How to Make Fluorescent Lighting Look Cool

Fluorescent lighting is effective for lighting home or office aquariums. Fluorescent lights are standard white lights that provide evenly distributed lighting throughout the fish tank. They also provide aquarium plants with the light they need to grow and provide fish with light they may require to remain healthy. You can make the lighting in the aquarium look different or look cool based on the type of light bulb that you choose.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Colored fluorescent tubes
• Colored gravel

1. Go to a pet store that sells aquarium supplies, or shop online for aquarium supplies. Look for colored fluorescent tubes which come in a wide range of colors and hues. An example is available in the Resources section of this article.

2. Select the colors that you want. If your aquarium lighting fixture has room for two fluorescent tubes, you can even purchase two different colors to combine for a unique lighting hue.
   
   Verify that the bulbs are the same wattage and size as the existing white fluorescent tubes so that they will fit safely in the light fixture.

3. Purchase fish tank gravel in a color that matches the color of the fluorescent tubes. For example, the website Fish-Tanks.com suggests using neon gravel over regular gravel. This will cause the colored lighting to reflect off the gravel and then that light bounces off decorations and fish in the tank.

4. Adjust lighting around and in the room where the fish tank is located to maximize the visual impact of the colored lighting. Move lamps around to avoid glare from ruining the view into the aquarium.

Tips & Warnings

• Always verify that the bulb is safe for tank use and is the same size and wattage as the existing lights.
• Ensure that the bulbs and light fixture do not come into contact with water.

References

• Fish-Tank.com article about different light colors and effects

Resources

• Examples of different colored lights