An aquarium is one of the most impressive decorations in any interior, and it cannot do without lighting. Daylight is not enough for guests from the water tropics, even when the aquarium is at the window, especially for a large aquarium in the back of the room. A well-designed mini-pond is one of the additional elements of artificial lighting in the apartment. Do-it-yourself aquarium lighting is easy to do, for example, using LEDs.

Why do you need light in an aquarium

In the water column, its own ecosystem is formed, based on the relationship between tropical aquatic plants, microorganisms and other inhabitants. Fish are the last link in this ecosystem, but they all need additional light to function normally. It is light that plays a decisive role in the development, reproduction and activation of the growth of aquatic plants. The process of photosynthesis, in which plants convert carbon dioxide from water into food, enriches the water with oxygen, and fish breathe it through their gills.

Without enough light, plants fade and degrade, stop propagating by cuttings and layering. The water must be well saturated with oxygen, otherwise the life of mollusks, crustaceans, fish and other inhabitants of the artificial water area is not possible. Green and purple aquarium plants do not absorb the entire spectrum, but part of the range.

Different types of lamps emit a slightly different spectral range, so often a combination of them is used to illuminate an aquarium - fluorescent, LED, halogen and incandescent lamps. In winter, with their help, they increase the duration of daylight hours over a glass reservoir, like the tropics, but you should not illuminate the aquarium for more than 10 hours a day, and turn it off at night.

How to know if there is enough light for the inhabitants of the aquarium

A well-lit aquarium, preferably from the front from above, always pleases the eye - plants of a rich green color with shades of brown, yellowish and purple. Tropical fish are playful and active, and their scales shine with all the colors of the rainbow. However, due to the violation of the eco-balance, which directly depends on the purity of the water and lighting, aquarium troubles happen. Water sometimes blooms and becomes cloudy green, improperly selected light provokes the growth of single-celled green algae. When fish in muddy water greedily grab air at the surface, this is a lack of oxygen with an overabundance of lighting.

If, after installing the backlight and after 2-3 months, all the inhabitants of the aquarium are still quite comfortable, then this indicates optimal lighting. Signs - the water is clear, the fish show interest in food and reproduction, and the plants are actively growing. It also happens vice versa, when it is dark in the aquarium - the plants grow dull and degrade, covered with a black beard, the appearance is not pleasing, and everything speaks of its pollution and lack of light.

Tip: Sometimes green, red or blue diodes are added to the backlight to enhance the effect. This is spectacular, but it only makes sense occasionally if guests come to visit or for the mood. With constant use, such experiments are unacceptable, and unnatural illumination depresses fish, negatively affects plant photosynthesis. Although the aquarium is an element of additional lighting in the apartment, it is still their home for its inhabitants. Such a disco, instead of simply lighting the aquarium with LED strip, harms the health of the inhabitants.

Lighting power calculation

It is usually recommended that the total power of LED lamps be about 1 W, but the amount of water in a home aquarium can be from 20 liters to 2 tons. For backlighting, LEDs of 0.2 W are most often used. To determine the number of lamps above your aquarium, there are complex formulas; in practice, for a 200 l aquarium, you will need an LED strip for 30 mini-bulbs of about 3 W or 25-40 spot LEDs.

Aquarists say that 0.5 W/liter of water is the optimal formula, but this is not accurate either - the higher and deeper the aquarium, the more difficult it is to illuminate the entire water column to the bottom. Visually, these characteristics can also be determined - the water and all the plants in it should be illuminated evenly from the bottom. Bottom-dwelling fish and snails need less light, and the plants still reach upwards. The fish themselves will determine where they are more comfortable - in the shaded part or closer to the surface, but plants are more sensitive and demanding to light due to photosynthesis.

The spectral range in aquarium lighting with LED lamps with combination lamps for illuminating aquatic plants is of great importance. They use the orange-red and violet-blue shade of the range. Combining fluorescent fitolamps and LED aquarium lighting, you can get full lighting that is comfortable for all its inhabitants.

How do you light up an aquarium?

1. A good source of lighting - halogen lamps, which are economical, brightly shine, additionally emit a little heat. They are made on the basis of mercury, and few people use them for lighting aquariums. However, as an alternative to incandescent lamps, they may well be suitable.

2. The simplest artificial lighting for an aquarium is an ordinary incandescent lamp, which gives a yellow spectrum that is acceptable for plants, it sets off red and yellow fish well. This spectrum is not enough for higher aquarium plants, but it contributes to the increased growth of phytoplankton and lower algae. Leaf plants gradually become smaller and turn pale, and if the lamp is too bright, the water blooms. The lamp, installed above the water, additionally heats the glass and water, creating discomfort for the fish, especially if the aquarium is not blown by the compressor. Such lighting is combined with other lamps, such as fluorescent lamps, such as LBU (universal), their spectrum is most suitable. Both lamps are mounted on a tall box above the aquarium, and its bottom is lined with foil to reflect and focus the light.

3. Fluorescent lamps are more durable and economical, they have diffused light, they give a wider spectrum. There are white and blue lamps according to the shade of the emitted light. 0.5 W/liter is enough for the aquarium, and a couple of lamps along the length of the aquarium with reflectors will provide illumination for an artificial reservoir of 200-500 liters. For the Dutch type of aquarium, with lush vegetation, choose 1800K and 1200K lamps with a warm spectrum, cold 6700K lamps are suitable for rocky terrain and predatory fish. Lamps with the right range are easier to purchase at the pet store, in the departments for aquarists. A combination of lamps will provide optimal lighting for plants.

