AQUARIUM BULB TYPE:

Aquarium Light Types Explained Here Include:

 T8 & T12,  T5,  T2

 VHO,  CFL,  SHO

 Metal Halide,  LED, Lunar

 Induction,  HID Xenon

*T-12;

A standard pin, 1-1/2" wide bulb. The main caution to the use of these bulbs for aquariums, is the use of shop lights as an inexpensive alternative to many aquarium lights. A 4100 K cool white shop light is not going to come close to a 6400 K daylight lamp that is of peak PAR efficiency (even if you match lumens).

This bulb will generally use more watts and have a lower lumens per watt ratio (usually around 40) and is common in shop lights and even some aquarium bulbs. These are generally the least expensive lamps to purchase and even though they may be "old school", some still try to make up for the low technology with the fact you can purchase several for a low price to make up for poor efficiency.

*T-8;

A standard pin, 1" wide bulb. As compared to the T-12, a 48" T-12 will use 40 watts, while a 48" T-8 will often use 32 watts (although not always), making the T-8 a more efficient lamp than the T-12.

The T-8 is the more common bulb/lamp size in many basic aquarium lights.

*T-5;

Generally around 13 mm in diameter. This is a mini pin bulb which generally uses even less watts per lumen than many than T-8 bulbs. T-5 lamps range from 65 to 105 lumens per watt.

The T5 became very popular in the early 2000s among both plant keeping freshwater aquarists and reef keepers for good reasons; they are compact, come in MANY varieties and high lumen per watt outputs (as a broad generalization only requiring 2 to 4 watts per gallon for more shallow planted/reef applications depending upon tank depth and other factors).

While the T2 was the latest in straight tube fluorescent lights, the T5 still is better suited for aquariums over 20 inches in depth. The T-5 also comes in many more different varieties, sizes, and even "qualities" (such as the premium Giesemann), and thus is the preferred option for most

 One negative with T5s is that the quality control on these lighting fixtures (not the bulbs themselves) is often lacking. This problem tends to be with some of the HO T5 light ballasts/fixtures, and in fact tends to be a problem with VHO Compact Light Fixtures as well.

For this reason my recommendation is to avoid the VHO or HO T5 or Power Compact CFLs and stick with the standard output versions.

If higher output is needed consider more standard T5 lights or the newer technology HO LED lights instead such as the AquaRay line (the cheap LEDs such as the Finnex are NOT an option to a T5 lamp). In fact when cost per lumen as per lifespan is considered, a LED Aquarium Light Fixtureis now a much better deal (since LEDs can last 50,000 hours vs. the common 8000 lifespan of a HO T5 or VHO Power Compact).

Another consideration for higher output requirements, especially hexagon planted freshwater aquariums, consider the SHO light over the T5.

As a final point, while the T5 is a good to excellent light (if not the best fluorescent light in many aspects), it is often pushed by some aquarium keepers that are not aware that there is also newer technology lights LED.

This said, there are many professionals that still recommend and use the T5 for both reef and high light requiring planted aquariums for a variety of reasons such as the sleek design, and wider output than some LED lights (as well as build quality compared to many cheap LEDs).

Since I have seen a wide variance in quality of build as well as quality of output similar to with LED lights, I recommend going with the best and for this I would recommend the premium Giesemann T5 lights which have unique phosphor blends that are characterized by exceptionally high output performance, long life span, consistent coloration combined with high levels of spectral stability over time. In other words both quantity (PAR) and quality (PUR) of light.

Reference: www.giesemann.de/459,2,T5,.html

*T-2;

The T2 lights measure only 7 mm and allow for several bulbs in a small space. A 13 watt 20 inch T-2 Bulb (6400 K) produces 950 lumens which is 73 lumens per watt in a very small space with low wasted green/yellow light energy that is often found in other Power Compact Lights!

As little as 1 watts per gallon (low light) to 1.75 watts per gallon (high light) for a planted aquarium is all that is needed from these T2 Lights! (depending upon tank depth, and not for tanks over 18 inches max; consider SHO for tanks over 18 inches).

These T2 lamps and fixtures are about the best fluorescent lamps in a small space I have seen! These are very useful for small to medium planted aquariums or Nano Reefs or even shelves for betta breeders (although ONLY as a compliment in larger aquariums over 20 inches in DEPTH for freshwater and 16 inches for marine).

The picture to the left displays the remarkable amount of light these fixtures put out for little energy usage. These aquariums are well lit by ONE SINGLE 13 Watt T2 light fixture!

The linkable fixture feature is also a nice aspect of these T2 lights/fixtures (this allows for use in larger aquaria such as 60 gallons).

Some T2s can be linked with small extensions which are available with these T2 fixtures. These allow you the choice of either placing a T2 in series (end to end) or in parallel (which is useful if you desire a higher output yet in a small space or to utilize a daylight and blue/actinic light parallel to each other) with out having to add multiple outlets/plugs.

Product Reference: T2 Lights, Fixtures



The newest generation T2 Lights require less watts to provide the same useful light energy (in particular required by plants & coral) than all other lights except for LED.

Speaking of LED Lights, the T2 made an excellent compliment to LED Lights (for cost savings as well).

