A reef tank is one of the most beautiful additions to a home. Having your own mini-marine biome at some part of your house is a good way to wow visitors and to give your house a refreshing new look. Reef tanks are good and all but what’s the point in having one without giving it proper lighting?
There are many ways you can light up your reef tank so that it’s easier to appreciate what you have created. Some people use strategic placement to give the reef tank some natural tank during the day. What happens when nighttime comes though? Does your tank have the capacity to stay beautiful even when it’s dark?
One of the most popular lights used for reef tanks are LEDs. There are various benefits to LEDs for your reef tank and it’s more than just about making your tank visible. There are a ton of benefits to LEDs but before we dive into that, let’s first talk about what LEDs are.
What Are LEDs?
LED means light-emitting diode. It’s a form of lighting that is a lot more efficient than traditional incandescent light bulbs. The light works by letting an electrical current pass through a microchip. This then illuminates a tiny light source which is the actual LED.
LEDs have become more common in households throughout the last couple of years because of the benefits they have as compared to traditional light sources. Now, why should you consider using LEDs to illuminate your reef tank as well?
Safer Than Other Light Sources
One of the primary concerns of tank owners when using a light source for their reef tank is whether or not the bulb is made out of a safe material. If you read this article here, you’ll discover that LEDs are actually one of the safest light sources to use for reef tanks and aquariums. You’ll be illuminating your tank without worries.
As compared to other light sources, LEDs are not made of metal filaments or gas. These are what halides are made of and these are previously the commonly used light source for reef tanks. There are actually many manufacturers of LEDs for reef tanks and this is good news.
Since LEDs for reef tanks aren’t exactly a niche anymore, manufacturers are making them safer for marine life. If you want a safe and efficient way to light up your tank, then LEDs are definitely the best way to go and do so. As more people embrace LEDs for fish tanks, expect more safety features as well.
Better Energy Consumption
One of the upsides of LEDs is that they consume way less energy as compared to other light sources. This is important for a reef tank because these lights are usually kept on for hours per day. If you’re not using LEDs, you can expect that a portion of your electric bill will be devoted to the reef tank alone.
A traditional light bulb consumes 15 watts of energy for a lumen output of 115. For the same lumen output, an LED bulb needs only to consume 2.5 watts of energy. That’s instance 6 times less as compared to traditional light bulbs. If you have a lot of reef tanks, then LEDs are definitely the best option for better energy consumption.
Longer Lifespan
When it comes to lightbulbs, one of the things that you worry about is when they will die out. It’s inevitable for light sources to burn out and die eventually. While that is the same for reef tank LEDs, the time it takes for it to die is significantly longer as compared to other light forms.
Some LED manufacturers claim that their products can last for as long as 50,000 hours which is definitely a lot of time. By comparison, incandescent light bulbs and fluorescent light bulbs can last for up to 2,000 and 36,000 respectively.
As reef tank lights are kept on for long periods of time, such longevity is definitely needed for your light of choice. The chances of your LED dying out on your is very low. In fact, it might only get broken is it’s dropped or destroyed directly. Other than that, expect a light source that’s here to stay for a while.
Better Illumination At A Smaller Package
If you may have seen, LEDs for reef tanks are actually a lot smaller as compared to traditional light bulbs. Despite the size difference, LEDs are able to illuminate reef tanks just as much as larger forms of light. Thanks to its compact size, LEDs are easier to install and find a place in reef tanks.
Another upside to it being smaller is that it’s a lot less noticeable too. Your reef tank will look as natural as possible under the illumination of an LED bulb.
A More Practical Option
If experts are asked about the downsides of LEDs if there are any, it’s that it’s more expensive than other light sources. Whether you choose reef tank LEDs or LED bulbs for the house, it’s definitely going to cost you several dollars more compared to incandescent light bulbs.
If you think about it though, the high price point of LEDs are actually a lot better to shoulder. Aside from being more durable than incandescent lights, LEDs are also more efficient when it comes to power consumption. The extra dollars you pay when picking these over incandescent light bulbs are going to pay off in a few months or so.
Reef tank LEDs can be very expensive but when you think about the potential benefits, it’s really best to just go with this as compared to other forms of light.
LED lighting is currently the best way to illuminate your reef tank. We see this being the case for years to come as manufacturers continue to create better and better ways to maximize what LEDs do. While a bit heavy on the pocket, LED lighting is definitely something you’d want to consider investing on.
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