10 LED Lighting for Reef Tanks – (2019 Reviews) & Guide
If you’ve chosen to use LED lighting in your aquarium, it’s probably because you want it to look as attractive as possible!
Sometimes you will make the right choice of lights, other times not.
This is because there are so many similar products available today that you might end up being confused on which to choose.
The best LED lights for a reef tank have certain features that make it stand out as the most exceptional quality.
This might include better performance, great design, or a number of others.
To help you in deciding which to buy, below is a guide for you to follow.
Benefits of LED Lighting for Reef Tanks
Brighten Up the Aquarium
LED lights are designed so that they can deliver the best possible visual effects in aquariums. It does not matter what type of effect you want, you can always make the adjustments on the product control panel to enjoy more effects.
Some of the light systems come with a remote control allowing you to make adjustments from the comfort of your couch. With these great new technological advances, you can now make amazing effect changes with just the press of a button.
Safe to Use
The LED lights are made to be safer to use than the old metal halide and T5 fluorescent lights.
This is because there are no metal filaments or noxious gasses found in the LED lights. The manufacturers are also evolving their system to make them water resistant too.
They Generate Less Heat
You can expect that LED lights will produce some heat, but its heat is not enough to make the temperatures in the reef tank higher than you want it to be. The amount of heat produced by LED lighting is nothing compared to that produced by other types of lighting.
With the low heat of LEDs, it is possible for you to keep the power consumption of your aquarium lighting to a minimum.
Better Growth of Plants and Marine Animals
You will be surprised at how much the lighting you use will affect the environment in the aquarium. This means that the LED strip lights could be excellent for the health of your coral and plant life.
Most of the LED lights produce between 8000K and 10000K of lighting, which should be sufficient to promote the growth of a wide variety of plants and the other organisms in the water.
Mostly Compact
You will find that most of the LED lighting systems are designed to be compact and easy to make adjustments to.
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Being compact means that you can place them nearly anywhere around the tank that you want to. It is also possible to mount them in the tank in a way that allows for space and maneuverability so you can easily clean and maintain the fish tank.
Some manufacturers are also making waterproof LED lights so that you can even mount them underwater and easily clean the tanks whenever needed.
Best LED Lights for Reef Tank 2019
Pictures / LED Lights / Watts / Links/ Current USA Orbit Marine Aquarium LED Light / 18-46 Watts
/ VIPARSPECTRA Timer Control LED Aquarium Light / 165, 300 Watts
/ AI Prime HD+ Aquarium LED - AquaIllumination / 55 Watts
/ Kessil Tuna Blue A80 LED Light w/ mini gooseneck / 15 Watts
/ Hipargero Aquarium LED Lights 30W Saltwater Lighting / 30 Watts
/ Wattshine 140W-180W LED Coral Light / 140-180 Watts
/ ✪MicMol LED Aquarium Light for Saltwater Coral Reef Fish Marine Tank / 24-96 Watts
/ Phlizon 165W Dimmable Full Spectrum Aquarium LED Reef Decoration Light / 165 Watts
/ Marineland Reef LED Strip Light / 1 Watts LED Lamps
/ Current USA Fixture Orbit Marine Pro LED Light / 21-100 Watts
To help you easily select the right LED combination for your coral reef tanks, we have reviewed a number of top products below.
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From the reviews, you should be in a position to make an informed decision about the best options to choose when it comes to LED lighting.
Best LED Aquarium Lighting for Corals, Reef Tanks Reviews
1. Current USA Orbit Marine Aquarium LED Light
Right from the start, it is easy to fall in love with this product. It is made to be simple, yet fully functional. Its slim, sleek look makes more people love it even more.
The thin look should not fool you—the product has an impressive brightness that will transform the appearance of your aquarium.
You can make all the lighting changes right from your couch using the remote control instead of having to stand up each time you want to change the lighting mood.
Additional memory settings allow you to customize your settings and save them for later quick access. You can easily select them later on and load them into the aquarium without having to set them afresh.
The sliding docking legs are an additional feature you will love, as they allow for easy adjustments for various types of installation.
