LED aquarium lighting. LED lamps and tapes for the aquarium. Calculation of LED lighting for an aquarium

For normal operation of almost any aquarium, artificial lighting is required. Depending on the number of fish inhabiting the fish, and especially plants, light of different quality is required. The time passed when the aquarium was illuminated with halogen lamps. Technical progress does not stand still, and now LED lamps are actively shifting from their place the usual luminescent.

Due to their special properties, LED aquarium lamps are used not only as a backlight, but also as the main source. In this article, we will consider the options for different lighting for aquariums, and also highlight the nuances of calculations when selecting LEDs.

Why LEDs

First of all, it is necessary to determine whether it is necessary to mount the LED lighting of the aquarium. Maybe this is a simple trend of fashion and imposed on the consumer spending a certain amount of money? To understand this issue, it is enough to consider the advantages that can be obtained from the use of LED lighting:

• Economy;
• The best match for light parameters in comparison with fluorescent lamps;
• Wide possibilities of constructive execution;
• Duration of operation;
• Ecological compatibility;
• Good mechanical protection against damage.

The main reason for the introduction of LEDs, of course, is economic. The fact is that with the same power LED lamps give out a lot more light. Therefore, a conventional lamp is changed to a much less powerful LED, which significantly saves costs of lighting the aquarium.

The second important reason for using LEDs is the correspondence of lighting parameters to natural light. And for specific cases you can play with the parameters of the LEDs and choose the options that are more necessary for the whimsical plants of the tropics.

Do not brush aside from the environmental component. After all, LED aquarium lighting is harmless, since the material does not contain mercury compounds. In addition, the heating of the LEDs is not so strong, in comparison with other lamps, and especially with incandescent lamps.

Selection Features

Having determined the installation of LEDs for the aquarium, before you go to buy them, it is important to take into account the composition of the inhabitants. After all, if you have mainly fish, then no special selection is provided. Of course, you can set the goal and make lighting for a more winning species of the inhabitants of the underwater world. But basically for an aquarium with fish it is enough ordinary light that it was convenient to consider them.

It's a completely different matter if plants are planted in an aquarium. Especially if the plans - a "Dutch" aquarium with a lot of rare and whimsical plants. In these cases, the illumination of the aquarium with LED lamps requires a preliminary calculation, taking into account the spectral requirements of the plants. In addition to the luminous flux parameter, which is measured in lumens, it will be necessary to recall such things as the illumination in luxes and the light temperature in the Kelvin.

Varieties of LED lighting for aquariums

LED aquarium lighting can be constructed in various ways. Depending on how the LEDs are placed, they are:

• Tapes of LEDs;
• Lamps;
• LED floodlights.

The use of this or that equipment will depend first of all on the contents of the aquarium, and then on its size. To a lesser extent, the design of the LEDs will be affected by the shape of the aquarium and the availability and use of its lid.

If there is a possibility to make LED lighting of an aquarium with your own hands, you should not miss it. In this case, in addition to saving on equipment, it is possible to obtain an individually designed and embodied design. In addition to the skills of working with electricity, you will need: a 12-volt power supply, wires and LED lights.

LED lamp

The easiest option for creating LED lighting in the aquarium will be LED lamps. This is primarily suitable for small aquariums up to 50 liters. Their covers often already have cartridges designed for conventional classical incandescent lamps with socles E27 and E14. For such options, it remains only to choose and purchase a light bulb of the required power and light temperature.

More expensive options will be finished LED panels of rectangular shape of a certain length for ready aquariums of standard sizes. This LED lamp for the aquarium will be very easy to install. For example, you can see equipment from a well-known company Aqualighter.

LED Floodlights

Lighting the aquarium with LED floodlights is a very good option for aquariums with an open lid. The LED spotlight is a very bright luminaire, capable of easily reaching the bottom of the aquarium of any size and depth. They need only one to three, depending on the size. For example, for a rectangular 100-liter aquarium, it will be enough to have one 50W spotlight or 2 to 25W. In the case of the "Dutch" version of light, you need 1.5-2 times more. That is, it is 1 spotlight per 100 watts or 2 to 50 watts.

LED Strip Light

Lighting the aquarium with LED tape was only recently possible only for small tanks. Or it was used as a backlight for lamps of a different type. This is because the first LED strips were made on the super bright LEDs of the first generation SMD 3528. Their luminous flux is only 5 lumens at a power of 0.1 W. Therefore, a 5-meter tape with 300 LEDs has a power of 30 watts. For an aquarium with good plants, these 5 meters is enough for only 30 liters, which is constructively difficult to implement.

