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Recently, I ran into a larger saltwater aquarium with a lighting system that includes simulated lightning storms. At seemingly random times, the lighting system would simulate a lightning storm using strobe lights (including overnight).

  • Since it didn't simulate other environmental changes from a thunder/lightning storm, is this was actually necessary?
  • Is having this type of system beneficial for a saltwater tank?
  • Does it somehow keep the fish healthier?
JoshDM
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Steven V
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1 Answers1

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Oddly enough, there are some articles about it.

This article, Reactions in individual fish to strobe light. Field and aquarium experiments performed on whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus), deals with strobe light and whitefish, as its title says.

Their conclusion is that fish will swim away from the strobe light and don't bother if it comes from behind. Since you describe a light from the top, they will hide from it too.

Another article concludes that strobe light can be used as a barrier to some fish.

I couldn't find any relationship to algae, O₂ or CO₂ level.

So I think that it was just for decorative purposes - and, as some (or all) fish will avoid it, it doesn't seem to be a good decoration.

starsplusplus
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woliveirajr
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