LED Grow Lights For Sale in New Zealand Blog.

Acclimating your Corals to LED Lights

Tue, 14 Jan 2020 13:51:13 +0000

A big issue many reef hobbyists encounter when using new LED aquarium lights is coral bleaching and proper light acclimation.

Unfortunately, it's often an issue you never hear anyone talk about until you have already bleached a few corals or already made numerous trips to the local fish store or your favorite reef forum.

Acclimating your Corals to LED Lights Coral bleaching is when a coral loses its symbiotic zooxanthellae (what gives them color). When corals are "stressed," they often expel their zooxanthellae, leading to a lighter or completely white appearance (hence, why we call it "bleaching"). In nature, it can be caused by a multitude of factors, including:

Dramatic change in water temperature
Increased solar radiance (PAR and UV band light)
Changes in water chemistry or salinity
Bacterial infections
Silt and run-off
Herbicides, pollution and cyanide
In reef aquariums, the same factors can cause the same effect, especially an increase in light levels. Often times, switching from fluorescent light to LED is a dramatic increase in PAR, so it's very important to slowly acclimate your corals to your new lights.

We've put together this simple guide to help everyone out with acclimating their tank to a new set of lights. It doesn't matter if you are going from T5s to LEDs or Metal Halide to LEDs. Light acclimation is HIGHLY recommended!

Here are a few steps you can take to make the transition as easy as possible on you and your animals.

1) Raise your fixture. This method is best used if you have a hanging system on your lights or another way to easily move the lights higher over the tank. You will want to slowly lower your fixture over the course of 3-4 weeks.

2) Reduce your photoperiod. In essence, don't let your lights run for as long as they have been. Most hobbyists run their tank lights for 10-12 hours total. Most of us have a dusk/dawn schedule where we run only the blue or actinic lights for a couple hours before and after our daylight bulbs are used. You are probably safe to still run your dusk/dawn lighting for the same time, but you should drastically reduce the amount of time that your daylight bulbs are on. Try only running them for 4 hours now instead of the 8-9 hours that you were before. Then slowly, over a month, add one hour every week until you are back to your original schedule.

3) Use window screen or shade cloth. Just make a trip to your local hardware store or plant nursery and buy some window screen or shade cloth. You will want enough to cover the entire top of your tank with 3-4 layers of screen. You simply put the entire screen on top of your tank and remove one layer at a time every 4-5 days. If your corals seem a little stressed after you remove a layer, place it back on for 1-2 days and then try again. Overall, this should take you 3-4 weeks but in some cases can go much faster.

4) Use a dimmer. Transitioning has never been so easy! Simply hook up a dimmer and lower the light intensity. Carefully watch your corals for any bleaching or other signs of stress. You may have to implement another method mentioned above in severe cases. When your corals look healthy, you can slowly ramp up the intensity to the desired level. Again, this method should take 3-4 weeks.

No matter which method you use, ALWAYS watch your corals to see how they react. Taking your time and being patient – can and will – save your tank. No guide can replace what you are seeing happen in your tank. If corals are losing color and turning white, SLOW DOWN. Patience pays as always with reef aquariums! Take your time and you'll be amazed by the power of your new LEDs.

How to Grow Freshwater Aquarium Plants

Wed, 27 Dec 2017 12:54:16 +0000

Aquarium plants are part of our biological filtration. They do this by helping to remove harmful ammonia (which fish naturally excrete into the water). Many aquatic plants will help remove ammonia but not nitrites. Some aquarists use this information in natural aquariums. When planting aquatic plants, we can create new underwater worlds, or try to imitate nature.

Real plants do wonders for aquariums, providing fish with oxygen and even food. They keep the water chemistry more balanced, and provide scenery for you and hiding places for fish and other tank inhabitants. They're easy to care for, too.

Select the plants you want to grow. It pays to do a bit of reading at this point, so check out aquarium forums and other sources of information. Consider the tank size, the scene you wish to produce and the size you want your plant(s) to be. Remember, plants grow! Want something with lots of leaves, or more of a moss? How about something your fish will be able to eat?

You can find tiny, dwarf aquarium plants that grow only an inch or two tall, or obtain much larger plants for larger tanks.

Get a cutting of the plant you want to grow. Either get an inexpensive, small cutting and wait for it to grow larger or purchase a more costly, larger plant. Plants can be obtained at local pet shops, or a hobby specialist online can provide you with cuttings,usually for a small cost. Either way, be careful of what you introduce to your tank. Plants can carry physical inhabitants from snails and shrimp to bacteria and diseases. Always look for a source that seems to practice good tank hygiene.

Inspect the plant closely for snails and other visitors. Some of the tiniest water snails, no more than a couple of millimeters long, are rapid breeders. Unless you have loaches or other fish that will snack on them, they'll quickly take over your tank. You may quarantine a new plant outside your tank for a few days, to see if any snails appear.

Most aquarium plants prefer to live entirely submerged, so don't let them dry out. If your tank is not quite ready or if you want to grow more of your plants than will fit in a tank, use a bucket or bin of water.

