If you are familiar with fish tanks, you are probably well aware of the necessity of a fish tank light. Aside from providing a much better view of the aquarium, the light in a fish tank provides much needed vitamin D to help plants grow. Additionally, the light in a fish tank provides oxygen to the water, providing a healthy ecosystem for your fish. Although a fish tank light is a very essential component to your tank, it is important to recognize the dangers of a fish tank light that is too bright.

Can a fish tank light be too bright?

Simply put, yes, a fish tank light can bee to bright. A fish tank light that is too bright or that is left on for too long can be very dangerous to your fish and their ecosystem. Below are the main reasons how a fish tank light that is too bright can harm your fish.

Water Temperature:

The greatest damage of a fish tank light that is too bright is the impact on the water temperature. A fish tank light that is too bright can alter the water temperature by up to 8 degrees fahrenheight . While that doesn’t seem like a lot, a change of only 3 degrees can have a devastating effect on your fish tank ecosystem. The water chemistry will be greatly altered, and there will likely be an increase in nitrogen which can harm your fish. 

Plant growth:

While a light is needed to assist in the growth of fish tank plants, it can also be the cause of over growth. Plant overgrowth and algae can also be very dangerous to your fish. The overgrowth of vegetation will likely suck up a large portion of the carbon dioxide in the fish tank, and there is a chance that your fish tank will have to much oxygen.

Fish sleep:

While fish don’t reach the same state of sleep as humans, fish do require periods of rest. They prefer to rest in environments that are dimly lit. Therefore, if your fish tank light is too bright, it can completely throw off your fish’s rest schedule, causing stress and other health problems.