How to make a light for an aquarium. DIY LED lighting for an aquarium
An aquarium is a miniature body of water in which the life of exotic plants and fish harmoniously intertwines. Their well-being is largely determined by artificial lighting, the quality of which determines the biochemical balance of the underwater world. What should it be correct lighting in an aquarium and can modern LEDs cope with this task? Let's figure it out.
Why do you need light in an aquarium?
Light in an aquarium is needed by absolutely all its inhabitants: fish, plants and bacteria. But to a greater extent, photon energy is needed by plants. When the aquarium lighting provides proper level illumination, greenery gives a stable increase in biomass and, therefore, releases a large amount of oxygen, without which fish cannot live. For their development, aquatic vegetation uses carbon dioxide and fish waste products (nitrates, phosphates). It turns out to be a kind of cycle, on the stable operation of which the health of the inhabitants of the aquarium depends. With the help of additional measures: lighting control, timely cleaning of the container, ventilation and biofiltration, a person can create even better conditions for fish than in their natural habitat.
How do you know if there is enough light for the inhabitants of an aquarium?
Disadvantage of direct solar exposure, which is necessarily present in the natural habitat of all aquatic plants, must be compensated with light from electric lamps. Otherwise, the bright and colorful life of the aquarium will quickly fade and require radical rescue measures. To prevent a critical situation, you need to monitor the growth of plants and pay close attention to the behavior of fish from the very first day.
First of all, the lack of light is determined by a decrease in the growth rate of green vegetation: some species stretch out, others freeze in anticipation better conditions. The absence of new shoots leads to a decrease in their oxygen production. If the aquarium is fully illuminated, then the plants delight with their lush appearance, and the fish with their playful behavior. You should never try to slow down the growth of new shoots. Some species of fish love to hide in dense thickets. As a last resort, excess greenery can always be removed.
If the aquarist did not respond in time to the slowdown in growth, then next step There will be a darkening of the leaves with the appearance of a dark brown coating. Subsequently, lower algae will begin to actively develop. Getting rid of them by cleaning the aquarium and frequently changing the water will only be possible for a while. The only correct solution is to radically rebuild the lighting in the aquarium.
Calculation of lighting for an aquarium
The principle “the more light, the better” is unacceptable for an aquarium. An excess of lumens emanating from a lamp is just as undesirable as a lack of them. There are many species of shade-loving fish, as well as aquatic plants that thrive in medium light levels. At the same time, some species cannot exist normally without daily bright light. In this regard, the aquarist must select inhabitants for his mini-reservoir not only according to their attractiveness appearance, but also taking into account their natural way of life. In addition, when calculating lighting for aquarium plants need to consider:
- geometric dimensions of the aquarium;
- type and number of lamps;
- the presence of a reflector in the lamp;
- distance from the light source to the surface of the water.
The deeper the aquarium, the fewer beneficial light particles will reach its bottom. Moreover, visually this may not be noticeable. But bottom vegetation will experience an acute shortage of photons, especially in the red spectrum. We will discuss these nuances in detail in the next section.
The light in the aquarium should spread from top to bottom, not from the sides.
An important role when calculating lighting for an aquarium is played by the type of lamp and lamps installed in it. Most hardcore aquarium fish lovers prefer to use fluorescent lamps, taking as a basis the rule: for every liter of water there should be 0.5 W of power. However, do not forget that the light from the lamps spreads in all directions and even the best reflector will not be able to direct 100% of the photon energy into the water.
A more progressive direction is LED lighting for aquariums. LED light sources are compact, durable, have high luminous efficiency and are available in housings with different types of bases. When switching from fluorescent lamps for LEDs, the power consumption of the latter should be 1.2–1.5 times less. Before calculating LED lighting for an aquarium, there are two important notes to consider:
- The power of each crystal must be at least 1 W. This is the only way the light energy will reach the bottom. LED lamps and strips with many small crystals (less than 0.1 W) are capable of brightly illuminating only upper layer water space.
- To increase the light output and significantly reduce the scattering angle of a household LED lamp, it is necessary to dismantle the plastic diffuser.