4. LED lamps are the best option. They are the most economical, do not heat the water, and do-it-yourself LED aquarium lighting is much easier to make. Their range is better than other options, spreading is more uniform, they do not harm plants and do not cause discomfort in fish. Their range provides great opportunities for combining color effects.

5. LED strip - as an additional option, it can also be used to illuminate the aquarium. And yet they are best combined with other light sources, due to the lack of spectral range.

How aquarium lighting is installed

The best visual effect is given by lighting the aquarium from above and in front, that is, at the front wall. Organically fit home ponds, mounted in cabinet furniture and a lid that opens on top for feeding fish. The special whatnots from the front-lit profile, where several identical aquariums with different inhabitants stand one above the other, also look beautiful. Perfectly fit into the interior and massive cabinets, as a stand for the aquarium, where the backlight is made of the same material in the form of a cover. If the lighting is mounted in a cabinet above the aquarium, then it must be covered with glass during the installation of the lighting equipment so that nothing falls into the water, and this worries the fish less.

To optimize the consumption of electricity, a thermal relay is placed on the heating pads, and an electric timer or circuit breaker is placed on the lighting. They turn the lights on and off without human intervention, which is convenient when busy. It is also important to consider the origin of most of the inhabitants of the aquarium - tropical fish need higher water temperatures and prolonged lighting, while colder water ones are not so demanding.

The main advantages of LED lighting

LED lamps have recently entered the everyday life of aquarists, but quickly became leaders in lighting. This happened due to many characteristics, and this type of lamp pushed aside other lighting fixtures.

1. Cost-effectiveness indicator - their cost is lower than other types of lamps, power consumption is also optimal with sufficient brightness.

2. In terms of efficiency, such lamps are slightly inferior to fluorescent lamps based on cold cathodes, CCFL, that is, their economic efficiency provides serious savings.

3. High strength, resistance to mechanical stress and insensitivity to vibrations due to the absence of thin spirals.

4. The durability of these lamps is impressive, the service life is up to 5 years, eliminating the cost of spare parts and frequent replacement.

5. The spectral range of LED lighting is favorable for aquarium inhabitants.

6. The greatest safety in handling these lamps is due to operation at low voltage. They are quite fireproof, as they are protected from the effects of high humidity and short circuits.

7. LEDs, even in operation for 8-10 hours, do not produce excess heat, allowing you to maintain the optimum temperature in the aquarium.

8. LED bulbs, due to the absence of toxic components and the absence of infrared and ultraviolet radiation, are considered to be highly environmentally friendly.

The only drawback of LED lighting is their high cost and the need to supply the rated operating voltage, you will need an additional power supply.

DIY aquarium LED lighting

The first way to make your own aquarium lighting with LEDs is the easiest, where you can additionally equip the lighting cover with special fitolamps. To do this, a white LED strip is fixed around the perimeter. This will give an optimal spectrum and the most uniform illumination around the upper perimeter of the aquarium. A self-adhesive-based LED strip filled with plastic is used, where the protective layer is removed and attached around the perimeter of the box.

Such lighting is widely used for decorative purposes, but it cannot be an independent source of aquarium lighting. The insulation at the junction of the tape and the cord is made with a special transparent silicone used for aquariums. It will reliably protect the power cord from water ingress. The wires at the output are marked in red, this is a plus, and a minus is a black or blue wire. If the polarity is not correct, the LEDs will not work.

The second way is to collect full-fledged LED aquarium lighting of sufficient power without generators and sophisticated equipment. At 200-300 liters, 120 watts is enough for a heavily planted aquarium. This in total assumes 40 spot LEDs at 270 lumens, 3 watts each. The result will be an illumination of 10800 lumens, which will give a very bright illumination for a given volume. It is important to monitor the balance of the entire ecosystem, and with an excess of light and the development of green microorganisms, it is necessary to reduce the overall intensity.

The cost of such a design can vary greatly, since in online stores from the Chinese, for example, and from more reputable companies, you can find LEDs and power supplies of the same quality. However, prices may differ significantly.

For self-installation of the backlight you will need:

• set of led lamps
• 2-2.5 meters of plastic gutter 100 mm wide,
• 12 volt power supply, can be from a computer,
• soft wire 1.5 mm,
• preferably 6 computer coolers of 12 volts,
• 40 connector sockets for LEDs,
• cutter for processing holes of 48 mm.

Along the length of the aquarium, we will cut 2 pieces of the gutter, in the bottom of which we drill holes, about 20 pieces per meter, placing them in a checkerboard pattern. We insert LED lamps into the holes and fix them.

All lamps must be connected to the power supply in parallel to the 12 volt power supply. For a competent connection, it is better to contact an electrician, since the wiring diagram may seem complicated for people who are not experts in the field of attaching lamps to connectors. Computer coolers or fans should be installed when there is a lot of evaporation or heating of the cover for lighting.

For decorative purposes, sometimes they make additional night illumination, such as moonlight. To do this, connect a little blue LED strip, which can be installed behind the back wall, but so that it is below the bottom of the aquarium. The electric timer will be able to turn it on when the daylight goes out.