We tell you which are the best LED lamps for aquariums, how to choose the best LED screen and all the benefits of this technology in your aquarium lamp.
Hello Reader, this time we enter the world of LED lights for fish tanks. A complete review of the latest technology applied to the aquarium LED lamp.
Technology for Aquarium hobby
Quality and power
Low consumption
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If you’re anything like us, then you care about your aquatic pets, even the smallest organisms in your aquarium. For this reason, we know that you like to get the best accessories for your aquarium, because it is the best thing you can do for them.
LED aquarium lights are the best fish tank lights on the market today.
These led fish tank lights are designed to provide the optimal lighting conditions for aquatic plants. They also provide a special aesthetic appeal to fish, corals and other aquatic organisms.
If you already have live aquatic plants, you know that the quality of light is very important to maintain growth. And live corals depend on the right light spectrum and intensity to stay healthy in reef aquariums.
It doesn’t matter what kind of aquarium you have. Whether it’s freshwater or marine, the LED aquarium light is the way to go. You just have to see the offer of LED lamps on the market, click here to see the best-selling led aquarium lamp on Amazon.
The LED type aquarium lamp has become the main type of lighting in the aquarium hobby. This technology of LED light for fish tank continues unstoppable thanks to all the great advantages it offers.
Below, we will explore all the benefits of LED aquarium lights and review the best LED lights for freshwater aquariums and marine aquariums.
Aquarium LED Light: Introduction
The development of light-emitting diodes, also called LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes), has revolutionized all LED aquarium lighting. These devices are electronic chips that glow when current passes through them.
Today this technology is used in almost all lighting applications, from car lights to street lamps. Even huge video screens in stadiums and concerts.
LED technology has been incorporated into the aquarium light as well.
LED fish tank lights are mounted in the aquarium on «legs» that rest on top of the aquarium. And there are also those that hang from the ceiling. In this link you can see the offer of basic LED lamps for your aquarium on Amazon
As we have been saying, the technological level in LED aquarium lighting ranges from the most basic fish tank lamp to high-tech LED aquarium lights.
Best Aquarium LED Lamps
They each have their own benefits and their own way in which they could potentially be the best LED available today. The needs must be considered and the choice made with criteria.
Comparison of the best LED aquarium lights
Nicrew LED lamp for aquarium
Nicrew ClassicLED aquarium led light has two lighting modes which are white light for normal aquarium lighting and blue for moonlight effect. The daylight white mode actually combines the white and blue LEDs. The night blue color is more subdued.
This led fish tank light is controlled by a rocker switch with three positions. You can select off, daylight or moonlight.
The Nicrew does not have a programmable timer or dimming function. The light intensity or color cannot be changed.
This LED screen, which you can see on Amazon by clicking on the button below the image, is mounted on the profile of the aquarium and comes in 5 different adjustable sizes:
- 1. 30-48cm
- 2. 53 – 83cm
- 3. 75 – 105cm
- 4. 98 – 128cm
- 5. 120-150cm
The support of this Fish Tank Lamp is adjustable, which allows a perfect adaptation for each aquarium. The plastic legs have a U-shaped channel that fits into the top of the aquarium.
This achieves great stability of the aquarium lamp and prevents the light from falling into the water when it is accidentally hit when the aquarium is being maintained.
pros
- Simple to use LED aquarium light.
- No programming is needed to use the light.
- Economic price.
- Provides adequate light for live plant growth.
cons
- No built-in automatic timer.
- It cannot be hung over the aquarium.
- Uses power adapter.
Kessil LED A360WE Tuna Sun Fish Tank Lamp
The Kessil A360WE Tuna Sun Series features a spectacular brightness that mimics natural sunlight thanks to its proprietary LED arrays assembled in the Kessil California factory.
Dense Matrix LED technology concentrates multiple LED chips into a single matrix, providing a powerful, penetrating light source with wide coverage.
The average penetration of a Kessil A360WE Tuna Sun is 60-75 cm (24″-30″). Light penetration can be further enhanced by placing multiple units close to each other.
Through a system called Kessil Logic, you can select the perfect spectrum and color with one knob, then adjust the intensity with another knob.
Provides a patented combination of UV light that promotes growth and enhances the color of plants.
When connected in series, the first A360 acts as the master unit propagating its settings to all other LED Fish Tank Lights in the chain.
The A360WE series also has a port that allows these aquarium lights to be controlled by multiple stand-alone aquarium controllers. The spectrum of light produced ranges between 6,000-9,000ºK.
pros
- High quality fish tank LED lighting fixture.
- Easy to adjust the lighting spectrum.
- Able to connect in series manually.
- Works with external controllers.
cons
- Expensive compared to other brands.