Artificial light and features of aquarium lighting
Time frame
It is not always possible to install an aquarium nearby window opening, where the energy of the sun's rays is much higher than inside the room. But even under such conditions tropical plants a higher level of illumination is required due to the relatively short daylight hours in our country. The total duration of illumination of the aquarium throughout the day should last from 10 to 12 hours. There are three main types of aquarium lighting:
- Continuous. Involves manual or semi-automatic (via timer socket) turning on and off the backlight with a constant lighting level for a period of up to 12 hours.
- With breaks. It involves turning off the backlight for 30-60 minutes 2 times a day, thus giving the inhabitants of the home pond a little rest.
- Stepped. The best option illumination of the aquarium, as it creates conditions close to the natural habitat. Reducing and increasing the brightness of the lamps several times during the day simulates partly cloudy conditions and increases the stability of the aquarium as an ecosystem.
Equally important is the creation of a mode for smooth switching on/off of light or the so-called twilight mode, which is necessarily present in living nature. Switching from bright to dim lighting in the evening will help avoid stress in aquatic vegetation. In practice, this is realized by installing several lamps of different power, powered by different adjustable switches. In extreme cases, in 15 minutes. Before turning on the backlight, you can turn on the general lighting in the room. The same goes for turning off the lights in the evening.
Spectral composition
Proper illumination of an aquarium is not just a powerful light flux. This is light with a set of wavelengths necessary for photosynthesis. The spectrum of sunlight covers the entire region visible to the human eye, and is also present in the UV and IR ranges. Consumer solar energy(in our case, an aquatic plant) decides for itself: what wavelength of light it needs at this stage of growth. The spectrum of fluorescent and LED sources is selective with bursts of intensity only in some areas of the visible spectrum. In this case, the plant is forced to “enjoy” the radiation that the backlight produces.
In order for the light of the lamp to reach the leaves growing at the bottom, it needs to overcome a water obstacle of several tens of centimeters. The fact is that the laws of light propagation in water and air are very different. Namely, photons with different wavelengths pass through the water column differently. For clarity, below is a graph that shows how the light intensity changes depending on the wavelength. Light ranging from violet to green penetrates 1 meter of water with minimal loss. At the same time, the intensity of red spectrum rays decreases by half at a distance of 30 cm from the light source, and after 1 meter no more than 10% remain. However, this fact does not mean at all that the share of red radiation in the aquarium lighting needs to be increased. After all, in the natural environment aquatic plants We are also accustomed to receiving blue, green and red rays from the sun in different proportions.
Spectral composition various sources artificial light is very different, affecting the growth of certain plants differently. For this reason, a lot of controversy has arisen about which lamps are best to illuminate an aquarium with exotic fish. Some insist on the sufficiency of ordinary fluorescent lamps with a color temperature of up to 8500°K, others insist on the use of specialized phytolamps, and still others recommend the combined use of cold and warm light lamps.
And yet, the optimal option is considered to be combined lighting using LED light sources. Because…
More details about LEDs
LED lighting in an aquarium is a relatively new direction in the field of LED application. However, she has already found supporters among innovators and lovers of experiments.
LED lighting outperforms fluorescent lamps in several ways:
- LEDs do not emit heat towards the water. This means that they can be brought as close as possible to the water surface, providing protection for live parts from moisture, and not worry about the stability of the temperature regime.
- The light output of LEDs is much more stable over time. At correct operation after 3000 hours, the reduction in LED luminous flux does not exceed 5%, which is much better than that of opponents.
- The brightness of the LEDs can be controlled using a dimmer or an adjustable power supply.
An innovative method of aquarium lighting is the installation of bicolor LED phytolamps as an additional source of violet and red waves. Their purple light accelerates the process of photosynthesis, enhancing the effects of basic full-spectrum lamps.
The only reason why many people cannot make LED lighting for their aquarium is still the price. The cost of high-quality LED equipment is much more expensive than the usual glass tubes from Osram and Philips. However, you can always start simple by adding a little light to ordinary white light. bright colors. Let's talk briefly about this too.
