If you own or maintain an aquarium, you certainly understand the joys of creating an underwater habitat and viewing and experiencing the fish, fauna and environment within an aquarium.
An essential element of any good aquarium is proper lighting to both enhance the mood created as well as provide a healthy environment for the fish and fauna contained within.
There are a number of different ways to provide good lighting for aquariums.
Let's review some of these options and explain the features and benefits more fully.
As indicated earlier, proper lighting is essential in helping to enhance and protect the underwater environment you have established within your aquarium.
The proper color and wavelength plays a significant in keeping aquatic organisms healthy.
For many years, hobbyists relied on different kinds of lighting modes.
The earliest versions used incandescent bulbs but this did not provide acceptable results due to the type of light including the colors and wavelengths emitted.
The bulbs also burned hot which affected the operating temperatures in the aquarium.
A key advance was through the development of fluorescent lighting.
This light operates much cooler and can be configured to provide different wavelengths and colors of light.
This has been the standard for many aquariums and has certainly provided very acceptable and pleasing and results.
But recent advances in LED lighting technology have opened up a whole new realm in aquarium lighting.
LED lighting has many benefits.
First of all the lights are very long-lasting.
Under normal use, they should not need replacement for years and years.
This is of great convenience when it comes to trouble-free operation.
If the aquarium is not always closely monitored, it a good feeling knowing that the aquatic life within receives proper lighting at all times.
Another significant benefit of LED lighting is their operating temperatures.
LED lighting does not add to the heat content.
This is in stark contrast to some fluorescent lighting and especially metal halide lights.
This makes in much easier to control the proper water temperatures within your aquarium.
And even if you use a modern LED aquarium lighting fixture along with fluorescent or halide lights, the units typically have a temperature sensor and fan to help reduce the added heat and make certain the LED fixture is not affected.
These modern lights also have outstanding capabilities for dimming.
So you don't have to reduce the amount of time the lights are on - you simply reduce the intensity as appropriate or necessary.
A wavelength of around 430 nm is ideal for photosynthetic efficiency in corals.
These LED lights are designed to provide light in this ideal spectrum range.
So bright or dim, they provide the right kind of lighting.
LED's are also very efficient at converting electricity into light.
This lowers operating expense and enhances maintenance since the bulbs last much longer.
Don't worry about replacing bulbs or other regular expenses.
LED aquarium lighting also allows you to avoid having to replace costly ballasts which would otherwise be necessary for other types of lighting including T-5 and fluorescent.
The carefree maintenance aspects are particularly appealing for these lighting systems.
Some guidelines to keep in mind when shopping for LED aquarium lights are as follows.
Seek units which are CE certified.
This electrical standard is even more stringent than UL approval and it is your assurance that this lighting system is built to the utmost degree of quality, durability and safety.
Look for units which have the ability to be dimmed.
As indicated earlier, rather than having to control the amount of time the lights are on, it is much better to be able to vary the intensity of the lighting provided.
LED aquarium lights come in many different styles and configuration.
There is sure to be a unit which is ideal for the conditions you seek.
So be sure to provide optimal lighting for your aquarium through these types of units.