Anchor the plants. Depending on the plant, this may be mostly an aesthetic matter, to keep them from bobbing around loose. For mosses, consider tying them loosely with string to a rock until they become established.

In general, do not bury the rhizomes, which usually are thicker and greener than roots or stem, in gravel, as burying them can cause the whole plant to quickly die, also try not to bury the crown just above the roots on other plants that need to be in the substrate .

LED Aquarium lights. Aquarium plants, like any others, require light for photosynthesis. Check the light requirements of the plants you are choosing, many require high amounts of added light. Low light plants will do well if your tank has plenty of light from windows. Otherwise, plan to light your tank with a led aquarium light for tank.

Add fish. While not strictly required, fish waste will help to nourish the plants. The plants, in turn, will keep the water conditions better for the fish by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen during the daytime, at night the plants of course give off CO2. Some plants are good at removing ammonia or nitrites. If you don't have fish already, wait a week after adding the plants before you introduce them to the lush environment you're creating.

Change the water periodically. Plants do not need water changes the same way that fish do, but it is still a good idea to change the plant water when changing your fish water. Do not siphon in your plant bed, as you may kill and injure them. Run your siphon over the top of the soil in which the plants are planted, and make sure you don't damage them.

Remove algae. Algae growing on tank walls or on plant leaves competes with plants for light. You can remove algae manually by scrubbing or scraping the walls of your tank weekly when changing the water and rubbing the plant's leaves gently between your fingers. The far easier method, though, is to let your tank's inhabitants do the job for you. Shrimp and several catfish eagerly feed on algae and can help to keep your tank far cleaner with little or no effort on your part.

Divide or prune the plants if they outgrow your tank. Depending on your tank and your plants, you may find you have too much plant soon. Choosing slow-growing plants can help keep them small, but it can also mean having less plant and waiting longer for your plants to fill out. Find the right balance for your tank. more information about aquarium tank please visit: www.ledgrowlight.co.nz

In Wall Reef Aquarium

Fri, 25 Dec 2015 11:46:22 +0000

How would you design an in-wall reef aquarium so that a chiller would not be needed? It requires a bit of improvisation, but I accomplished this for a new client.

I received a phone call from a lady who needed me to move the contents of her 90-gallon, in-wall reef aquarium to a free-standing, 120-gallon aquarium in her new home. The gentleman who bought her old house requested an estimate for bringing the 90-gallon back into commission as a reef aquarium. The tank wasn't big, so I wanted to make sure that I made up for this by equipping it with great filtration and very bright lighting, all without causing too much heat to build up inside the cabinetry.

In Wall Reef Aquarium

In many cases, a chiller would be used to make certain the water temperature does not exceed 80° to 82°F, but not only was there zero space to add a chiller, it is also a huge mistake to put a chiller in a tight, enclosed, poorly ventilated space. A chiller dumps the heat that it removes to cool the water down, just like a window air conditioner, so it will seriously heat up the air in the cabinet. Also, the cooler the air it's allowed to draw in, the more efficiently it will cool the water.

Lighting

Right away I knew I was going to use LED aquarium lights on this system. LED aquarium lights have come a long way since even a couple of years ago, and using T5 fluorescents or metal halides wouldn't have worked because too much heat would have been created inside the cabinetry. LEDs do produce some heat, but much less than either of the aforementioned light sources. When left on for an hour, a 150-watt metal halide bulb would burn your skin if touched, T5 fluorescents would be uncomfortably hot, and LED aquarium lighting would only be warm to the touch.

Filtration

The former homeowner took all the filtration in the move, but that was fine because we had decided to upgrade anyway. For a year prior to setting up this reef system, I had been slowly adding solid carbon dosing to my clients' saltwater fish-only and reef systems to great effect. Solid carbon dosing is a method by which biodegradable plastic-like pellets are fluidized in a media reactor. The material the pellets are made from acts as both food source and colonizing surface for beneficial bacteria that consume nitrate and phosphate on a 1:1 basis.

It is important to place the effluent from the media reactor that you are using to fluidize the bio-pellets close to the intake of a protein skimmer. The bacteria are sloughed off of the surfaces of the pellets as they collide and are easily picked up by the skimmer, thus removing them, along with the nitrate and phosphate they utilized from the system.

People trying solid carbon dosing for the first time in an established saltwater aquarium quickly notice that their protein skimmer pulls out more and darker skimmate once the bacteria have established themselves. This may take around a month depending on whether you use a bacterial booster or not. To feed the bio-pellet reactor, I plumbed a fitting to branch off of the main pump and used a small ball valve to regulate the flow.

Choosing an external main pump in this situation was easy, since it is very well known that submersible pumps transfer much more heat to the aquarium water than do those that are mounted outside of the sump (a sump is a glass or acrylic tank that sits underneath the aquarium and houses all the filtration). I sized the main pump, choosing one that was pressure rated rather than volume rated.