DIY LED aquarium lighting
Decorative lighting of an aquarium with LED strip is a kind of tuning that benefits its inhabitants. For these purposes, take several pieces of RGB tape (IP67) slightly shorter than the cover. There is always a place for them between fluorescent lamps. Then they are connected in parallel and connected to an RGB controller. It is better to buy a power supply and RGB controller with a degree of protection higher than IP54 in order to place them under the cover. In the evening, the remote control smoothly changes the color of the glow, observing the beauty of the underwater world.
Using the strip as the main lighting, regardless of the type of LEDs installed, is only suitable for shallow aquariums, since the power of each individual crystal does not exceed 0.5 W (50 lm).
You can make LED lighting for your aquarium even without a lid. If the aquarium is permanently located near the wall, then you can make wall option lamp, fixing it above the surface of the water using brackets. Also worthy of attention hanging method installation with height adjustment. Both options save fish lovers from making a lid and make access to water easier.
Read also
DIY aquarium lighting,
LED spotlights in the aquarium
LET'S CONSIDER ALL QUESTIONS IN ORDER:
- What is mixed lighting, why is it needed?
- Why exactly an LED spotlight?
- Why exactly in the lid?
- Why do you need a T5 lamp?
- Choosing an LED spotlight?
- What do you need to create your own lighting?
- The process of assembling aquarium lighting on your own.
- How much is it?
- Is it worth the bother? What is the effect?
What is mixed lighting, why is it needed?
MIXED LIGHTING- This is a combination of different lighting sources. A good example of such lighting is the ADA Solar I lamp, where Takashi Amano combines a MH-HQI 150W metal halide floodlight with two 36W LL T5 lamps.
Agree, the Sun does not shine 24 hours a day; the maximum intensity of sunlight is observed only during the day, at lunchtime. The rest of the time the Sun either rises or sets, the intensity of illumination gradually increases and then decreases.
Approximately the same effect can be achieved with a mixed lamp (lighting), when T5 LLs are turned on first (sunrise), then a spotlight (zenith) is added for 3-4 hours, and then (sunset) only T5 LLs work again.
The advantages of such lighting are clear:
1. Aquarium plants receive the most natural light. A certain rhythm is established.
2. Prevention of algal outbreak. Powerful, prolonged, and even more so incorrect lighting is a direct path to an algae outbreak. You just need to create a peak of lighting activity, and not shine, “burn out” the aquarium 12 hours a day.
3. At the same time, the presence of powerful, directional and high-quality lighting, in sufficient quantity- this is the key to success!
Why LED floodlight?
Why in the lid?
The only significant drawback of a metal halide lamp is that it gets very hot!!! Alas, such lighting can only be used in open aquariums (without a lid), at a distance of at least 30 cm from the surface of the water, using pendants or a lamp stand.
When deciding what kind of lighting would be in our aquarium, I assumed that the aquarium would be closed (with a lid). Firstly, that’s what my wife wanted =), secondly, I agreed with her that an aquarium with a lid looks at home, somehow more comfortable, plus there are cats “roaming” at home, who watch “Aqua TV” every evening, and that’s all after all, the house is not an exhibition center or an ADA laboratory... metal halide soffits in the house are too much! Really, here everyone decides for himself... my opinion is not a dogma.
So, an analogue of a metal-halogen spotlight is an LED one. Let me immediately note the word “analogue” in quotation marks... there is still a significant difference. Firstly, LED lighting, unlike MG, is discrete. Discreteness(from Latin discretus - divided, discontinuous) - a property opposed to continuity, discontinuity. To explain on your fingers, below is a photo example of what a continuous and discrete spectrum looks like.
Thus, we see that the spectrum of LEDs is not the best. And the point here is not even in the peaks of red and of blue color, namely, that aquarium plants actually absorb the entire visible spectrum during photosynthesis, but it is incomplete in SD.
What are the similarities between MG and DM? Why make such “low-quality” lighting in the first place? The answers to these questions will reveal the advantages of LED spotlights.
1. Like a metal halide spotlight, an LED spotlight has directional lighting. That is, the efficiency of LEDs is much higher than, for example, that of fluorescent lamps, effective application which is only possible with reflectors. If we speak in everyday language, then SD and MG spotlights “hit” in one direction, and do not “spray” at all. It is this property that allows MG and LED spotlights to “pierce” the deepest aquariums and water thicknesses of 60 centimeters or more.
