Aquarium Blue Light : (9 Cool Fish Lighting Setup Ideas)

One of the options that are available to you, when it comes to illuminating your aquarium, is that of using blue light. In this article, you will find information on what blue light does in your aquarium, whether blue light is good for your aquarium and other related issues.

Aquarium blue light can help in illuminating your aquarium, while also promoting proper growth of the fish and plants in the tank. It simulates moonlight, giving your tank a very elegant oceanic look, and it doesn’t affect nocturnal fish as they go about their activities at night.

If you have to choose between either white or blue light for aquarium, the blue aquarium light will be preferable in most cases. This is because the blue light usually has better aesthetic appeal, and has a better effect on the aquarium inhabitants.

Moreover, the blue light doesn’t promote too much algae growth.

What Are The Different Types Of Aquarium Lights?

Aquarium lights can be classified on the basis of how they work. We can also classify them on the basis of their colors.

With regard to how they work, you get the likes of incandescent lights, fluorescent lights, metal halide and LED aquarium lights.

And with regard to their colors, you get the likes of blue, white, RGB aquarium lights and so on. So that is where, for instance, you get the aquarium light blue or white choice.

Often, people have to choose between either white or blue light for aquarium illumination.

Can I Use A Blue Light In My Aquarium?

Yes, blue is one of the light colors you can use in your aquarium.

A blue light is sure to give your aquarium a very elegant, moonlit look. Therefore if you use an aquarium blue light at night, you get a very exquisite view.

Moreover, the blue light will tend to calm – rather than agitating – the fish in your aquarium. Your fish may even have good sleep when they want to rest.

And at yet another level, if yours is a planted aquarium, the blue light can help the plants with chlorophyll production.

But then again, you have to be sure that you are using an aquarium-safe blue light.

And you need to be sure that you are only keeping it on for the recommended number of hours (usually 12), so as not to interfere with your fish’s circadian rhythms.

Further, you need to ensure that the aquarium blue light you use doesn’t produce too much heat. In this regard, a blue LED aquarium light can be very ideal: as it produces adequate light without giving out too much heat.

It is worth noting that too much blue light can harm some fish’s eyesight. This effect may play out, for instance, if you use the wrong type of deep blue aquarium lights.

Therefore the blue light fish are exposed to needs proper regulation.

Further still, if you research on what color light makes algae grow, you will notice that blue is one of those that are mentioned. So this too is something you need to be aware of, as you use a blue light in your aquarium.

Thankfully, aquarium blue light algae growth is not as much as that which we see with white light.

All in all, you can use blue light in your aquarium.

Is Blue Light Good For Aquarium?

If you use it correctly, aquarium blue light can be very good.

For one, it gives your aquarium a very elegant appearance. It can enhance the appearance of the fish and plants in the aquarium.

And that is important because, ultimately, the main reason we light up our aquariums is in order to make them look good.

Secondly, it can be a highly effective night time aquarium light. This is because the blue light (which mimics the moon) is unlikely to affect nocturnal fish’s activities.

Thirdly, the blue light is beneficial to the aquarium plants. Therefore if yours is a planted aquarium, and you use a blue light, the plants will benefit greatly.

At this point, one may ask, does blue light cause algae in fish tank? And therein lies another benefit of the blue light: for whereas there is some degree of algae growth associated with it, it is not as much as that which comes with white light. It’s similar to a pond setup.

Thus, after using this light, you are not likely to find yourself wondering, why is my fish tank water blue (on account of algae growth). Blue light typically doesn’t promote that extent of algae growth.

It is usually white light that seems to spur algae growth to that extent.

It is on account of these factors that, more often than not, the blue tends to win in blue light vs white light fish tank comparisons.

All in all, as long as you use it properly, blue light can be quite good for your aquarium.

Can Fish See Blue Light?

In making the decision on whether or not to use blue aquarium light, people often want to know whether, in the first place, fish can see blue light.

They also want to know, does aquarium light bother fish if it is blue?

So, indeed, can fish see blue light? The behavior of fish tends to change when blue lights are put on. This means that the fish can see the blue lights – or at least the blue lighting they produce.

In has, for instance, been observed that most fish find moderately deep blue LED aquarium lights soothing. Note that focus here is specifically on LED lights – that is, moderately deep blue LED light.

The reason for that is in the fact that the LED lights are able to emit blue light without actually producing a lot of heat.

On the other hand, blue fish tank light bulbs of the incandescent type seem to produce more heat than light!

Therefore when you put on such an aquarium blue light bulb of the incandescent variety, you can never tell whether it is the light or heat the fish are reacting to.

All in all, the available evidence suggests that fish can indeed see blue light. Therefore if you are setting up a blue aquarium light, this is something you need to keep in mind.

What Does A Blue Light Do In An Aquarium?

This, in other words, is a question on what does blue light do for fish tank?

Firstly, the blue light illuminates the aquarium. It makes it possible to, among other things, be able to view the fish in the tank at night.

Secondly, the blue light helps the fish in the tank to grow optimally (unless it happens to be too intense).

Thirdly, the blue light helps the plants in the tank (if it is a planted aquarium) to survive. That is because blue light is essential for chlorophyll production.

That, then, is the essence of blue light for fish tank.

The blue light gives the tank an overall blue theme. So if you want to figure out how to make aquarium water look blue, one of the methods you can use is that of employing a blue light.

This is also how you end up with light blue fish (that is, fish with blue appearance).