Now there are tapes containing more powerful LEDs of the new generation SMD 5050, SMD 5630 and SMD 5730. For highlighting most aquariums, including "Dutch", there are enough tapes for SMD 5050, which are only 2 times more powerful (0.2 W), and Radiate 18 Lm of light each. LED strip in 5 meters, including 300 such LEDs, easily illuminates a 100-liter aquarium. And this is when used as the main lighting.

LEDs SMD 5630 and SMD 5730 have a power of 0.5 W each and emit 40 and 55 Lm respectively. When used in lighting, it is necessary to deliberately cool down due to a stronger heating.

Calculation of LED lighting

Calculation of LED lighting for the aquarium is made based on exemplary standards for this type of reservoir. So, for example, it is assumed that 1 liter of aquarium water requires 0.5 W of lighting power and 40 Lm of light flux. In this case, there are nuances, in which case the initial data can change a lot.

• The aquarium for breeding rare whimsical plants, the so-called Dutch, assumes a light flux of 0.8-1 W per liter of volume and a luminosity of 60 or more Lm per liter.
• Aquariums with elongated shapes that are of considerable depth also require more bright illumination, which is selected individually. It is roughly assumed that with every 10 cm of depth, the light flux decreases by 50%.

Also it should be remembered that with incorrectly selected lighting there can be two main options. In the case of lack of light, plants will wither and produce oxygen poorly, which in turn can have a detrimental effect on fish. In the case of excessive light flux, rapid growth of both plants and simple algae can be observed. Outwardly, this can be manifested in the turbidity of water and the overgrowth of the walls of the aquarium. This is especially bad for new reservoirs, when the main plants only grow and do not have strength. The simplest algae in this case grow much faster.

With your own hands

You can mount LED lighting for an aquarium with plants in several ways. Consider the most popular lighting options with the help of LED strips. For example, take an aquarium of 100 liters and an LED strip of 5 m, including 300 LEDs SMD 5050 to 0.2 W each. Taking as a fact that for the natural development of plants the light flux is best directed from the top down, consider several options.

1. LED strip is located on the top cover of the aquarium in the form of a snake. The rings can be positioned in any direction, but the density of the LEDs should be uniform. Then the tape is glued with a special silicone, not damped by glue. If the set already has a starting device with a power supply, it is simply located on the outside for better heat transfer. If there is no starting, it must either be purchased separately or constructed from a computer power supply. At this point, the work is considered complete.
2. In the second variant, the LED strip is wound on a cylindrical profile in the form of a fluorescent lamp. It turns out a neat cylindrical LED lamp. If necessary, you can take and make two cylindrical lamps from one LED strip. Of course, the result is not professional LED aquarium lighting, but its main functions such lamps will perform well.
3. If you have blanks and shapes from the LED strip, you can make a shape of any configuration. The volume chandelier (or several chandeliers) thus obtained is fixed in any convenient way either to the aquarium lid or to special brackets in the walls, if the aquarium is open.

How to simply choose LED lighting

For a simple selection of equipment on LEDs, the following plan should be followed:

• Determine the content and inhabitants of the aquarium;
• Taking into account all the parameters, calculate based on the standard of 0.5 W per liter;
• Determine whether lighting will be done by one's own hands or bought in the finished version;
• Knowing the power of the light flux and the configuration of the aquarium, choose the design of the LED lighting - lamps, lamps, tapes or spotlights;
• Pick up the necessary amount of equipment;
• Install a ready-made LED lamp for an aquarium or collect it from selected components.

For those wishing to conduct LED illumination under water, remember that you need to choose equipment with protection class IP 68. Whereas the standard version IP 65 means only a short-term spray, but not more.

Choosing a manufacturer of LED elements

Lighting the aquarium with LED lamps is becoming more popular. Today, several companies offer LED lighting:

• Aqua Medic.
• Aquael.
• Hagen.
• Juwel.
• Sera.
• Dennerle.

In addition to the existing ones, there is a huge list of companies from China, where LED products can be bought for a lower amount. At the same time, quality has to be checked independently. But one thing is certain, the parameters of Chinese LEDs are an order of magnitude smaller. That is, if the luminosity of European and Japanese LEDs corresponds to the parameters, then the Chinese will shine weaker.

Conclusion

LED lamps for the aquarium are actively used instead of aging luminescent. Explicit advantages and ease of use are found among amateurs of aquariums more and more positive responses.