2. Unlike MG, the LED floodlight does not emit excessive heat. Checked! On the front side, the LED spotlight does not heat up at all, while the back part heats up, but it is tolerable (tolerable for the hand and the plastic cover). Some aquarists advise installing a cooler on an SD to remove heat, but even now, when it’s +36 outside, I don’t see the need for this. Again, this is not a constant, everyone has their own specifics.
3. LED lightening- This is by far the most economical lighting. You will save 3, 10 times on electricity.
4. Significant disadvantage, fluorescent lamps, is their flickering with a frequency noticeable even to the human eye. In this connection, with prolonged exposure to LL on a person, his eyes get tired very quickly. LED sources are powered by direct current, so they do not flicker.
5. Other positive aspects of LEDs: safety (they operate at low voltage, which is important for aquarium business) and long service life (up to 100,000 hours).
Why do you need a T5 lamp?
From the fact that T5 fluorescent lamps are better than T8, I think they already know a lot, so I will not focus on this here.
I used T5 LL in my case, firstly, to create mixed lighting, and secondly, to fill the discreteness of the LED spectrum.
Namely, the so-called “Full Spectrum” lamp was used.
Fluorescent aquarium lamp designed to provide intense lighting. The JBL Solar Ultra Color T5 lamp has increased power compared to standard T8 lamps and has a full range of colors.
When using a JBL Solar Ultra Color lamp in an aquarium, you will receive increased transmission of red and blue colors aquarium fish and other aquarium inhabitants.
Having an increased proportion of red and blue colors in the spectrum, the JBL Solar Ultra Color aquarium lamp stimulates the synthesis of chlorophylls, which in turn accelerates the process of photosynthesis.
Selecting an LED spotlight
The selection and purchase of an LED spotlight must be treated with particular scrupulousness. This is a very important and expensive point, without paying due attention to which you can simply throw money away.
Since I am a pioneer in this matter on FanFishka, I had to read a lot of information, review a lot of characteristics of various spotlights and LED panels, collect scant information on forums and communicate with a few experts in the LED business.
And so, what a conclusion was made! For 100-110 l. aquarium, net volume needed:
If the lid allows, you can install three spotlights (of lower power), which will give you more confidence that the spotlights will not burn out quickly. Unfortunately, LED spotlights cannot be repaired. Less powerful spotlights heat up less, which means the risks are reduced. At the same time, the less Watt an SD has, the less its “penetrating” ability and its other characteristics too. In general, everything needs to be calculated and estimated.
2. Everyone knows that LED lighting is much more powerful than rated lighting. That is, it is at least incorrect to measure the power of LEDs in Watts.
So I asked myself the question: how many watts do I need for my aquarium? Believing sellers on the market who say: “Multiply by three and you will get those real Vats” is stupid! In general, I had to rummage around in this matter and find clearer information.
But the truth is quite simple, lighting, in addition to Watt, has a lot of characteristics, including: Lumens is the amount of light emitted/emitted by a light source. A light source with a luminous flux of 1 Lumen, which uniformly illuminates any surface with an area of 1 square meter, creates an illumination of 1 Lux on it (the surface).
Empirically, aquarists have found that for a good herbalist, for a Dutch and Aman aquarium you need 50-70 Lumens per liter of pure volume of water.
The problem was solved and the choice of spotlights became extremely specific - you need two spotlights so that in the sum of their Lumens they give 50-70 Lm/l.
3. And the last two important point when choosing an LED spotlight, it’s all about spectrum and Kelvin.
As it turned out, the spotlights were full of variety: there were warm glows, cold glows, I even came across RGB spotlights (and it took me a long time to figure out what kind of thing this was))). But we only need one spotlight - with a spectrum as close as possible to daylight. This type of SD has the most optimal characteristics.
Kelvin (K)- This Colorful temperature any light source. It is a measure of our impression of the color of a given light source. For keeping aquarium plants, it is recommended from 6500 to 8000 K.