Most external water pumps have two versions: volume-rated pumps and pressure-rated pumps. The pressure-rated pumps are designed to handle more back pressure without losing as much pumping volume as a volume-rated pump will. I always use pressure-rated pumps if I know that I am going to branch off of the main line to power a media reactor, push through a chiller, or run through an ultraviolet sterilizer. I also intentionally chose a pump that would move a couple hundred more gallons per hour (gph) than was required for the aquarium turnover rate, because I would be diverting that amount to power the media reactor.

Sump and Skimmer

The protein skimmer I used was a venturi-driven model with a needle wheel impeller. I used a space-saver model in which the water pump that powers the skimmer is located underneath it. This way, it takes up very little space in the small, acrylic sump.

The built-in, submersible pump that powers this skimmer uses very little electricity, especially when compared to older skimmer types that utilize a large, high-pressure pump that would only create more heat for the system to deal with. The acrylic sump was custom made to fit exactly the space I needed under the aquarium. I had it built to exact specs by a local fish store.

I employed a 100-micron filter bag where tile drain pipe coming from the aquarium brings water into the sump. This is a great way to polish the aquarium water and remove small particles floating around in the water column. Once a week or as needed, this bag is taken outside, hosed out with a pressure nozzle on a garden hose, wrung out to remove excess tap water, and put back into place.

Evaporative Loss Top-Off

I equipped the aquarium with an automatic evaporation top-off system in order to maintain a constant water level in the sump. As water evaporates from the system, an equal amount of fresh water is put back into the system. A sensor located in the sump tells a small, submersible pump located in the top-off reservoir when to turn on or shut off depending where the water level is in relation to this sensor.

Maintaining a constant water level in the sump is important both for the protein skimmer to work efficiently and to ensure that the main pump does not run dry. I keep the reservoir filled with purified water (RO/DI) because when water evaporates, it leaves behind nearly all of the substances dissolved in it. These substances are known as TDS (total dissolved solids) and include minerals such as calcium and magnesium carbonate and sodium chloride.

When a saltwater aquarium loses volume due to evaporation, it is fresh water that you must add back into the system, not salt water. This highly purified water has next to no mineral content or pH buffering ability, so l have the top-off go through a kalkwasser (calcium hydroxide) stirrer before entering the system.

If aquarium evaporation is too high, it can be dangerous to run kalkwasser in line with your top-off. You don't want to dose too much at one time, as it is a very caustic basic substance (pH of 12 after initial mixing with water). To prevent overdosing, I only keep about a tablespoon of calcium hydroxide in the stirrer at any given time. Between this and bi-weekly water changes (10 gallons at a time), all the necessary elements required by soft corals and large-polyped stony (LPS) corals are taken care of.

This system was designed to evaporate at a great rate because one of the best ways to cool water temperature down is through the use of fans blowing across the water surface, which causes massive evaporation. Besides the previously mentioned exhaust fan in the ceiling above the lights, I also ventilated the bottom cabinetry to help remove hot, humid air. I cut out a square in the drywall, installed a ventilation grate, and mounted a quiet, 4-inch fan that blows out of this grate.

Temperature

Though no chiller was used to cool the water, a heater was necessary to keep the water temperature from dropping too low at night in the cooler months. Here in southeast Texas winters are not usually very cold, but we do experience temperature swings during the fall and winter that can catch an aquarium off guard and cause its inhabitants' lower, making immune systems to lower, making them more susceptible to parasites and diseases.

Therefore, I use a heater as at safety net to ensure that the temperature does not get too low. I use an external heater controller instead of relying on the controls inside the heater. A heater is no place to skimp. When your aquarium contains several thousand dollars of sensitive corals and fish, you don't want to leave things to chance.

Overview of Installation

By using energy-efficient LED aquarium lighting with a strong-yet-quiet bathroom exhaust fan mounted in the ceiling, external water pumps instead of submersible, and ventilating the cabinet below where the filtration is located, I was able to avoid installing a chiller or this system. The ambient temperature in the house stays around 76°, and the water temperature of the 90-gallon, in-wall reef averages 80° to 82°. To find out more, you can check out In Wall Reef Aquarium.

Simple Salt Aquarium Lighting

Tue, 17 Mar 2015 08:36:33 +0000

Lighting your saltwater aquarium is one of the most difficult tasks for new hobbyists. Many people buying their first saltwater aquarium are affected by analysis paralysis. They get stuck trying to figure out what light fixture will be best for their aquarium.

Popular LED Aquarium Lights for Aquarium Fish Tanks

165W LED Aquarium Lights For Fish Tank Hot Sale New Zealand

Its 2010, there are only a few lighting types you should consider. If you plan to keep only fish, you can be fine with the standard stock lighting which comes with your aquarium. If you plan a reef tank with living coral, then think of the following options.

Power Compact was the most popular lighting solution from 2000 to 2005. It provided a better upgrade from the normal output lighting. It is still used on many tanks today, but there are better and more cost effective choices.

V.H.O. or Very High Output lighting, don't even think of buying this type of light. The technology is completely outdated. Parts and replacement light bulbs are difficult to find.
Metal Halide Lighting is still a popular option. It provides an eye-catching shimmering effect that allows you to grow any type coral. The negative of Metal Halide lights is the amount of energy needed to run the fixture and the heat they produce. These lights are expensive to run more than ten hours per day, and you will have to buy a chiller to keep your aquarium cool.