An aquarium blue LED night light can also help you in giving your aquarium moonlight freshwater appearance. This in other words is an oceanic look: where your fish look as if they are in an ocean, rather than a tank!

On the downside, too much blue light reef tank lighting can end up harming the fish. It can, among other things, affect their eyesight negatively.

However, for the aquarium plants blue light is mostly beneficial: especially with regard to chlorophyll production.

What Is The Blue Light In My Fish Tank For?

Sometimes, when you buy a fish tank, you may find a blue light already installed on it. This will then lead to the question: what does blue light in fish tank do? What purpose does it serve? Why does an aquarium have blue light?

The aquarium blue light firstly makes it possible for you (and your visitors) to view the fish in the tank.

Secondly, the blue aquarium light improves the appearance of the fish tank: giving it an elegant look.

Thirdly, the blue aquarium light can promote proper growth of both the fish and plants in the tank.

So, for instance, if you find a blue light in tropical aquarium, this would be the purpose of it.

At this point, one may ask, are LED lights good for fish tanks? This is because in most of the fish tanks that come with lighting nowadays, we find that the lighting is usually of LED type.

And the simple answer is ‘yes’ – the LED lights are good: as long as they are used in the right manner.

What Does A Blue Light Do For Aquarium Plants?

The main thing that blue light does for aquarium plants is promote chlorophyll production. That is in the course of the process known as photosynthesis.

It is pretty much impossible for aquarium plants to survive and thrive without the blue light.

This is why, if you set out to find out which color light is good for aquarium plants, you will keep on hearing blue being mentioned.

In fact, if you go further and research on what color light is best for aquarium plants, the answer you are likely to get is still blue.

For a fish-only aquarium, blue light may be optional. But if you have a planted aquarium, having the blue light becomes essential.

This is because without the blue light, there can’t be photosynthesis. And without photosynthesis, there can’t be chlorophyll production.

In the absence of chlorophyll production, it becomes hard for the plant to survive and thrive.

Can I Leave Blue Light On In Fish Tank?

If you use an aquarium blue LED night light, you may find yourself at a loss on whether or not to switch it off at night.

This is mainly because the blue LED fish tank light produces light that seems to be very calming. So you find yourself wondering if you really need to switch off the aquarium blue light at night.

Whether or not to leave blue light on in your fish tank depends on the type of fish you have. Are they nocturnal or diurnal?

If the fish in your tank are nocturnal, then there is no point in switching the blue aquarium light. But if the fish in your tank are diurnal, it is advisable to switch off the blue light at night.

Aquarium Blue Light – Where To Buy?

When it comes to buying an aquarium blue light, you have two options. You can either buy it online, or you can buy it at a brick and mortar outlet that deals with aquarium products.

The aquarium blue light buy online option has several advantages. For one, you get a wide array of blue aquarium lights to choose from.

Moreover, online, you are assured of finding pretty much any specific type of aquarium blue light you need.

Suppose, for instance, you wish to specifically buy the Wave Point Blade HO LED Aquarium Light Super Blue 10k. You may easily go around all the local stores seeking this specific light without success.

But if you opt to search online, you are sure to find it with ease.

The same would apply if, for instance, you were in search of the Glofish Blue LED Aquarium Light.

It is also helpful that when you opt to buy your aquarium blue light online, you often end up paying less for it.

This is because online vendors typically charge less than local store vendors.

Of course, if you can find the aquarium blue light you need in a local store, that too has advantages. The main one is in the fact that you get to go home with the light immediately. You don’t have to wait for it to be shipped to you.

Moreover if, for instance, you opt to buy a blue light aquarium night LED fixture from a local store, you get to inspect it before paying for it. And the vendors may help you with its installation.

Aquarium Blue Light – How To Set Up?

First of all, you need to be sure that the light you buy is compatible with your aquarium.

If, for instance, it is an aquarium blue light LED, ensure that it is one that works properly with the tank you have.

Further, ensure that it is suitable for the inhabitants in your aquarium. For instance, the best aquarium blue light for plants may not be the most ideal for a fish-only tank.

You also need to consider the type of fish in your tank – and ensure that you use a light that won’t harm them. For instance, if you have goldfish, you will first want to know, is blue light bad for goldfish? Make sure that your fish doesn’t get stroke and preserve their health properly.

Once you are sure that the aquarium blue light is compatible with your tank, you can proceed to unpack it.

Then switch off the power supply during installation.

Identify which light connectors are supposed to go into which terminals. Then connect the respective light connectors to the appropriate terminals.

Thereafter, if there is adhesive backing provided for the lights (in case of LED), use it to stick the lights to the right level on the wall of the aquarium, to complete the installation.

Switch the power back on, then turn on the blue aquarium light, to see if everything is working as it should.

Final Verdict – Aquarium Blue Light

Aquarium blue light can be helpful at illuminating and giving your fish tank an elegant/exquisite look.

The blue light also has the effect of calming down the fish, and you can use it at night without affecting nocturnal fish.

Further, the blue light can be helpful to the plants in the aquarium (if it is a planted aquarium). This is because it aids in chlorophyll production during photosynthesis.

The most important thing is to ensure that the blue light you buy is one that is aquarium-safe, and compatible with your specific tank.

As a pet lover, make sure to learn about pet more and give your pet fish a good and comfortable life!

Rajkumar Ravichandran

Welcome to Learn About Pet. My name is Rajkumar Ravichandran and I love all pets, travel, and amazing food. I write about my passion and personal experience caring for multiple pets in this blog! ❤️