# Natural Light vs Light Bulbs



## simplykayla76

My aquarium is in my bedroom which is not very big. I have a nice big window which is on the opposite side of the room from my aquarium. Would it make a difference if I didn't turn on my aquarium lights and just let the natural sunlight light up the aquarium? :animated_fish_swimm


----------



## Kehy

algae would have fun in your tank, and also the temperature would swing with the sunlight, which can be harmful to fish. But I use natural light to grow plants, it works well.


----------



## beaslbob

simplykayla76 said:


> My aquarium is in my bedroom which is not very big. I have a nice big window which is on the opposite side of the room from my aquarium. Would it make a difference if I didn't turn on my aquarium lights and just let the natural sunlight light up the aquarium? :animated_fish_swimm


Sure it would make a difference.

for one thing it would be kinda hard to see your fish at night or on a cloudy day.

but basically you can have a successful tank using sunlight through a window. but you still have to manage that light to prevent algae and cloudiness just like with artificial lights. Only instead of flipping a switch you may have to close blinds and so on.

So I would give it a try and see how you like it.

Still just my .02


----------



## jrman83

As long as it is not direct sunlight it could work or very controlled if it is direct.


----------



## snail

Personally I like using natural light as a low tech solution under certain circumstances. But there are several factors that will make a big difference.

Does the sun hit the tank directly or is it just indirect light? 

If direct sunlight for how long is it on the tank?

Are there only fish in the tank or plants too?

Is seeing the fish at night (when there is little natural light) important to you?


----------



## simplykayla76

snail said:


> Personally I like using natural light as a low tech solution under certain circumstances. But there are several factors that will make a big difference.
> 
> Does the sun hit the tank directly or is it just indirect light?
> 
> If direct sunlight for how long is it on the tank?
> 
> Are there only fish in the tank or plants too?
> 
> Is seeing the fish at night (when there is little natural light) important to you?


The reason I asked is because I sometimes wonder if my fish prefer natural light. The sun does not directly hit my aquarium at all. I only have fish~no real plants. I never get to see my fish at night. I leave the light on for about 8 hrs a day. In the morning I open my blinds and let the tank light naturally and about 8 am I turn the light on and 8 hrs later I turn it off. There is a short time span before I go to sleep that I can see them having my light on in the room. I would love to get a moonlight bulb but the ones I find are expensive.


----------



## snail

If there are no live plants in the tank you probably don't need to have the light on for so long. The light they get from the window will do. If it was me I wouldn't have the light on in the morning and put the light on (myself or with a timer) later in the day so I was switching it off when I go to bed. That's because I tend to watch my fish the most in the evening so I like having the light on to see them then. It's really a personal thing though, if what you are doing works for you I think it's fine for your fish.


----------