T5 Lighting has become the top choice for saltwater aquarists. The bulbs are as intense as Metal Halide, but use half the energy. They also generate less heat and each bulb needs to be replaced once a year. Another major benefit is that you can control the color of the light spectrum because you have many bulbs that can be replaced to make the aquarium bluer or whiter.

Finally, you have the fast growing and famous Aquarium LED Lighting. This technology is still a little expensive for the average hobbyist. It provides the shimmer and power of metal halide without the heat, and the can control the color of bulbs like T5 Lighting. However in the next ten years, LED lighting will be the norm in the saltwater aquarium hobby.

Create an Ideal Lighting Conditions for Aquarium Organisms with appropriate Aquarium Light

Thu, 15 Jan 2015 06:50:50 +0000

Aquarium lighting is the most significant yet overlooked component of any aquarium, as many people are not aware that proper light intensity is required for invertebrates and corals to survive. It is a fact that plants, corals, and invertebrates are in definite need of light for photosynthesis to generate food and energy. Thus, if the light condition is not proper then invertebrates and corals are not able to receive the sufficient light from the aquarium lights and then it becomes difficult for the aquatic plants and corals to survive. Therefore selecting the right aquarium and fish tank light is essential to prolong the life of coral, fish, and aquatic plants.

The most vital aspect of keeping aquarium and fish tank is ensuring their health and well being, which can be maintained by the use of proper aquarium and fish tank light. Thus, extreme caution and alertness is required while buying aquarium or fish tank light as a improper or wrong decision might lead to the improper growth of plants and fishes. One should apply the basic rule while selecting the aquarium light as one to two watts of lighting per gallon for fish only aquarium is required, whereas two to five watts per gallon of lighting is required for freshwater planted aquariums and four to eight watts of lighting per gallon is required for reef aquariums.

The advancement in science and technology have enabled manufacturers to come up with extensive variety of aquarium and fish tank light that increases the life span of plants and fishes in the most energy-efficient manner. The most common variety of aquarium and fish tank light available in the market include:

LED aquarium lights
Compact metal halide bulbs
Fluorescent light
Incandescent bulbs
High output fluorescent bulbs

These aquarium and fish tank energy efficient lights can be put overhead or behind the aquarium or fish tank to increase the life span of plants and fishes. However selecting the correct fixture for aquarium and fish tank is essential as a deeper fish tank or aquarium requires more intense light source because light rays do not easily penetrate through the water.

Aquarium and fish tank light of correct color and appropriate intensity plays a vital role in assuring health and well being of the aquarium organisms. The best led aquarium light as the most pleasing for the aquarium hobbyists. This ideal lighting condition is not just great for the tank inhabitants but it is also a delight for the viewers too.

Aquarium : what one needs to know

Tue, 09 Sep 2014 15:16:24 +0000

Anyone who rears fish knows the importance of having the fish aquaria in top conditions. One must be aware that he or she is dealing with living things, and he or she must at all times be mindful of such things as the fish's oxygen needs, the pH of the water, the ammonia content, the nitrates as well as the nitrites and many other needs. The fish might die if not well taken care of. However, it is not hard to take care of them, and all one needs to do is to make sure that he or she does ample research so as to know which products and services he or she needs for his or her Aquarium.

This research is important because it will show someone which Aquarium Accessories such as Aquarium Air Pumps and also Aquarium Chillers to go for in his or her quest to have good living conditions for the fish. Chillers are used to lower the temperature of the fish tanks while Aquarium Heaters are used to make sure that the temperature does not fall below what is needed. The research will show someone the temperature balance that must be maintained at all times. The pumps on the other hand will be used for circulation of water and it is a good way to aerate the fish tank.

These are not all the accessories that one will learn are important to having a great fish experience. There are also other accessories such as LED Aquarium Lights which are also important in helping people to illuminate the aquaria. But the needs of reef aquaria and fresh water aquaria vary, and this is another reason to do research. One will then know how to get and maintain the ones he or she wants whether fresh water ones or marine ones.

Aquarium Filters are other important Aquarium Products that people should make use of and ones whose uses they will understand. These filters are important in making the fish tanks clean, and there are different types of filters and people should go for the ones that suit their fish tanks.

Aquarium Maintenance is not something that one just wakes up and finds that he or she knows. There is need for this research so that he or she can be able to competently handle and take care of the fish. The advantage is that there is the internet where people can get all their information as well as get their Aquarium Supplies from. This is convenient and allows people to learn about their fish and how to take care of their as well as get supplies and products delivered to them easily and efficiently without any stress.

These supplies and accessories must be sourced from reliable and well known distributors or suppliers so that one can be sure of the quality of the products and services that he or she is getting. If the products are poor, they will not last and they might lead to death of the fish.