- Requires hanging from brackets or ceiling.
- The power supply is a separate component that should be hidden from view.
fluval Fresh & Plant 2.0 LED
This system can be used in brightly lit planted aquariums without worry, but is not designed for saltwater tanks. The color temperature offered by this series is 7500 K, and it has three models of three different sizes:
- 61-95 centimeters.
- 91-122 centimeters.
- 122-153 centimeters.
The fluval Aqua Fresh & Plant 2.0 LED is designed so that it can be placed right above the tank. It also reduces the amount of light that is lost in the space between the lamp and the water in your aquarium.
The useful life of these LED lamps is 50,000 hours, and the Lumens they offer are 2350 for the small model, 3300 Lm for the medium one and 4250 Lm for the large one.
Fluval LED lighting for planted aquariums is high performance, offering a balanced full spectrum and 5 exclusive band waves. This LED lamp is designed to promote the development, health and color of plants.
This fixture features a high amount of blue and red light for optimal plant growth. Provides bright light, but includes a dimmer switch that allows you to control the amount of light entering the tank.
The fluval LED has a 120 degree spread so that the light is even and completely covers the aquarium area. It also features an illuminated switch that is touch sensitive, and allows the option to dim the light.
For mounting it offers several options, it can be placed on the frame of the tank, on the cabinet or hung.
Like other Fluval models, this one is also hermetic, and therefore resistant to splashes of water. And its mounting brackets are extendable for easy installation.
pros
- High quality LED lighting for planted aquariums.
- Backed by a great brand like Fluval.
- Combination of LEDs designed to optimize photosynthetic activity.
- Robust and adaptable extensible supports.
- Totally sealed and protected against water/.
- Light dimming can work with a timer.
cons
- High price.
- No built-in timer.
- There is no option to change color other than blue-white.
Current USA Orbit Marine Aquarium LED Light
Current USA Orbit Marine LED Fish Tank Lights are the first marine aquarium led light to incorporate a dual actinic style and daylight style light emitting diode chip in a single light.
The combination of 8000K/12000K white LEDs together with 445nm/460nm actinic blue LEDs recreates the light spectrum needed for marine fish, live rocks and corals.
The Orbit Marine LED lamp has LEDs with a very wide color spectrum, making the reef aquarium experience simply spectacular.
The large proportion of actinic blue LEDs create the perfect color mix to show off fish, invertebrates, live rock and corals.
This Fish Tank Light, which you can view by clicking the button below the image, uses 120-degree lenses that spread light throughout the aquarium so all areas of the tank are illuminated. The led fish tank light can be controlled by the wireless remote controller.
The Ramp Timer Pro feature creates a 24-hour progressive sunrise, sunset and moonlight for a natural rhythmic light cycle. The timer provides a slow start to gently acclimate fish to bright lighting.
This lamp has a remote control that allows adjustable control of intensity and color spectrum and 6 climate lighting effects.
pros
- Advanced light emitting diode chip design provides full spectrum reef lighting.
- The remote control allows you to control the led aquarium lighting from your sofa.
- Easy programming.
- It comes with four automatic lighting presets.
cons
- It does not have a variety of single color LEDs for custom lighting.
- Somewhat poor instructions on how to set up the schedule.
Siak Wee Yeo
Leds for fish tanks at cheap prices
The most basic LED fish tank lights use a minimal number of low-end LED circuits to illuminate the aquarium. This can be perfect for a simple medium sized community aquarium.
These types of basic LED aquarium lights can be controlled with a conventional timer that plugs into the wall.
High-end aquarium leds
In the higher category, more LEDs are added for better lighting coverage. In addition, they usually provide an on and off timer.
The high-end LED aquarium light focuses exclusively on the lighting requirements of planted aquariums and reef tanks with live corals. These led aquarium lights are typically designed and assembled in-house using premium components.
Here you can see a sample of high-end aquarium lamps.
LED lamps for planted aquariums
The aquarium led lamp is to take into account when thinking about keeping plants, corals or similar organisms in the aquarium.
If you intend to set up your planted aquarium, you can go through our guide on how to make a planted aquarium for beginners, where we explain in a simple way what you need to have your tank with natural plants.
So what are you waiting for?
Explore the market and select the best aquarium lamp. But… do you know how to choose the best LED lights for aquariums? Read on, below we look at the key factors to consider when choosing your aquarium light.
How to choose led light for aquarium
Nowadays, there is a wide variety of led fish tank light available in the market. It is normal that at first the led aquarium lighting is quite confusing. But if you know the right questions, it won’t be a hard road to walk. If you have doubts, you can consult aquarium lighting, our special on the subject of the use of light for aquarium hobby.
There is one thing that you have to be clear about, any led aquarium lamp is NOT suitable for all types of tanks.