Note: This article was written in 2014. Since then, a lot of water has flown under the bridge. It's 2017. and now there are no problems at all with LED spotlights and LED strips. Moreover, LED spotlights have become flat and compact. And as practice shows, they can be used perfectly in aquascape, example: . Yes, of course, you can debate and find fault with the PAR of LED spotlights for a long time, nevertheless, this is a budget option, which works great.
Note 2: The average Lumen figure for a good herbalist is 50-70 Lm/l. However, I ask you to take into account the individual specifics of your aquarium: the height of the water column, planting density, species features one plant or another. That is, the above numbers are an approximate guideline. If you have a dense, super-scape, then you can easily accelerate to 100 Lm/l and 150 Lm/l.
What do you need to create your own lighting?
How much is it?
Firstly, you will need skillful hands, nothing without them. As well as tools: drill, jigsaw, grinder, other small tools (screwdrivers, wrenches, pliers, etc.). If you don't have a jigsaw or grinder, don't despair. You just have to do everything by hand, for example, with a hacksaw or saw.
I “modernized” the aquarium lid TM “Priroda”(plastic, with two built-in T8 LLs, ballast and starters), like this:
Purchased two LED spotlights 30W each, TM “Feron” model LL 730. Characteristics: daylight 6500K, 2850 Lumens (by the way, 2 LEDs*2850Lm=5700Lm/110l.water=51.8lm/l).
Purchased Aquael electronic starter for LL T5. This choice was made in order to minimize the “crowding” of the aquarium lid, the space under which is already worth its weight in gold. P.S. You can make such a starter yourself.
Socket - voltage relay. Necessary for safety and to prevent power surges. In such an outlet, voltage limits are set, after which the equipment is de-energized.
You will also need: silicone sealant, fasteners (bolts, nuts, screws), clamp holders for spotlights (preferably stainless steel to prevent rust), wires (two-core and three-core), needed for connecting spotlights, coolers, plugs for spotlights with grounding.
The process of assembling aquarium lighting.
The process of assembling and installing aquarium lighting with your own hands is different for everyone, since everyone has different covers. I'll describe my process.
1. First, connect the cord and plug to the spotlights. There is a three-wire wire coming from the spotlight (with grounding), so you need to connect the same wire to it. Don't listen to the "smart salespeople" in construction supermarkets. When I bought the wire, I was told: “What are you... /censorship/, ground the spotlights.” In general, trust only yourself and reliable information, and not “woe to the specialists” who, perhaps, only understand cheap but strong drinks.
Quite often, aquarists are faced with the question of aquarium lighting, especially if it is homemade or if you keep plants for which standard lighting is clearly not enough. It is not always clear what type, what power and what temperature of the lamp to choose. In this post I will describe my case of creating and calculating LED lighting for an aquarium with my own hands, and also share along the way additional information, which I came across on this issue.
My aquaterrarium Actually, my aquaterrarium. Below is an aquarium of 120 liters (with live plants, gastromyzons, glass perches, tetras, corydoras, etc.), on top there are 3 more of the same volume for a terrarium. As you can see, there is, frankly, not enough space to place aquarium lighting. Initially, when constructing the aquarium, 2 fluorescent tube lamps with a power of 8 W each were supplied as lighting. Visually, it seemed that the aquarium was sufficiently lit. But after some time, the plants began to protest in every way available to them. It was decided to change the backlight to a more powerful one.
Choosing the type of aquarium lighting source
I decided to install the increasingly popular LED strips. The most important reason for making LED lighting for the aquarium in my case was the extreme compactness of such lighting. Additional advantages of LED aquarium lighting include energy saving, long service life, and LED operation on low voltage (there is water all around, you never know...).
My LED aquarium light is not afraid of water What kind of light do aquarium plants need?
A few words about emission and absorption spectra. Plants are interested in the visible part of the light spectrum. To capture light, plants use chlorophyll, which absorbs light from the blue and red parts of the spectrum.
Green plants absorb visible light predominantly in the blue and red parts of the spectrum Plants reflect green light, which is why we see them green. So the white light visible to our eyes contains everything necessary for plants parts of the spectrum (blue and red) and even more (the green part of the spectrum not used by plants). Therefore, any white light source will be suitable for lighting a standard aquarium. You just need to correctly calculate how much light is needed in your case.