Popular LED Aquarium Lights for Aquarium Fish Tanks

Wed, 11 Jun 2014 09:36:59 +0000

Aquarium is a nice choice to decorate houses, and many people have aquarium tanks at home. LED lights are one of the latest popular trends among aquarium enthusiasts. It is quite beneficial to use them for aquarium lighting, they can help create a more thriving plant and fish community overall. They come with different sizes and wattages according to the size of the aquariums. Once you know the size of your aquarium tank, you will know which type of LED aquarium light you need. They are simple to use, easy to maintain, and will greatly save electricity bills over time. Following are some benefits and tips to use LED aquarium lights for your aquarium.

Aquarium lights are totally different from other types of aquarium lights. Compared with incandescent and fluorescent bulbs, they generate much less heat, and most of the power they consumed is converted to light directly. Many bulbs, including fluorescent light bulbs, can create heat when in use. LED aquarium lights are cool to touch even after long time operation, so you don't have to worry about the issue of over temperature which may hurt your fishes.

When using LED aquarium lights, over time you'll find that the electricity bill you pay for running your aquarium lights will decrease drastically. They use 80% less electricity than other lighting styles. This means that in a short time you will benefit from savings on your electrical bill and savings in how often you replace and stock up on bulbs.

Another great benefit to working with aquarium lights is that you have a greater level of control over how much the lighting affects water temperature and loss of water through evaporation. Many bulbs that heat up with use may influence the ambient temperature of the water in an aquarium, or air in a terrarium. Even with advanced temperature control equipment it can be hard to predict and stabilize the ways that aquarium lighting affects the climate inside an aquarium. LED aquarium lights can keep cool even under continuous operation, which will not cause excess water evaporation or change water or air temperature. This makes the process of balancing the delicate needs of your aquarium without having to consider the influences of the aquarium lighting.

Using LED aquarium lights can be an easy and effective way to provide more healthy light to your aquarium while saving money and time on maintenance and upkeep. They come with different sizes which can work with most aquariums, and when you use them, it is quite easy to install and maintain. Besides all the direct benefits you'll get from using LED aquarium lights, you can also contribute to energy saving and reducing greenhouse gas emission for the planet.

Reduce Energy Consumption with LED Aquarium lights

Tue, 06 May 2014 15:14:59 +0000

Nowadays, lighting has become a vital part of aquarium. The health of the plants in your aquarium depends upon the lighting. Therefore, a wrong choice can lead to improper growth of plants and cause algae formation. However, you can prevent such things from happening. With the advancement in science and technology, LED aquarium lights have been now introduced in the market. Actually, LED refers to ‘Light emitting diodes'. The different diodes radiate different wavelengths and colors of light. The basic colors are red, yellow and blue. But, combination of wavelengths from different diodes appears to be white.

If you are a beginner and want to buy a fish aquarium, then collect insightful information about aquarium lighting from reliable online resources. Basically, the LED aquarium lamps are used to provide light to fish and plant life inside the aquarium. Typically, they are long and narrow rods. It can be placed overhead or behind the fish tank. There are so many advantages of using aquarium LED lighting. It is experiencing soaring popularity, since it's more energy efficient than other lightings available. Probably, it may cost you more to buy. But, they certainly last longer and conserve more energy. Interestingly, they don't contain glass tubes and mercury. There will be minimal damaged caused, if they accidently fall into the aquarium.

Indisputably, aquariums are the best means to keep a source of natural habitat in your homes. Mostly, people don't realize that it's very difficult to maintain the fish tank and its inhabitants. You should change the water on regular basis and arrange the food for fishes on daily basis. Apart from that, aquarium lighting is an important aspect of a beautiful aquarium. Many people do not place emphasis on this aspect. Actually, the fishes, plants and corals require specific amount of light to grow. However, the frequency of aquarium LED lights is suitable for the growth of marine aquatic animals. In fact, their wavelengths are essential for photosynthesis of plant life in your aquarium.

Truly, the aquarium LED lighting is designed well to mimic the natural daylight. It's most effective when they are placed overhead. On the other hand experts suggest stimulating the natural lighting as much as possible. But, LED lights are the reliable and energy efficient way of providing sufficient light to the aquarium marine lives. Make sure that the water temperature of the fish tank is comfortable for fishes and other aquarium animals. Regulate the natural water temperature, in order to provide best environment to the fish pets and aquatic plants. Don't bother about the expenses involved in buying these lights. There are several websites that offer excellent deals. best led grow lights and led aquarium lights for sale in new zealand: www.ledgrowlight.co.nz

The Future is Bright with the LED Aquarium Lights

Sun, 16 Mar 2014 15:25:22 +0000

Until a time no so long ago, LEDs were only used as a single bulb or a strand of bulbs to light up electronic panels, accent furniture, and improve both the interior and exterior of cars, that is until the creative team of LED manufacturers came up with the idea of grouping these diodes together and adding a reflector to increase illumination, thereby giving birth to the LED aquarium lights.