The picture to the left displays a newly set up planted freshwater tank that has 4 2nd generation AAP GroBeam 500 LED and 4 6400K T2s as well as a Mylar Reflector.

Please Click the picture to enlarge

When all important parameters are considered (PAR, useful energy, lumens per watt, etc.) the a typical 6400K T2 about 40% of the wattage of a standard T8/T12 aquarium light for the same useful output (a 13 watt T2 will equal 30 watts of most older fluorescent aquarium lights).

In fact these lamps were even a good choice for many aquariums such as 60 gallons and larger since each fixture can be linked together forming a larger fixture.

For instance I have used two T2s linked together for some 60 gallon FW aquarium and two sets of two (placed in parallel in the hood) for planted 60 gallon FW aquariums.

T2 Fixtures/lights also work well in Marine Aquariums (particularly pico/nano reef & Refugiums) since these lamps in the 6400 K version have a high output in PAR required for symbiotic algae that live within corals.

The Aquarium above is a planted 10 gallon with two 11 Watt T2 fixtures

Also Reference:

Freshwater Planted Aquariums

One negative with the first generation T2 as compared to the older T5 is that there are not the selection/variety, however as noted in the previous paragraph, blue/actinic T2 lights are now available to the hobby.

As well, there is not as much need for some of the versatility other lights have, as the T2 has its own versatility such as small space combined with higher lumen per watt output.

Unfortunately, the plethora of cheap LEDs that have flooded the market (mostly from China) have pretty much killed the T2 light, despite the fact that often the T2 could out perform many of the lower end LEDs commonly sold when measured in input energy to output energy & results.

*VHO Power Compact

This stands for "Very High Output". These come in T-5 thru T-12 standard fluorescent tubes and in the newer power compact (usually 4 pin T6) lamps such as the Current USA, Coralife Quad & Via Aqua Helios VHO.

The Helios & other VHO Power Compact Fixtures come/came in a variety of sizes with outputs up to 180 watts out of lamps under 40 inches in length, which rival many T5. These higher output VHO fixtures/lamps have higher Kelvin and wattage output than previous generation VHO lamps/fixtures of similar size.

Coralife has a quad lamp VHO (such as the 20 inch; 96 watt fixture) that have high output in small space.

However both these before mentioned lighting systems are a bit pricey in my opinion for the "light output" for the price paid. As well the electronic ballasts contained in not just these, but ALL these VHO styles of CFL light fixtures (Current USA, JBJ, etc.) tend to have a short life span of under 3-5 years in my experience. When the ballasts go out, generally the replacement cost is the same as a new fixture.

I should also note that as of my latest update of this section (VHO), I have found their durability in relation to cost, and output in essential lighting parameters is not as good as T5, SHO, or especially premium LED Lights, which the LED in my tests, feedback, research and experience are the future of aquarium lighting, especially as it pertains to freshwater plant and reef aquariums.

Product Resources:

*SHO Lights, Lighting

*Premium Aquarium LED Lighting

*PC (or CFL);

This stands for "Power Compact" or "Compact Fluorescent Lamp (light)". These bulbs come in straight pin arrangements, square pin arrangements, and the self ballasted standard incandescent fixture "screw in" type. These bulbs are similar to T-5s and have about the same lumen per watt output (generally around 60-70 lumens per watt).

The standard medium base version of these lamps will fit in a common incandescent light fixture, making these lights about the most economical lights you can purchase with this kind of output. These are an excellent choice for use in low to medium light planted freshwater aquariums too.

See: Compact Fluorescent light bulbs, standard screw in base

See the picture to the left as an example, please click to enlarge

These self ballasted high PAR lamps are inexpensive and make it easy for even an aquarist on a budget (even a freshwater fish only tank) to provide the best possible lighting within a budget!

*SHO Power Compact Lights:

This "power compact on steroids" is another option for planted aquariums or hydroponics.

In fact, this is option better option than many of the cheap LEDs flooding the market such as the Finnex or Satellite when up front costs per light efficiency is considered (as well as durability).

When used with the optional polished reflector or in an aquarium canopy with a mylar or similar reflector, the SHO is an option still worth cosidering.

The SHO Light is currently sold in a self ballasted PC bulbs/light. The 105 Watt SHO Daylight bulb puts out 6300 lumens and is comparable to a 525 watt Standard bulb (click on the picture for a link). This comes out to 60 lumens per watt; however this is a deceptive guide, as you can fit many more of these bulbs in a given space and also utilize more efficient reflectors.

Product Resource: SHO & CFL Lights for Aquariums, Hydroponics

The SHO is already popular with Green Houses/hydroponics/cannabis growers and has a loyal repeat buyer following for planted aquariums.

In fact the 105 Watt SHOs were in short supply during each Winter is due to companies purchasing 1000 of these for lighting greenhouses & hospitals.

My point is; if a company (greenhouse business) that needs the correct lighting that are price effective to grow plants for a business, all the more reason these should be considered in many freshwater plant aquarium applications.

The picture to the right displays a greenhouse start using ONLY SHO lamps (no sun).