Calculation of aquarium lighting
Calculating lighting for an aquarium with LEDs is no different from calculating lighting with other light sources. Most sources contain the notorious formula 0.5 - 0.8 watts per liter. In principle, the scheme works, but for different light sources there may be significant errors (for example, my 120 liters actually need 43 W LED strip- if I counted in Watts, it would come out to a completely different number).
I recommend calculating the lighting requirements of the aquarium in lux. Lux is a unit of illumination, essentially a lumen per 1 m² of area. Illumination for standard aquariums (height less than length) with ordinary plants 6,000 – 10,000 lux. For plants with a very high light requirement, 10,000 – 15,000 lux.
Those. We calculate the bottom area of our aquarium in square meters and multiply the resulting number by the required number of lux. We get the required parameters for our light source in lumens (they are indicated for all light bulbs and LED strips).
Calculation example: the bottom area of my aquarium is 0.75m*0.4m=0.3m². Desired illumination is about 7000 lux. This means we need a light bulb 0.3 m² * 7000 lux = 2100 lumens.
I go to Leroy, where I see an excellent option: LED strip 14.4W/60LED/m, cool white, IP65. 1 meter of such tape produces 700 lumens. So, we take 3 meters.
This is the tape I installed to illuminate my aquarium Similar calculations can be made for any lamps/bulbs/spotlights.
At first it seemed that 7,000 lux was a lot of light. But if we compare it with what we find in nature, it turns out just right.
Examples of illumination in lux You will also need a power supply, I took it with a reserve, 60 W. Well, here we simply multiply the power of a meter of tape by the number of meters.
Warm or cold – see for yourself. Cold is more in the blue part of the spectrum, warm in the red. Usually they put it cold (it passes through the water column better), but for shallow aquariums this is not important. Choose according to your scenery. I installed two meters of cold and one meter of warm white light.
DIY LED aquarium lighting 
Now there is enough light for everyone As a conclusion
I installed LED lighting in the aquarium and couldn’t be happier :) No, seriously, very cool. It would be cheaper to illuminate the aquarium with fluorescent lamps, but, again, my distance from the water to the “lid” (i.e., the shelf of the terrarium) is too short, and I was also wondering how it would be to do LED lighting for an aquarium with your own hands. The plants are very happy. Absolutely everyone began to grow, Riccia turned from a pathetic lump into a lush carpet. No flowering, threads or other problems were noticed in 3 weeks.
As an alternative to purchased rather expensive light sources, you can choose another solution - organize LED aquarium lighting with your own hands. This option is quite simple to implement. And there are more advantages from its use than from lamp lighting devices.
About the features of LED backlighting
The importance of light for aquarium plants and animals is not at all exaggerated, since normal conditions Life in water cannot be maintained without oxygen. It is precisely for its production that algae are used, which need light in sufficient quantities, on which the process of photosynthesis depends. This chain allows all living things in the aquarium to develop.
But the backlight must have the correct spectrum, and, in addition, be economical and effective (provide the required level of illumination). Therefore in Lately They began to use LED lamps more often when organizing the system. One of its advantages is the almost complete absence of heating of the case during operation. This means that there is no need for an additional cooling system.
LED devices, be it a strip or another type of light source, operate tens of times longer than their lamp counterparts (fluorescent, incandescent lamps). This advantage allows you to avoid regular maintenance of the lighting system, including the need to replace lamps.
Also, a lamp based on diodes provides directional, and therefore more efficient lighting, and there is no need to install reflectors to increase the intensity of the glow, as required by the lamp lighting system.
The only downside is that the range is not very wide. LED devices for illuminating the aquarium, since they have only recently appeared on the market and are offered at a relatively high price. But craftsmen can make a lighting device based on diodes with their own hands. The cost of such structures is usually low and the installation work is simple.
Lighting devices based on diodes
There are two main ways to illuminate an aquarium using LED light sources:
- using a lamp;
- using a strip with many LEDs.