Before going more in depth about these lighting sources, let us first look at a few general advantages of the LED light bulb. For starters, the LED light bulb is able to far outlast fluorescent and incandescent bulbs when it comes to the time it takes before the light bulbs degrade and lose significant illuminating capabilities, it has been shown that LED light bulb can last for up to 50000 hours of use, and unlike the incandescent bulb, it does not have a filament so it can be subjected to more abuse without being busted. When it comes to energy efficiency, it is without a doubt the most cost effective lighting source; they can use up to 80 percent less energy when compared to regular household light bulbs and they do not promote heat buildup s you can probably save more on your air conditioning. Using an LED light bulb is also the more environmentally friendly route because it contains no mercury and can be safely disposed of since it does not contain toxic chemicals.

I purchase my first LED aquarium lighting as a lighting source which will consume less electricity and help me save up on my monthly bills. I am in the hobby of keeping saltwater aquariums, and since I replaced my 40 watt CFL bulb and started using an aquarium led light over my fuge area, the different species of macroalgae in my sump tank has been growing like crazy. Under the LED light bulb, I literally saw an explosion of life in my fuge area since the different Caulerpa and Chaetomorpha alga's growth took off, so did the population of the different amphipods and copepods that serve as nutritious dietary supplements for my fish and corals as they find their way from the sump to the display tank, my mandarin goby seemed especially happy about this development and he has the LED light bulb to thank for it. LED light bulb is environment friendly, and it can be very useful for growing different seaweeds on your marine aquarium.

Aquarium LED Lighting Comparison

Mon, 03 Mar 2014 09:34:21 +0000

This comparison takes into account the initial setup, and continued cost of lighting a beautiful aquarium over a 1-2 year period. It will show that LED aquarium lights are actually the cheapest to keep and maintain.

Currently fluorescent light fixtures (VHO) are the least expensive to purchase while LED is the most expensive with Metal Halide (HQI) somewhere in the middle.

The first thing to be considered is bulb replacement. The VHO and HQI bulbs need to be replaced every year, while the LED lasts 7 -10 years.

The second consideration is heat. You might not think of heat when referring to lighting, but heat is an issue for aquariums. HQI produce so much heat that chillers are often used to help lower aquarium temperatures. This often requires an extra pump to help run water through the chiller itself. VHO fixtures in general do not produce enough heat to require a chiller but some of the high output fixtures that use ballasts, will also produce heat. LED fixtures have little to no heat, so no heat transferred to the aquarium.

The last consideration is power. Electricity runs all of the lighting fixtures, but by far the most energy efficient is the LED, then the VHO, and then the HQI.

I myself had an HQI fixture on my 260 gallon fish tank. I switched to standard (VHO) bulbs, and then to LED, which I currently use and like. My electric bill dropped by half, from a budgeted amount of $900 / month, to a current $450 /month. I eliminated the chiller, and two sump pumps used for the chiller and skimmer.

One additional aspect to consider other than cost is the effects on the aquarium inhabitants. For instance, the VHO bulb gives an even light distribution along the entire bulb, giving the tank a constant light throughout the entire aquarium. The HQI gives a more concentrated beam of light, more like the sun, has a more natural shaded area and a shimmer effect on the surface of the water. LED's also give a shimmer effect to the surface of the water.

All together, the overall benefits of aquarium led lighting make up for initial cost in future savings. By the time you add in the cost of replacing bulbs every year, extra pumps, chillers, and the electricity it costs to run such devices the clear winner is the LED fixture.

Thank you for reading my article, I hope it helps you in choosing the right lighting fixture for your aquarium.

Advantages Of Led Aquarium Lights

Tue, 25 Feb 2014 10:37:19 +0000

LED aquarium lights are very common today. When they emerged, people preferred them for nighttime illumination. Today, they seem to be their preference for the whole day aquarium lighting. There are many factors influencing their new taste and preference. First, all of you know that LED bulbs are energy saving. They consume a reasonable amount of power without compromising the quality of light they emit. In fact, they consume only thirty percent of energy; thus, they save about seventy percent.

Marine Aquarium
What is more, these bulbs can last for several years if you handle them carefully. In other words, they can continue being the main source of illumination in your aquarium for up to five years. In addition, they do not have the common overheating problem that most ordinary bulbs have. They generate almost insignificant heat, and that is why they last longer. Despite that, you can make use of a fan to expel heat. If you do nothing, the water in the tank will absorb this temperature and this would tamper with the correct living conditions for fish.

Another detail that makes these corms admirable is their appearance in terms of color and shapes. According to most previous users, these items are also very customizable. Although they have several benefits to them, there are a few issues you need to know first. One of the things you should discover is how people choose their aquarium led lighting. There are special requirements for various types of aquatic tanks. For example, you could have freshwater fish that naturally live in rivers and lakes.

They are the famous tropical fish too, including the guppies and cichlids. There are freshwater plants as well. Saltwater animals and fish commonly available in the oceans are other examples. They include the sharks, sea stars and cucumbers and so on. If you want to keep and nurture them properly, then you would have to introduce saline water and suitable lighting source to the aquarium. Another type available includes the reef tanks, featuring not just the fish, but also living corals, sand and so on.

Finally, what you have at home could be brackish water fish that can survive in both fresh and saline water habitats. Usually, when choosing the best LED illumination for them, you would have to know what would be best lights for freshwater animals. Aquarium lighting is generally a complex subject, requiring you to read widely so that you can understand all the requirements. According to some experts in this field, you must focus on the watts per gallon of water that the tank holds.