In fact the medical community is now utilizing these SHO bulbs (& similar full spectrum lights, which is also often making the SHO in short supply) due to increasing studies that show better immune function, mental health, and more. Similar animal studies show like results. I learned of this when inquiring as to why the SHO lights were currently unavailable from the North American distributor, and they pointed out that several hospitals and convalescent homes had purchased over 1500 of these lights. They pointed out the simplicity of these Super High Output bulbs are quickly making these a favorite of the medical community for their full spectrum light needs (I now use a few 65 Watt 6400K SHOs in my home after learning this and there is certainly a difference).

There are few drawbacks to the SHO light for aquarium use; one such drawback is that in any "tube light" some of the light that shines up from each tube just reflects right back into the tube and is lost (this is called "Restrike"). HOWEVER, the spiral design & especially the use of an optional reflector tends to limit this minor problem and based on extreme plant growth achieved this is obviously not as much a factor as some may claim (this is essentially a problem with ALL compact Fluorescent lights).

As well, while the SHO does not produce nearly as much heat as a Metal Halide, the simple fact of the wattage used by these lights still produces heat, so a well vented hood or the use of a reflector is advised (any light should be placed in a ventilated hood/canopy as trapped moisture can quickly damage any light whether an SHO, T5 or LED).

Finally the only other potential negative is that these SHO lights are more of a DIY lighting application, not an out of the box and place on your aquarium light applications as with many T5 & LEDs; so those who do not have DIY abilities, time, or simply desire an out of the box light might find this is not the light for them.

Back to the positives of Super High Output lights; the cost per output of these lights is a major attribute of the SHO.

This is especially true for planted freshwater aquariums when cost is considered since these lamps do not require expensive ballasts (SHO are self ballasted) and generally cost $30 and up per lamp.

Each time you change the lamp, which should be just as often as any other fluorescent light such as the T5, you get a fresh ballast, so replacement ballasts costs ARE ZERO which in fact DO HAPPEN with T5 and other fluorescents!!

See also: Aquarium Plant Care, Information

Since the 6400K SHO requires as little as 2 to 2.5 watts per gallon for the most light demanding plants; Four 85 watt SHOs (or 105 watt for even higher output) can easily handle a 6 foot FW 125 gallon planted aquarium (some T2 or T5 can fill in some more dim spots if necessary).

The SHO can be mounted into your hood using a standard incandescent fixture. I recommend using an aluminum foil or better an easily made mylar reflector to amplify light downward (& reflect heat away from the canopy). I also recommend venting the hood to remove heat and moisture (a small outward direction fan can be helpful too)

The picture to the right shows one way of DIY mounting of a SHO light with a reflector by designing your own "rail" system that fits on the aquarium top. Multiple SHO Lights can be added with just such a mounting system

This tank shows just one of many simple ways to install a SHO light which also includes hanging pendent style, or inside of a canopy.

Please click the picture to enlarge

In summary as to SHO lights for aquarium use, what I find amusing is that the only negative comment I have had from someone who actually used an SHO in his 30 Hexagon is that his plants grew TOO FAST with constant pearling and he could not keep up with them due to his work schedule. Honestly this negative is positive proof of these lamps abilities!

*Metal Halide (MH);

Metal Halide was generally considered the "Kings" of reef aquarium lighting due to depth penetration, output, spectrum, and over all beauty and amount of coral life they help support making most corals "pop" with life (however the newest HO LEDs are now over taking the MH in many aspects of aquarium lighting).

Aesthetically speaking the Metal Halide is also hard to beat, however the latest technology LED lights are now beginning to surpass MH for Reefs and LEDs have been proven to surpass MH with plant growth in nursery/hydroponics environments (one study/test shows a 12 Watt Full spectrum LED producing better growth than a 175 Watt MH of the same type!).

That said for tanks over 30 inches in specimen placement, the Metal Halide is still generally the best available light, especially when used in light combinations that include 20,000K, with other popular Metal Halide Kelvin Color Temperatures being 10,000K, and 14,000K.

The popular "Radium" 150 Watt 20000K Metal Halide Bulb is still a difficult source of reef lighting to beat by any light, especially for many Acropora corals.

As for other light comparisons to the MH, even the newer T-5 lamps cannot achieve the depth penetration and overall output of these lights. Metal Halides generally have very good lumens per watt ratio (although I have seen a lot of variation and even incorrect ratings here); however it is safe to say that MH are generally found with lumens to watt ratios of 50 to as high as 90 which is among the highest of any aquarium lights available.

Metal Halide work via a gas mixture of halides and other elements, the actual light production comes from the small bubble of gas that is held in place by metal wires and/or supports. The electricity running between them and the small gas bubble, heats them, similar to an incandescent filament. This is one of the reasons that Metal Halide bulbs give off more heat than other bulbs.

MH Lights are generally sold in two basic types for aquarium use: the Mogul base & the HQI Double Ended Metal Halide bulbs.

Mogul base screw in Metal Halide bulbs for Aquarium use come in a variety of color spectrum from 10K to 20K (the bluest) and wattages from 250W - 1000W.

German made (Ushio) metal halides have an excellent reputation for producing the best lighting effects for reef aquariums.