There are 4 factors that you should take into account when buying the best LED fish tank light. They are the following:
Aquarium size
The first thing you should take into account to select the most suitable LED lighting for fish tanks is the size of your aquarium. Logically, depending on the size of the tank, the size of LED fish tank light required will vary.
The larger the tank, the more light it will need. If you have a very large aquarium, and you want to illuminate it in its entirety, you will need a fish tank LED whose light coverage is wide and its intensity is very extended.
When shopping for an aquarium light, keep in mind the width of your aquarium. Aquarium LED light fixtures come in a variety of standard lengths. This is especially important when selecting an LED fish tank light that sits on top of the aquarium frame.
Type of plants in the tank
The type of plant life you have in your aquarium is the second factor, and a very important one. If your aquarium plants and corals are in their growth phase, they will need a different light intensity level than they will in other life cycles.
Different types of plants have different light requirements, which is why there are different LEDs for planted aquariums. Therefore, you have to know how to choose the right fish tank lights for the plants in your aquarium.
Intensity and Light Spectrum
Exploring the different LED aquarium light options on the market, you will see that there is a wide range of intensities and color spectra to choose from for your aquarium lamp.
This is very useful when you need to provide the optimum lighting levels for a wide range of plants. Also when it is necessary to provide all of them with a variety of biological phases, or in the case of corals, with their specific living conditions.
The different intensities and different colors of the led fish tank light are suitable for various plants and their individual growth stages.
Functions and control modes
As a great feature, there are now models that work very well with different control modes. You can have lights that simulate sunrise, sunset, and even night. With these modes, you can always switch between them to get the most out of the aquarium light, so the room looks great too.
In terms of control functions, a model that can be easily controlled is better. You don’t need to have a complex model that makes it hard to get the right mix you’d like for your planted tank.
Ventilation and waterproof
It is imperative to prevent LED lights from coming into contact with water. This is why there is a need to have a splash guard to keep water away.
The ventilation of the model is also something that you should take into account. LEDs generate heat while working, so it is important that this heat can be easily dissipated.
Look at the different models to find one with such important features.
Ease of installation
The installation process is always important. It can be a headache to install your aquarium light if you decide to purchase a light with a complex installation procedure.
You need to make sure that you can use your chosen model in a few easy steps. It is possible to find models that come with a frame and adjustable legs so that mounting on the tank is very simple.
Take a look at what other people are saying about the model to see what fans are saying about the light. From the reviews you can tell whether the model is easy to install or not.
Brand Considerations
Whether you are shopping for “one light” or the best LED aquarium light, you should consider the brand.
It is always advisable to get a model that comes from a well-known and reliable brand. This guarantees a quality product backed by a consolidated brand in the market.
Unknown brands may offer cheaper products, but keep in mind that the price generally reflects the quality of the product.
Lifespan of LEDs
You want to get a model that offers the same performance long after use. You should make sure that the model you choose has the best durability of the quality/quantity of light.
The durability depends on the material used to make it and the type of LED used. Some LEDs may work very well at first, but end up failing in no time.
There are manufacturers that offer the hours of life of the lamp in the technical specifications.
Budget
The last factor to take into account when choosing your led fish tank lamp is the budget. But there is no need to worry as the price range of aquarium led lights in the market is huge. That’s why everyone can find the fish tank lamp they need within their budget.
LED aquarium lights provide wonderful and efficient functionality for your aquarium at a very affordable price. The best part is that the range of features and prices makes this great product available to everyone in a way that fits every budget.
Benefits of LED aquarium lighting
Let’s now see the benefits of the aquarium led lamp, and why you should use it to illuminate your aquarium. Here are some points to help you understand why:
- These LED fish tank lights use much less energy. They are extremely energy efficient, and you will save around 30% on energy costs compared to traditional aquarium lighting.
- The lifespan of each fish tank LED is quite high compared to the other types of fish tank lights available. LED aquarium lights last at least 80,000 hours compared to 20,000 hours for fluorescents. For this reason, LED aquarium lights are very profitable in the medium-long term.
- LEDs for fish tanks do not waste energy in the form of heat, so they do not alter the temperature of the aquarium water.
- LED fish tank lights can be programmed to produce specific lighting for a marine fish tank, or for a freshwater aquarium.
- LED aquarium lights are not only easy to use, but also environmentally friendly. They do not produce toxic gases in the lighting process, which keeps the overall environment and aquarium environment clean.
- These LED aquarium lights have been made waterproof and compact for perfect use as an aquarium light.
- Good quality aquarium LEDs can produce light of different intensities and colors. This produces an optimal environment for growth in the aquarium, whatever its type and stage of growth.