Best Quality LED Aquarium Lights

Tue, 22 Oct 2013 07:11:11 +0000

When we design or decorate our home, we make sure that every single thing which is to be decorated is kept with proper interior designing in our mind set so that the ambience looks gorgeous and we are satisfied with our interiors. We place several things in our drawing room which enhances the beauty of it, but one thing which just elevates the interiors of our home is the gorgeous and attractive aquarium. It can be kept any where in the home, but preferably it is kept in the drawing room or living room so that when guests visit, they are awed by its beauty.

Aquarium gives a very classy look to the room in which it is placed. Why so? Because the beautiful fishes swimming across the aquarium, the background of the aquarium and the small aquatic plants which are placed inside the aquarium. All of these make the aquarium look just superb and attractive. The most vital factor which enhances the beauty of the aquarium is the lightning which brightens up the aquarium and makes it look loud and pretty. Several kinds of lights are available, but the best one preferred are the LED aquarium lights which are the best suited lights for the aquarium and of course because of the several good reasons.

LED aquarium lights make the aquarium looks beautiful and have many advantages over other lights as well. These lights reduce the cost of lightning, consumes less energy as compared to other lights and the heat generated from these lights is also less as compared to the normal ones. Moreover the biggest advantage it has over the normal lights is that the energy from these Aquarium LED lights is beneficial for the growth of the aquatic plants in the aquarium, which gives it one more reason to over power the normal lights.

When we place an aquarium, the lightning is continuous, and then only the aquarium will look like one and would enhance the beauty of our home. Since the lightning has to be 24/7, so we need such lights which would consume less energy and which would not land up paying heaps of bills for this. So, these lights are good to use in many ways and is moreover healthy for the aquatic plants inside the aquarium. These are available in several price ranges and are affordable; people can go for these without any hassles. led aquarium lighting nz

Make You Aquarium More Appealing With LED Aquarium Lights

Thu, 15 Aug 2013 03:36:33 +0000

LED lights are also finding their application in aquariums. They look most beautiful in reef aquariums as the aquarium lighting varies the greatest in these types of aquariums. LED lights do not heat up easily even after continuous use.

This property of these lights makes them helpful in aquariums. This allows proper maintenance of the temperature an aquarium. Earlier, these lights illuminated the aquarium only at night. There main purpose was to provide moon light especially for corals, but now, people are also using them as the main source of light in aquariums.

These LED Aquarium Lights last for around five years. LED Aquarium Lights allow you to set the spectrum of the light. This allows you to change the color according to the look you want to give to your aquarium. E.g. corals look great in blue light. Most of these lights have provision for programming. You can program them depending upon the type of light you want on different times of a day.

The initial cost of LED Aquarium Lights is high, but these save you a lot of money in the long run. These lights consume only 20% of the energy that normal fluorescent lights use. In addition, they have a very long life and you don't need to change them as often as you change other lights.

Keep in mind the wavelength requirements of the aquatic animals in your aquarium. Different species and vertebrates require different wavelengths in order to grow at a proper rate. Most of the LEDs give light on narrow wavelength. You may require a combination of lights of different colors for your aquarium for sustaining proper development in the aquatic life. Keep this in mind especially for coral growth.

Coral growth depends largely on spectrum of light it receives. Therefore, for corals, it is imperative that you complete the day-night cycle by varying the intensity of light and using lunar lighting. You can place LED Aquarium Lights at different places in the aquarium to achieve different effects. If you wish to get a diffused effect, cover the surface of the Led lights with sand.

This makes the light diffuse beautifully and gives an enchanting effect. Similarly, you can set the light at different angles and give different effects to the aquarium. Thus, you can use LED Aquarium lighting to beautify aquariums of any sizes and make them look more appealing and showy.

LED Aquarium Lighting & Plants

Sat, 10 Aug 2013 08:39:09 +0000

Light emitting diodes, or LEDs, are becoming a popular alternative to fluorescent lights for aquarium use. LEDs use less energy, maintain a consistent light and can be targeted to precisely the wavelengths aquatic plants can use. LEDs have not taken over the aquarium market because of the significant initial expense of installing the proper type of LED lights, which can easily come to over a thousand dollars for very large aquariums.

Aquarium LEDs

While any LED lights can be used to help illuminate an aquarium, the typical LEDs are useless in promoting plant growth. The most common types of LEDs simply offer a supplemental form of lighting. Lights designed for aquariums provide both illumination and support the ecosystem, primarily by encouraging healthy aquatic plant growth. To perform the latter function, special LED aquarium lights that are much more powerful are necessary.

Aquarium LED Cost

The primary drawback to LED lighting in aquariums is the cost involved. To get lights that accomplish all the functions needed, the cost is routinely in the hundreds of dollars for small aquariums and over $1,000 for large ones as of 2011. While you may often see LED lights advertised for aquariums at under $100, these are simply supplemental light LEDs that will provide illumination but cannot replace the function of fluorescent lights in supporting the ecosystem. Costs are falling rapidly as more enthusiasts use LEDs, but they are not competitive with fluorescent lights as of 2011.