The newer Halogen Quartz Iodide (HQI) lighting systems are used mostly on saltwater reef aquariums. HQI bulbs are commonly offered with spectrums of 10,000K and 20,000K. These high-intensity bulbs help corals thrive, but give off less heat than regular metal halide bulbs. HQI Double Ended Metal Halide bulbs have been used in Europe for many years have gained popularity in the U.S. among aquarium hobbyists in the last several years.

Double Ended MH HQI bulbs offer many of the same features as standard mogul base Metal Halide bulbs but are designed differently. These bulbs are much smaller than mogul base screw in Metal Halides and are double ended.

The benefits of using HQI Metal Halide bulbs are that they offer a more clean color spectrum (useful light energy/responsive wavelength), are more efficient, produce slightly less heat, and last longer than standard Mogul Base metal halide lamps.

The downside is the heat that MH lights produce, often resulting in the need for hood fans and even chillers, although the newer open design units such as the EcoSystems USHIO double end fixture and HQI bulb works well for 10-25 or even larger aquariums when other lights are included in the "mix" without a chiller.

*LED (light-emitting diode):

Pictured above, Reef Aquarium including Acropora Coral at the National Oceanography Centre in London using AquaRay LED Lighting (Click to enlarge)

With higher efficiencies, these are becoming the new king of reef and planted aquarium lighting with many high end LED manufacturers such as AquaRay, EcoTech, Kessil, & Aqua Illuminations (among others) leading the way.

The better LED lights have the same shimmer effect and "popping" of coral life otherwise found in Metal Halide.

This aquarium light type uses semiconductor technology as its light source.

What is noteworthy is that these are "light emitting diodes" NOT bulbs! What difference does this make?

The answer is; A LOT!

As with any electronic circuit these must have an exact voltage to run correctly/optimally.

As well, these are essentially light emitting electronic devices being placed of your aquarium and should be treated as such including good ventilation and high IP water resistance ratings, which unfortunately most LEDs are lacking in IP ratings!

The difficulty in the past is correct wave length of the emitters, which in part are affected by the drivers/circuitry maintaining correct voltage over all emitters.

The high quality LED lights do not have as much of the heat problems of Metal Halide & even fluorescent lights (via ballasts), often last 50,000 hours, and some produce less of the yellow/green spectrum light which is less efficient for photosynthesis in many applications (in high-end aquarium LED adjusted configurations), and are very compact.

In fact this lower use of much of the yellow/green light (as a percentage) often makes some "high-end" LEDs look less bright to the human eye, when in fact the opposite is true as per useful light energy (PUR).

The new reef compatible & freshwater planted tank LED's are likely to take over the market along with the T2, T5, & SHO lights as the top manufacturers of LED fixtures become more readily available as the price comes down, while at the same time PAR & PUR (quality of light) & general aquarium compatibility come up.

Since LEDs emit light only in a very specific direction, the installer also has the option to illuminate a precise area using lenses in specific degrees of angle.

For this reason the LED does not need to produce as many lumens/photons of light as most conventional lights. In conventional lights, many lumens of important light energy are lost due to lack of focus, including all power compacts and fluorescent lights in general, but need higher lumen outputs to achieve the same lighting parameters.

Common "Beam" angles include 120°, 90°, & 60° lenses. These can have a profound impact on PAR numbers too.

Examples include 37% of the PAR at a 400mm of depth between a 120° & 60° lens such as used in the AquaBeam 1500s and 2000s (the 120° being lower PAR). Or 54% of the PAR when a 120° lens is compared to a 90° lens (such as used in the BML LED).

However light spread is much less for lower beam angles, so understand the trade offs!!

Achieving the correct wavelengths in the correct amount has been the challenge and why a simple LED flashlight has about as much in common to an advanced aquarium LED as a paper glider to an 747 jet airplane. This however is also the advantage as some of the less efficient light spectrums can be omitted with correct emitter bins and proper drivers/circuitry.

An example of a new emitter developed just for photosynthetically sensitive reef inhabitants is the 'Osram Olson NP Blue'. This patented emitter primarily targets the FULL spectrum of blue necessary for phototropic response, as well it also contains light energy in the full spectrum of PAR, unlike other blue emitters that have come before it.

In my opinion this is one of the most profound recent developments for aquarium reef LED lighting of late, as ALL other emitters used are either exact bins used for multiple generic applications or in the case of many licensed Cree emitters use emitter bins that are tweaked for aquarium use.

While this Osram Olson NP Blue is a SPECIFIC emitter designed for the PAR requirements of many if not most light sensitive reef inhabitants.

It is currently used in the AAP/AquaRay AquaBeam Ocean Blue NP 1500, AquaBeam Coral Colour Plus 1500, and in the more focused AquaBeam Reef White 2000 Fixture

Product Source:

*AAP/AquaRay Reef White NP 2000, Coral Colour Plus 1500, & Ocean Blue NP 1500 Ultima

Another problem with many low end LED fixtures is even if the emitters used are of reasonably efficient bins, these LED fixtures "daisy-chain" their LED emitters together rather than provide the expensive drivers/circuity needed to maintain exacting voltage to each emitter. A plethora of LED fixtures are made in the same Chinese factories using the same lower "hardware store LED technology" under multiple brand names and sold at many aquarium stores and online big box sellers.