Each option is characterized individual characteristics, which allows you to use different types of light sources for different purposes. For example, lamps are usually used when organizing a lighting system as the main lighting devices due to their sufficient luminous intensity and correct spectrum. And tape is most often used as additional element lighting systems, which is due to the lack of spectral range.
For these reasons, tape lighting It is recommended to combine with other light sources. But to choose correctly the right lamp, it is necessary to calculate the sufficient level of illumination of the aquarium. In the case of LED devices, the luminous flux (lm) is taken into account.
The value of this parameter can vary from 20 to 60 lm depending on the characteristics of plant development different types. A lamp luminaire is always selected based on its power.
How to organize aquarium lighting
Most suitable options lighting system: in the area of the lid and front wall. IN natural conditions the only source of light for the inhabitants of reservoirs is the sun, which, as is known, provides overhead lighting.
Therefore, most natural conditions The life of aquarium animals and plants is ensured by a lighting system located in the area of the cover glass and in the upper part of the façade glass.
But already at a depth of more than 10 cm from the surface of the water, the light is significantly scattered (which is affected by the lid of the aquarium, the thickness of the water), so reflectors are often used to increase efficiency. With their help, the lamp can also illuminate the walls. Popular solutions based on the use of LEDs include the following designs:
- tape lighting;
- use of spot LEDs and installation of a full lighting system.
In the first case, you will only need the tape itself; its quantity should be calculated based on the dimensions of the aquarium. To connect, you will need a 12 V power supply. To make the structure safe, you will need a sealant. Double-sided tape is used to attach the LED strip.
Placing the diode strip in a container
The second option is more difficult to install; more materials are used for its implementation: spot LEDs, the number of which is determined by the volume of the aquarium; plastic gutter (will serve as a housing); power supply 12 V; wires, connector sockets for installing LEDs; Coolers can be useful if necessary.
Work in stages
First, a simpler solution will be considered - with tape. In this case, installation can be performed even by a person without experience. You need to cut the LED strip to the required length. Often lighting is done around the entire perimeter of the lid.
The first step is to connect the wires of the power supply and tape. Then the cut of the plastic strip and the area where the wires connect are filled with sealant to secure the structure. By the way, today you can purchase a waterproof version of the tape (IP68), which will allow installation in water. Final stage work - installation of the resulting structure. This can be done using double sided tape or silicone sealant.
The second option involves the use of spot LEDs. If you install them in a plastic gutter, you can get a full-fledged lamp. To work, you will need one or two pieces of plastic gutter, in the base of which you need to drill a series of holes. Their number must correspond to the number of LEDs. Connector sockets are used for fastening.
The finished lamp must be connected to a 12 V power supply. Moreover, it is advisable to choose a parallel option for connecting LEDs, which will allow the design to function even if one of the LED elements fails.
The lamp is installed above the cover. LEDs are characterized by a small heat release during operation, but you can still play it safe and install finished design on the slats. If the aquarium is quite large, then avoid heating the lighting cover from large quantity working LEDs will allow coolers in quantities of several pieces.
Nuances of installation and connection
Regardless of whether you plan to install a lamp or attach an LED strip, you need to determine how resistant the aquarium is to the effects of high temperatures. If the lid can withstand heating up to 150 degrees, you can install the light source directly on it. Otherwise, you should still pre-fix the aluminum profile.
Lamp placement diagram
Wires are connected in accordance with polarity. So, blue/black corresponds to a minus, red to a plus. If connected incorrectly, the tape will not work as a result. The LED lamp and strip must be connected exclusively through the power supply and not directly to the mains (220 V). This will reduce the supply voltage to the desired level.
The power supply is connected to the network by connecting the corresponding wires with phase and neutral. To be able to turn the lamp on and off, a switch is installed in front of the power supply. When choosing a voltage-reducing element, the power of the light source is taken into account.
To calculate the value of this parameter, you need to multiply the power of one spot LED by their total number. Plus, you need to take into account a small margin (up to 20% of the obtained power value).
If you plan to connect LED lamp, then it can be made not only using a plastic gutter, but also on the basis of an ordinary aquarium lamp in a housing with reflectors. In this case, you need to carefully remove the light source and also secure it required quantity spot LEDs away from the installation site of the aquarium lamp, which must be returned to its place after all work is completed. The result is a lighting system with additional light sources.