- Some automatic LEDs also have the ability to figure out the different growth phases of the plants in your aquarium. This fantastic led fish tank light can be adjusted accordingly, and produce required wavelength and color intensities.
- Several small LEDs are the ones that make up the complete unit, therefore, there is no possibility that the whole device stops working at the same time.
- Unlike fluorescent fish tank lights, LED fish tank lights do not contain toxic mercury, nor do they emit dangerous ultraviolet light.
- The led light for aquariums does not generate any buzzing or flickering.
- Aquarium LED lights can be dimmed for special effects.
There are also some small flaws in the led fish tank light, but they can be overlooked when you consider the immense benefits that these fish tank lights have to offer.
The LED light for freshwater aquarium
Unlike the traditional fluorescent tube fish tank light, the freshwater aquarium LED lighting will enhance the natural colors of your freshwater fish. This allows you to see the many subtle colors and shades that exist in tropical freshwater fish.
Some more advanced LED fish tank lights even allow you to create a light that mimics sunrise, sunset, and moonlight. In this link you can see several examples of LED lamps for high-tech aquariums.
Aquatic plants require full spectrum aquarium lighting to thrive in an aquarium. Without the natural light spectrum, freshwater tropical aquarium aquatic plants will gradually lose their coloration, begin to lose their leaves, and die.
Natural daylight, on cloudy to sunny days, ranges from 5500K to 7000K. Look for an LED fish tank light that can provide this range of light quality.
Key Features of Freshwater LED Aquarium Light:
- 5500-7000 K of light emitted.
- Programmable timer.
- mounting system.
- That the length of the aquarium led lamp matches the aquarium.
Lamp for marine aquarium
Reef aquariums contain a variety of invertebrates that have live algae within their tissues. The beautiful coloration of coral and other invertebrates is due to the photosynthetic pigments contained in the cells of the algae.
A beneficial or “symbiotic” relationship exists between invertebrates and algae. The algae, through photosynthesis, produce amino acids that feed the corals. Corals provide a safe haven for algae along with supplying nutrients for the algae.
When corals are stressed, either from excessively hot water or poor lighting, they expel algae from their tissues. This is called coral bleaching and can lead to coral death.
For this reason, it is so important to provide quality light for our aquatic friends. And LED aquarium lighting, designed specifically for reef aquariums, has many benefits over the traditional fish tank light.
- Traditional fish tank lights can overheat the aquarium and stress both the fish and the invertebrate. LED aquarium lights work much better without altering the temperature of the tank.
- LED Reef Aquarium Lights provide the right type of light to mimic the natural light found on coral reefs.
- They can last for years without needing bulb replacement.
- LED fish tank lights use much less energy compared to traditional lighting fixtures.
What to look for to select the best led screen for marine aquarium
To ensure that light is distributed throughout the reef aquarium look for an LED fish tank light with a wide angle focus lens. That is, they do not concentrate their beam of light.
Make sure the aquarium light has the ability to provide daylight (up to 10,000K) and «actinic» blue lighting. This mimics the way sunlight penetrates seawater on a reef.
Some reef aquarium LED lights use individual white, red, blue, and green LEDs to create specific wavelengths. They also use special blue light-emitting diodes to recreate sunlight penetrating deeper seawater.
Other LED aquarium lights have preset colors, while some models allow you to experiment and change color temperatures.
How do LED fish tank lights work?
LED fish tank lighting is basically a series of small LED lights arranged in a specific order. The goal is to produce a bright light, with different intensities and different colors as well.
These LED Aquarium Lights are made up of several diodes. These diodes, when connected to a source of electricity, the electrons in them are converted into photons.
These photons are the packets of energy that we generally perceive as bright light, or light of a particular intensity, or of a particular color or wavelength.
These LED Fish Tank Lights of different wavelengths are connected together in series, and together they give bright illumination to your aquarium.
There is a lot of scientific research and planning behind the preparation of this led aquarium lighting. They have a long life and save a lot of energy, compared to other aquarium lighting.
If lighting is a key factor in your aquarium, and you can afford to spend a few bucks, consider aquarium LEDs. It is something that you should definitely opt for and put aside all other types of fish tank lights. This aquarium LED lighting is very affordable and provides incredible service to the hobbyist for a considerable period of time.
Main types of LEDs in fish tank lights:
- LED DIP
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The DIP (Dual In-line Package) is the first model of light emitting diode used commercially in fish tank lamp. It has given very good results since it is very versatile when it comes to being able to combine different diodes of different wavelengths.
The new models of Leds have surpassed it in efficiency and penetration in the water column, quickly making this first design obsolete as led lamps for fish tanks.
- SMD-LEDs
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The SMD (Surface Mounted Diode)