This driver/circuitry is partly important for maintaining spectral quality over all emitters without which the important PAR/PUR will not be optimal. As well voltage drops damage emitters which is another reason why many lower end LEDs have short warranty periods.

As well "pulse width modulation" (PWM) is best used for controlling the dimming of these emitters so there is no change to the spectral output as opposed to using "current reduction" (aka linear or analog reduction) used by many (most) brands of LED fixtures of which the result again is less than optimal PUR and wasted energy as heat instead of light energy.

The over all result is lesser quality light energy from these LED lights that employ dozens of emitters, poor drivers, and current reduction controllers.

As well, the other result of not utilizing PWM is the same voltage being used when the the light is dimmed, which lowers the lifespan of your emitters/LED fixture.

Reference:

How to Dim an LED Without Compromising Light Quality

As previously noted, this also results in more heat output and often the requirement of fans by these LEDs. This excess heat being driven away by fans simply equals input energy (joules) that is NOT GOING TO LIGHTING YOUR AQUARIUM!

In other words it requires a higher wattage for a "Current reduction" LED fixture to have the same light output of one utilizing PWM.

As well, electrical usage with "current reduction" is higher and considerably higher when lights are dimmed such as at night which adds considerably to operating costs of any light not utilizing PWM (which is most)

Speaking of fans, besides the wasted energy, these fans make good water-proofing/resistance very difficult. This is why most LED fixtures have a water proof rating of IP66 or less. This means your electronic lighting device is being placed in a wet environment with a risk of failure over time or especially if dropped in the water.

ONLY the AAP AquaRay LEDs have a IP67 rating combined with a full 5 year replacement warranty and can actually be dropped in the water for a short time.

Another aspect to consider is that unlike fluorescent, incandescent, and other lighting types; very specific emitters require circuitry/drivers similar to your computer.

Simply put, the more emitters along with more specific light output requirements, the more complex and expensive the circuitry and thus NO LED fixture is going to have specific output light energy with say 100+ emitters AND be even remotely close in price to one using 10 emitters if both are using correct LED driver circuitry.

The SB Reef Light, TaoTronics, Finnex, Satellite, & Fluval are a good examples of LEDs to avoid for this reason if one seeks the highest output of efficient PAR per watt of input energy used, not that these do not work, they just need much more energy for the same results as a high end LED using the best emitters, drivers, & PWM (as well, the warranties of ALL LEDs utilizing lower tech drivers, low water resistance ratings, and "Current reduction" is considerably shorter)

It is also in the area of emitter development where-by development costs are incurred and where many who do not understand the business aspects of these costs, will then question why one LED manufacturer has or can have exclusive patent rights or similar.

Basically ANY 'high end' developer is going to want to recover development costs as quickly as possible and "off the shelf" sales are NOT the way to do this.

The facts are, TMC, CRee, Bridgelux, Osram Olsam, etc. are no different than any other manufacturers in other businesses.

What is also noteworthy is that these best licensed emitters can be driven at higher voltages. As an example, the standard XB-D White LED can produce 139 lumens when driven at 350 mA. However the licensed version (used in the GroBeam) can be driven at 700 mA producing 206 lumens with an efficiency of 86 lm/W and thus a much higher output than most LEDs used.

In the end, we can prove our LED Light's efficiency by comparing PAR at the same depth (15" of air is the standard). Using LED fixtures of similar lens angles (120/unlensed to 120, 90 to 90, etc.).

Take the input wattage and divide it by the PAR reading. You will find efficiencies as high as .08 watt of input energy per point of PAR in the AAP Reef White NP 2000 LED to as low as 2.7 watt per point of PAR in the Beamswork EA Timer FSPEC LED. Most of the better LEDs are under .30 watt with most falling in the .4 to .50 watt range such as the well marketed but below average efficiency SB Reef Light

Reference: Cree XLamp XB-D

As previously noted in the "Useful Energy Section", tests for plant nurseries (Green House, Hydroponics) full spectrum LEDs such as the newer generation AAP GroBeam Aquarium Lights, LED Grow Lights, or even the older generation LED Grow Lights have been proven to surpass even Metal Halide Lights in both growth and useful output.

The picture to the left is the plant growth results comparing the same Kelvin output LED and Metal Halide Lights as measured by a PAR Meter (please click to enlarge view).





The picture to the left shows the useful PAR light energy of a MH compared to a LED Light (both full spectrum daylight).

Please note that this is an older generation "Full Spectrum Daylight" LED used in this controlled test, not the newest generation GroBeam or higher Kelvin Marine White 14000K.

Implications of these tests:

This controlled test has aquatic implications, as photosynthesis is the same whether it be a terrestrial plant, a freshwater aquatic plant, or symbiotic zooanthellic algae found in corals.

The main difference would be that light energy is quickly absorbed by water, especially red light waves and many modern high-end LED fixtures such as an EcoTech Radion, AI Sol Vega Blue, ZetLight ZT 6600, AAP Fiji Blue, AAP Ocean Blue NP, and AAP Reef White 2000 produce the light energy for deeper aquarium water penetration more comparable to the popular 20k "Radium" Metal Halides.