Thus, it is quite possible to install lighting in the aquarium yourself. For this purpose it is used minimal amount materials. The process of installing wires is the most labor-intensive stage of the entire work, but it will also be easy to complete, following the connection instructions.
LED (Light Emitting Diode) lighting is an excellent option for a marine or freshwater aquarium. LED lamps do not use much electricity. They are distinguished by long-lasting and relatively easy operation. These features help reduce operating costs for a long time. Environmentally friendly LED lights Does not contain harmful chemicals such as mercury or phosphorus, unlike fluorescent lamps. You have the opportunity to install LED aquarium lighting yourself if you use the instructions.
Advantages and disadvantages of LED lighting
Check out the LED aquarium.
How to install LED aquarium lighting yourself
The first method of making LED aquarium lighting with your own hands is the simplest. Here you can use a lid with a special backlight. It is recommended to attach LED strips around the perimeter of the lid white, which will give all possible spectrum and ensure uniform illumination of the upper perimeter of the tank.
The second method is to make a small “chandelier”. Above the tank you need to make a square, round or diamond-shaped block in which you can put all the equipment and LED strip. Lighting with a power of 120 W is enough for a spacious tank with a capacity of 250-300 liters, where many fish and plants live. Such a “chandelier” can contain about 40 LED lamps with a luminous flux of 270 lm (lumens), 3 W each. The result will be a lighting brightness of more than 10,000 lm, which will provide a bright light spectrum in an aquarium of this size. The main thing is constant monitoring of the balance of the ecosystem: excess green light promotes the proliferation of microbes.
How much does it cost to assemble such a lamp? The cost may vary depending on the seller. It is advisable to buy LED lamps from trusted manufacturers so that they last a long time and do not create difficulties during installation. Reliable imported LED lamps: Osram, Cree, Philips, Lumileds. Russian manufacturers LED dumps: “Feron”, “Camelion”, “Jazzway”, “Gauss”, “Navigator”, “Era”.
To install lighting with such bulbs yourself, you need:
- Buy a lot LED light bulbs, LED strip;
- Plastic gutters 10 cm wide and 2 meters long;
- Power supply 12 V, can be supplied from a desktop computer;
- Take soft wire 1.5 mm;
- Get a 6-12 V air conditioner;
- No connectors are needed for the LED strip; for lamps you will need 40 connectors;
- Cutter for 48 mm holes.
See how to make LED aquarium lighting with your own hands.
After preparing all the materials, along plastic construction it is necessary to cut two gutters and drill holes in the lower part - about 20 pcs. by 1 meter, possible in a checkerboard pattern. Then you need to put LEDs in the holes and secure them. All lamps must be connected to power. If you do not know how to properly handle wiring, contact an electrician who can perform the procedure correctly.
A cooler or fan should be placed where the lighting cover evaporates or heats up. For decorative purposes, you can make night lighting, which will become an imitation moonlight. It is needed for tropical sea fish and sea anemones. For night light, you can use a blue LED strip that can be installed on the back wall. An electric lighting timer or automatic backlight on/off must also be connected to regulate the amount of daylight required.
The lighting of the aquarium should come from its top part - this creates soft and diffused light. It is better to use 1 W LED lamps, however, the appropriate power is selected for different aquariums. An LED strip of 30-40 light bulbs with a total power of 3 W can be sufficient for a tank with a capacity of 200 liters. The main thing is that the light is not too bright and does not harm the slaves and plants. The optimal calculation is 0.5 Watt per 1 liter of water, but for a deep and spacious aquarium, all indicators in the formula must be multiplied by two.
It is also important to take into account the thickness of the bottom - visually, the water and all bottom plants should receive enough light in the lower layers of the tank. Bottom fish and snails require little light, but the plants will still grow and require more light. During the process of photosynthesis, plants will require a lot of light, and due to its deficiency, they will release less oxygen. To avoid problems, you need to regulate the amount of daylight and create uniform illumination in the pond that every resident will receive.