Heat Benefits

Aquarium LED lighting avoids creating energy that is wasted as heat. It also eliminates the need for cooling fans to dissipate the heat fluorescent lights generate. This will allow you to use standard heaters to control the temperature of your tank without fear of damaging the tank through the failure of a lighting fan or any other light malfunction.

LED Precision

The light emitted from a proper aquarium LED source can be manipulated to provide precisely the wavelengths of light that are most beneficial to the type of aquatic plants you keep in your aquarium. You can also manipulate LEDs to simulate moonlight, to provide an almost natural environment for your tank.

What You Need to Know About Aquarium LED Lighting

Sat, 20 Jul 2013 07:44:34 +0000

If you are considering starting up a saltwater aquarium for your home, the most important aspect of your aquarium may be the water quality of the tank that your fish call home. However, another aspect that's often times overlooked may be the lighting that you employ for your tank. They're various kinds of lights which you can use, only one option is to choose aquarium led lighting.

LED lighting, or light emitting diode lighting, is a very popular and trendy lighting method for aquariums these days. There are many different reasons why people gravitate towards this particular type of lighting, however, whatever the reason, you'll find this kind of lighting super easy to discover at specialty aquarium shops or online.

If you are installing LED lighting in your aquarium, from the big questions, because it pertains to aquarium led lighting, is the proper positioning of the light itself. In most cases probably the most traditional location to place an easy, maybe it's a florescence light or perhaps an LED light, is to put it directly over the aquarium.

An alternative choice to placing your LED light directly over the aquarium is to place inside of the aquarium. This can give you the same result in the need for proper light inside your aquarium, and it'll also allow your lighting to become more decorative too.

Outside of illuminating and aquarium to ensure that people can easily see the fish that live in the tank, many people wonder what the actual require is for lighting within an aquarium. What many people find very surprising is that fish need a certain amount of sunshine in order to be at their full comfort level.

Simulating natural habitat of fish is an extremely important aspect of creating sure that fish thrive inside a tank. Fish enjoy natural cycles of daylight and darkness as well as in order to make sure that fish is comfortable in their environment, it's best to simulate the variances between daytime and nighttime. An aquarium led lighting scheme can help do just that.

An essential question that people have with aquarium led lighting is do you know the advantages of this kind of lighting. The first benefit is the fact that these kinds of lights are going to be much more energy efficient than other conventional types of aquarium lighting. It's correct, that LED aquarium lighting for aquariums will probably be a little more expensive compared to traditional florescent lighting system. However, from an energy consumption standpoint, within the long-term, LED lights end up being a better way to save cash.

Additionally, these LED aquarium lights provide a more decorative look to your aquariums. With the various colors that these lights can produce, and the crispness of the light that they emit, you can have a truly stunning and decorative illumination for your aquarium. saltwater aquariums, in and of themselves, are quite attractive. Add a colorful addition with crisp lighting from an LED light, and you'll have a spectacular and eye-catching aquarium.

Make You Aquarium More Appealing With LED Aquarium Lighting

Fri, 12 Jul 2013 07:18:15 +0000

LED aquarium lights are also finding their application in aquariums. They look most beautiful in reef aquariums as the aquarium lighting varies the greatest in these types of aquariums. LED lights do not heat up easily even after continuous use.

This property of these lights makes them helpful in aquariums. This allows proper maintenance of the temperature an aquarium. Earlier, these lights illuminated the aquarium only at night. There main purpose was to provide moon light especially for corals, but now, people are also using them as the main source of light in aquariums.

These LED Aquarium Lighting last for around five years. LED Aquarium Lights allow you to set the spectrum of the light. This allows you to change the color according to the look you want to give to your aquarium. E.g. corals look great in blue light. Most of these lights have provision for programming. You can program them depending upon the type of light you want on different times of a day.

These are also available as dimmable lights. This allows you to adjust the intensity of light. The initial cost of LED Aquarium Lights is high, but these save you a lot of money in the long run. These lights consume only 20% of the energy that normal fluorescent lights use. In addition, they have a very long life and you don't need to change them as often as you change other lights.

Keep in mind the wavelength requirements of the aquatic animals in your aquarium. Different species and vertebrates require different wavelengths in order to grow at a proper rate. Most of the LEDs give light on narrow wavelength. You may require a combination of lights of different colors for your aquarium for sustaining proper development in the aquatic life. Keep this in mind especially for coral growth.

Coral growth depends largely on spectrum of light it receives. Therefore, for corals, it is imperative that you complete the day-night cycle by varying the intensity of light and using lunar lighting. You can place LED Aquarium Lights at different places in the aquarium to achieve different effects. If you wish to get a diffused effect, cover the surface of the Led lights with sand.

This makes the light diffuse beautifully and gives an enchanting effect. Similarly, you can set the light at different angles and give different effects to the aquarium. Thus, you can use LED reef coral light to beautify aquariums of any sizes and make them look more appealing and showy.