Reference: PUR in Aquarium Lighting; Depth Penetration

It is still easy to make assumptions from the raw data based on this study with plants that a 12 Watt High Output LED should easily replace one 175 Watt Metal Halide MH of similar rating for marine applications.

Product Resource 12 Watt examples include:

*AquaRay Mini 400 & 500

*AAP GroBeam 600; for Planted Aquariums or Refugiums

*The AAP AquaBeam 600 Reef White/Marine Blue; for Marine Reef Aquariums



Please click on the pictures above for a better view. The first to the left is of a 40 gallon freshwater aquarium with just ONE "AAP GroBeam 600 12 Watt LED" as an example of what just 12 watts of high end emitter LED light can do!

The second to the right is of a 75 gallon with TWO GroBeam 1000 LEDs which is essentially over kill, but the results were spectacular within just days! It is also noteworthy that this tank has a center brace, yet there is no noticeable shadow.

Below is 5 foot 100 gallon reef aquarium with only four AquaRay 600s (2 Marine blue & 2 Reef White 600s).

We would recommend higher wattage of the high output AquaRay lights, but this shows just how efficient these LED lights are per input energy!

SOME HISTORY:

LEDs were first designed to improve on the amount of energy used and heat produced by common aquarium lighting methods.

There were mixed reviews on the older generation larger units such as the Solaris and even earlier TMC LEDs as well when compared to MH light fixtures. Even though much less energy was used, I personally did not find LEDs practical for Reef or Planted Aquarium Lighting until 2008.

However the newer ZetLight, Aqua Illuminations, Ecotech Marine, Kessil, and especially the 3rd -4th generation AquaBeam/GroBeam are a vast improvement in price and efficient PAR/PUR output. In fact at the price of the many of the better LED Aquarium Lights coupled with the 50,000 hour lifespan their actual light cost per hour for comparable output is actually favorable to most T5 aquarium lights (5 year warranty for AquaRay, 1 year warranty for others listed above).

However, of late, this history has been lost due to slick marketing of over the top energy wasting LED fixtures that actually do little to improve plant or coral growth, but like light fixtures of old produce copious amounts of heat that creates further issues, including shortening the life of fixtures employing such methods.

This is not to argue that there is a place for entry level LED lights, just do your home work and understand that purchasing high input wattage lights does NOT mean you are getting the most efficient LED.

If you need an entry LED light, especially for community or low/medium light planted aquariums, purchase one that is meant for such without the slick marketing.

The Aqueon LED pictured to the right is just one such example.

Resource: Aqueon Freshwater Reg. & Planted Aquarium LED Clip-On Light

Product Sources to support this FREE information:

*AAP/TMC AquaRay LED Aquarium Lighting Systems

Please avoid a parasite retailer selling out of a home with an official sounding "Aquaray Lighting" name that has paid their way up on Google. Not only do they not have the expertise or customer service of AAP, once their inventory is gone, they likely will not be around to service your warranty.

*Aqua Illuminations Hydra Twenty Six HD

Probably the best LED for Planted FW or Reef Aquariums who desire to "over drive" their light

VIDEOS:



Reef Aquarium with Reef White 600 LED



1500 NP Ultima Ocean Blue



Reef Aquarium with Hard Coral Corals, utilizing Ultima NP LEDs

In this video, the lighting is ramped up with mostly blue to full spectrum

More about Emitters:

As I noted earlier, not all emitters are equal even with the open source Cree emitters, commonly sold for other applications. These are only as good as their correct wavelength output (Kelvin Temperature/Nanometers). One cannot compare a computer that uses an exclusive patented Intel processor to one that uses maybe a similar, but generic version of this processor. As with a computer processor company, an LED emitter manufacturer is going to have exclusive licenses/patents as well as generic versions.

What's noteworthy is the latest licensed version of even the newest Cree emitters are not available over the counter to even to the majority of LED builders that do NOT have the license rights.

One of the differences between the generic emitter bins and the licensed/patented emitters is that the generic bins are in common light Kelvins used by the lighting industry in general such as "cool white" & "warm white". In other words NOT SPECIFICALLY designed or even "tweaked" for aquarium reef use!

There is nothing "magical" about licensing as some would have you believe, it it is simple part of business that if you want to tweak a XB-D emitter to certain specification it will cost a licensing fee.

Far worse yet would be the cheaper no name emitters used by manufacturers such as BaiSheng, Epistar, & others sold under a plethora of other names for so-called aquarium use. These use daylight emitters that can vary widely in Kelvin Color output from only 2000K to 6500K and are in reality generally much less efficient for photosynthetic aquarium life use other than just plain light!

Think about why a CFL 10,000K daylight is so much different and more expensive than a common household CFL sold in hardware stores, or the many decorative LED aquarium lights or even those for home or flashlight use. Try using one of these to grow your delicate coral or plants (the answer is they will not without use of many). This is the reason most earlier LED aquarium lights were not adequate for supporting life properly until about 2008-9.

Based on email I get, forums I regularly read, & YouTube videos (for DIY LED Aquarium Lights), many seem to make this very INCORRECT assumption about emitters, drivers, PWM, wasted heat energy, etc.

This has resulted in a plethora LED lights flooding the market that are non reef capable, marginally reef/planted capable or very reef/planted capable, BUT often requiring 3-4 times the input wattage for EQUAL efficient PAR!

