What You Need - Part 5 of 5

This week, we talked about the size of the fish tank needed for angelfish, having a good filter, how to condition the water, and maintaining the right temperature.

The last must-have thing for fish is usually a hood and light.

Angelfish do not have a tendency to jump out of the water, like some fish do. But I still have a full hood on my tanks which include a good light.

I like the old-fashioned full-length fluorescent hoods, although if they are kept on for long periods of time, they can heat the water. But I like the water the water and the decorations and fish look with this type of lighting.

The black hood in the tank at right is barely noticable, which is just the way you want it. You want the focus to be on the fish and their habitat.

I tried the LED lighting (which is all the rage now) but I found it to be too dim and the decorations and angels looked less than stellar.

I have timers on all my tanks. The lights come on at 5:30 am and go off automatically at 9:30 am. They come on again at 4:30 pm and go off at 10:00 pm. This provides full light for 10 and a half hours a day and plenty of time in between with room lighting or darkness.

Too much light can cause algae to develop.

Next week I'll talk about the joys of fish-keeping: where to place the tank, how to stock it, and what fish do well with angels. Plus, I'll show you how I manage to keep my tanks sparkling clean with just 15 minutes of maintenance per week! (And you'll get a sneak peek to what my dogs are doing during all of this!)