What led lighting for a planted aquarium?

What led lighting for a planted aquarium? How to choose lighting for an aquarium? How to choose lighting for an aquarium with plants? Light is essential for the development of your aquatic plants in the aquarium. It is she who will regulate the biological balance of your mini ecosystem. These lights in fresh water, just like in salt water, contribute to the growth of your plants and your corals.

It also helps to highlight the color of your fish. It is often supplied with your aquarium. Most aquariums are equipped with tubes, but we are seeing more and more LED ramps appear.

• Pink neon lights (rather white tube)
• LED ramps (lower consumption)

Why do I need to light my aquarium?

It is important to bring light to your aquarium. The assimilated light will allow the plant to transform the CO2 into usable energy for its development. If like us, you went to school a bit :-) You may have heard about photosynthesis in your notebooks. We will not blame you if these notions no longer mean anything to you.

Photosynthesis is actually the transformation of carbohydrate molecules which instead feeds and oxygen molecules released into your aquarium. Lighting an aquarium is not only aesthetic. Fish do not have eyelids. So, it's complicated to close your eyes to sleep :-) If you manage to sleep without closing your eyes, you are one of the rare human specimens to sleep with your eyes open like a fish.

How long should it be illuminated?

In general, an aquarium is lit 10 to 12 hours a day to respect a classic biological cycle. You should know that lighting is essential for the development of plants and fish. The role of lighting for plants allows them to develop and create photosynthesis. Too much light will promote the development of green algae.

Do you have brown algae? Analyze the water and increase the lighting by one hour per day in your aquarium.

Alternating between day and night is essential for a good balance in your aquarium . This is especially important for your plants and fish. Use a timer to make your job easier. To define a day and night cycle, it is recommended to light your aquarium 10 hours a day.

What are the techniques for lighting?

There are new and old methods.

• Fluorescent T8 tubes (2.6MM diameter) - this is the classic light source used in aquariums. They are suitable for plants and fish. Composed of a ferromagnetic ballast + starter . We recommend replacing this type of light every year.

• Fluorescent T5 tubes (find here 1.6MM) - smaller

These T5 tubes are fitted to most current aquariums.

• Compact fluorescent T5 tubes

The star of the moment is the LED or sometimes LED ramps for the aquarium. However, it is more complicated to repair an LED ramp if one of the LEDs burns out on your ramp. It heats very little and consumes very little. Its price is more and more affordable.

There are also two lighting technologies used in terrariums and aquariums, HQL & HQI lamps. These two techniques consume a lot of energy and are gradually being replaced by ramps or LED lighting. The characteristics are often the same for the different types of lighting.

On a fluorescent or compact fluorescent tube , you have several parameters to take into account, the lumens, the K (color temperature of the aquarium), the power (expressed in W). CRI allows you to know the quality of the lamp.

• Lumens (intensity of luminous flux): this is the actual lighting power.
• K (Kelvins)
• SHOUT
• Power (consumption).

We no longer address the power in W. It was with the old T8 tubes but it is no longer valid with the LED. We now use lumens & K. So how many lumens for my aquarium?

• 25 lumens/litres of water in a lightly planted aquarium.
• 30 lumens / liters of water in the aquarium (medium planted). Be careful, if you have few plants, reduce the number of lumens per liter of water otherwise you risk too much algae.
• 35 lumens/liters of water in a strong planted aquarium.

How many K (kelvin - lighting temperature)?

• 5000° = PINK
• 6500 = YELLOW
• 10.000 = WHITE

The most used on the market for a classic aquarium with a few plants, you will be able to satisfy yourself with 6500K lighting. It is one of the most used colors.

It is a color that reproduces the lighting of the sun. In fresh water, some go down to 5000 KELVINS to approach a pinkish tint and promote the growth of plants in the aquarium.

In seawater, lighting tends towards white (above 10,000K) to promote coral growth.

Which lighting powers should I choose for my aquarium?

In saltwater aquariums, corals need light for growth. We no longer speak of power in W but rather of power in K and lumens.

• What is CRI on bulb indication? This is the color rendering index. It is a scale on an index of 100 which gives indications on the quality of the lighting. It is the ability of a light to restore more or less well the color of the elements it illuminates.

My aquarium is exposed to the sun, is that enough?

It is one of the least expensive solutions, but the lighting of your interior or the sun is not always sufficient, especially in a reef aquarium. Daylight is not enough to illuminate an aquarium, especially if it has a cover. You must adapt the quantity and power of your lighting according to the type of fish and aquatic plants selected.