Basically one is back to the high energy input of a MH, but now in a LED.

It is NOT that many of these LEDs cannot keep photosynthetic life as we know these lights can and do quite well from practical experience, these are simply less efficient due to wasted heat energy, use of more of the less efficient, yellow, amber, green, or binned emitters; QUITE SIMPLE!

These same older generation emitters, controller technology & drivers are the reason I did not recommend LEDs of ANY brand for "higher-end" aquarium applications until 2008 (readers of this VERY constantly evolving article in 2007 would note this too).

However NOW we have many reef/planted aquarium capable LED lights and the only thing that separates most are bells & whistles, cost, efficiency of energy input to output, colors one might desire (albeit not necessarily what the photosynthetic life is more efficient utilizing), water proofing/resistance, and warranty. Even in cost, often the other factors will override an initially low cost of many popular LED fixtures.

As noted earlier, another common LED emitter usage is "cool white", "warm white", and "neutral white" by many LED manufacturers so as to obtain necessary efficient PAR spectrums and a pleasing color through a shotgun approach. These same LED manufacturers then disguise their LEDs using "cool features" and ramped up input wattage to drive high PAR numbers to sell these otherwise inferior LEDs as per PAR/PUR delivered for wattage used.

We know from the history of aquarium lighting, that a couple generations back we used 4-6 warm white T12 fluorescent lights over say a 60 gallon aquarium for a planted aquarium. When Trichromatic T12 lamps were introduced we were able to cut the lamps needed by 1/3 to 1/2, so why would you go backwards in efficiency with your LED?

Often these colored emitters are used to allow the user to blend colors so that many of these LEDs can be used in both Reef and high light planted aquariums.

This use of colors such as red and green is popular in particular for high end planted aquarium aquascapers looking to bring out certain colors, which I cannot argue this as these do, but I admit I prefer a more natural high noon daylight look in planted aquariums or a more natural under water look one would find on a reef than many of these lights produce.

I should also remind readers that when tuning in specific color combinations, this results in 40% or more loss of stated PAR output since not all emitters are running at full potential. HOWEVER, this is not the case of the Aqua-Illuminations Hydra HD since this LED allows the user to drive light colors at more than 100% when another color is turned down (so that 100% of the input energy is indeed utilized).

This said, this does not make these LED fixtures bad, just less efficient using much more input electricity for the same results and often this results is lower PUR spectral efficiency and fixture lifespan (hence the one year warranty of most of these high end lights that perform all these functions).

Good examples of the fixtures that are otherwise well built (no daisy chained emitters, top notch drivers) include the: Kessil, V2 illuminair (Zetlight), and the EcoTech.

Another noteworthy FACT (as noted earlier in this article) is the green light energy produced by these fixtures is less useful for Zooxanthellae photosynthesis and these same photosynthetic marine life have adapted to an environment of much more blue nanometer bands of light energy and little red is required nor does it penetrate!

PAR readings based on high wattage inputs are often used to promote these LEDs, however the quality of light output per input watt is lower.

For the lower quality build units using multiple daisy chained emitters (often dozens) and poor drivers, the end result is many of these albeit reef capable LED fixtures such as the Taotronics require 120 watts of input electricity to produce the SAME PUR as a 30 Watt AquaRay AquaBeam Ultima due lower emitter PAR efficiency, the use of "Current Reduction", and along with other circuitry design issues expend more heat energy that could be going to light energy.

In electricity alone at the average USA cost of .13 per kWh, run at 12 hours per day this 90 watt difference equals a $51 savings in just ONE year!!

Then throw in a shorter warranty (as low as 180 days) and a water resistance rating that does not fully protect your electronic light emitting device and what have you got in price savings when it goes belly up in a year or two?

Another misunderstanding about LED emitters is targeting the responsive wavelength. While exact coral responsiveness wavelengths are unknown, much is known in a more broad sense (and even more knowledge is growing, such as the "blue band" of coral responsiveness). For example, we do know that much of the yellow and green bands are 30%-80% less efficient for most photosynthetic corals, clams, etc. (although under 24% green light can be useful, but over 25% it is actually detrimental; Reference: Ref. 1)

This has been a controversial topic in a few fragging circles, when it comes to a few red corals such as Red Acans. I have found little to support the claims that these corals fade to orange under correctly applied LED Lights.

That said, while some have proposed that a lack of lower blue nanometer light output is the problem, since I, nor others I trust in my research have witnessed this phenomenon, I put forth that it is a missing photopigment (phycoerythrin) found in cyanobacteria which is living in symbiosis with the coral host (Ref: Mazel et al., 2004).

Since many over load on blue emitters, and admittedly most "better" LEDs lack as much of the yellow nanometer light cyanobacteria need to thrive, I feel this (along with specimen placement) is the possible cause and why those who use a good mix of LEDs or even LEDs with T2s or T5s have not observed this phenomenon.

Use of LED to prevent Red Slime

Another positive attribute of LED Aquarium lights as per s recent study (August of 2009) is that LED used in marine aquariums that suffer with Marine Red Slime Algae (Cyanobacteria) can immediately eradicate Red Slime algae when used in a full spectrum lighting configuration. These "immediate" results were just two weeks.

