights out. Will take some picks when I'm off and post them. Check out my malawi journal to see how well the 30W 10000K tube works http://www.tropicalaquarium.co.za/showthread.php?10127-My-240L-Malawi-Journal