Reference: Red Slime Algae, Cyanobacteria

*LED Summary;

The bottom line is when you compare an LED Aquarium light to the many popular CFLs and even T5s in terms of lumens per watt, focused lumens, PAR, PUR, lower wasted yellow/green light energy, low heat output, energy consumption, long life (25,000 to 50,000 hours vs. 8000 hours), the modern recent generations of LED Fixtures are generally the best available aquarium light.

This includes the patented emitter ultra premium high PUR per watt AquaRay AquaBeam or GroBeam LEDs as well as the still VERY capable Aqua Illuminations, EcoTech Radion, ZetLight (aka Maxspect), and few others.

Most premium LEDs are a better light even in long term cost since (as an example) a 12 Watt Aqua Ray GroBeam 6500K daylight (either #600 Strip or Mini #400 Tile) can easily replace a up to a 80 Watt power compact (also daylight) when you compare ALL aspects of lighting as presented in this article.

When compared to even older T8/T12 aquarium lights, a forth generation AAP AquaBeam & GroBeam High End LEDs require only 15% (or less) of the wattage for the required light energy of a planted or reef aquarium.

This is as little as .6 watt per gallon for high light planted aquariums and .8 watt per gallon for Reef for the AAP AquaRay and 1.25 -1.5 watt per gallon for the ZetLight, EcoTech & Aqua Illuminations, and 1.75 -2.25 for many other LEDs such as the Ocean Revive, Taotronics, etc. (Acroporas may require a higher wattage input per gallon)

Any flaws of LED aquarium lights are quickly disappearing and based on the energy savings for the premium high PUR LEDs with PWM technology as compared to MH.

In fact for Planted Freshwater the top LED Lights (with the highest PUR) have few limits in their applications.

Retrofit is also not all that difficult with most better LED systems sold with hardware that makes DIY mounting options quite varied.

TMC has an optional mounting system of rails and other parts that expands these mounting capabilities even further while the ZetLight & Maxspect come with a built in mounting system for aquarium rim mounting.

LED Light systems are easily complimented with T5 Fixtures, T2 fixture for smaller applications, or even the SHO self ballasted high output CFL for large tank applications.

Product Resources:

*AquaBeam & GroBeam LED Lights

*ZetLight Full Feature High Output LED Lights

*Aquarium T2 Lights

*SHO Aquarium Lights

Finally;, I should note to newer readers of this constantly evolving article that may think there is bias toward high end LED lights, you would only be 1/4 correct, as first I do not recommend the plethora of junk LEDs commonly sold and as well if you were to read this same article circa 2007, I did not recommend ANY LED Light, however technology had increased considerably in this arena of aquarium lighting.

*Lunar (Moonlights)

Often LED as noted above are used as lunar or moonlights. This is an area where anecdotal information seems to be the main information available.

This includes the common belief that moonlight should be "blue" when in truth all the moon does is reflect diffused sunlight back to the earth (more during full moons, less during other phases). Dust or moisture can affect the color spectrum seen by the human eye as well (which often makes the light appear blue).

This means that a dimmed/diffused daylight is a more accurate production of moonlight. This can be done by fading a Reef White AquaBeam LED as an example.

Essentially these are very popular for marine reef aquariums for both a low level "night light" and for simulating moonlight for corals and coral propagation.

Where some of the misinformation comes into play is that many will state that fish need these lights, of which there absolutely no scientific proof and also that corals need these for proper growth which also has no scientific evidence to back this up.

Aquarium Moon lights (lunar lights) do nothing to aid in this.

What lunar lights (moonlights) could do with correct programming for the marine reef aquarium is to simulate marine lunar cycles which are necessary for some fish and coral reproduction/propagation, as Corals in the Great Barrier reef spawn 3-7 days following the first 2 Full moons in late spring and early summer. Even here there is still a lot of controversy as to what cycle is best and how much light is best.

From what I personally have observed combined with the opinions of other aquarium professionals is the use of gray nylon filter placed over standard daylights (T2, T5, T8 CFL, etc.) can work as a moonlight; even low level "white" lights such as nightlight bulbs, or even the Rio Mini Sun LED lights can work just fine for this since this has shown to be a more of a low level light issue and timing issue.

Adding or subtracting the amount/intensity seems to be the secret of simulating these cycles which can be accomplish easily either manually or with electronic timers (that can be set to more accurate monthly 29.5 day lunar cycles of lighting). Strategically placing these lights also shows evidence as to properly simulating this effect.

Please click on the picture above/left for a larger animated version of the lunar cycle

*HID Xenon

HID stands for "High Intensity Discharge", this technology is currently used in high end luxury cars, however there may be aquatic implications here in the future as PAR and other potential issues are worked out. HID lights use an electrical charge to ignite xenon gas (a colorless, heavy, odorless noble gas, which occurs in the Earth's atmosphere in trace amounts) contained in a sealed bulb. The technology of HID automotive lamps is similar to that of common vapor-filled mercury vapor street lamps.

These Xenon HID lights seem to produce much in the lower chlorophyll A segment of PAR, but currently not as much in the higher infrared part of PAR.