The LEDs used in this system are made to consume less energy compared to other models. The low voltage is not only good for maintaining low power, but also safe for aquarium use. The 120-degree dispersion angle of the light provides optimal spread and color blending.
Also, most LED lighting doesn’t work in a saltwater reef tank, making this a very popular feature as well.
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2. VIPARSPECTRA Timer Control LED Aquarium Light Dimmable
Not many LED lights can beat the value and quality you get from this model. It is designed to deliver a performance impressive enough to satisfy the beautification needs and desires of the most discriminating aquarium owners.
The inbuilt timer makes it easy to control the LED light system. Even if you’re not technically inclined you’ll be able to quickly and simply program it to turn on at a specific time or change the color at specified intervals.
The manufacturer claims that the overall design of the full spectrum system was based on input from their customers. It is amazing how the company took advice from its customers in order to intelligently create a more valuable product.
This decision on the part of the company has brought this model year of success, as they have created the best possible LED light for its customers.
The type of light conditions it delivers have been seen to be great for photosynthetic corals. A variety of different marine plants will all have an easy time absorbing the light and using it for photosynthesis.
You could start with low-intensity light and increase it slowly until you find just the right level that works great for your corals.
3. AI Prime HD+ Aquarium LED – AquaIllumination
This new light gives you some interesting features you are sure to find valuable. You no longer have to be restricted to a fixed amount of power. This means that you can always get more light with this model.
To understand just how much difference this light brings, you have to compare it with other models. You will discover that the HD power gives it an edge over all the other models available in the market.
Controlling this light is simpler than many people realize. You can use the Wi-Fi control to manipulate several of its features. This can be done using software installed on your PC, or through an app on your phone.
The best part is that the dashboard is quite intuitive. You have no need to worry that it will take a long time to learn how to operate it. The software will give you access to numerous settings so that the light is customized for your tank.
When it comes to mounting, it is simple and will take only a minimal amount of time. The manufacturer offers you clear instructions on how to get the job done quickly and safely.
4. Kessil Tuna Blue A80 LED Light w/ mini gooseneck
This is one of the smallest LED lights that you can buy today. For that reason, you may find it great if you are faced with a tight spot in which to install a reef tank light.
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Many people will love the choice of aluminum construction. This type of material is great for durability and also heat management. Keeping in mind that this light lacks fans for cooling, this material helps a lot with the cooling process.
The Tuna blue model is meant for marine and reef aquariums. You will have to choose the Tuna Sun if you have planted or freshwater tanks.
Having a small slim form factor makes it ideal for smaller and shallow tanks. You can know the right light is lighting up your aquarium when you get this light today.
For a light this size, you might have expected the manufacturer to keep it simple. Amazingly, it comes with just as many impressive controls and dials as the other models. These controls allow you to vary the intensity, choose the color and a lot more. This just goes to show the surprising versatility of this light.
The model comes with an impressive lens and reflector that manage the performance of the model. There is no doubt this light offers great value for your money and you will always be happy to have chosen it.
5. Hipargero Aquarium LED Lights 30W Saltwater Lighting
The strength of this model is in providing users with the best possible quality of light. You get the high-powered Cree LEDs, which deliver premium aquarium lighting. The manufacturer designed this light to deliver the proper proportion of white and blue light. This is important for boosting the health of the plants and animals in the aquariums.
The LED lamps in the device use the 90-degree three-in-one acrylic lens. The aim is to ensure that you always get a high-efficiency light and also remarkable color uniformity.
The presence of two dimmable channels helps achieve the right lighting intensity. The light is fully adjustible, from 0% to 100%. This means that you can set the precise light intensity the fish or coral reef need for their growth. Also, the light intensity will allow the growth of any SPS or LPS under it.
To ensure exceptional durability, the manufacturer has used super-premium quality materials. You can be sure that this light is going to last for years. It also comes with an adjustable bracket that assures ease of installation.
You will also find that this product is generally easy to operate. Installation takes just a few minutes and you will be up and running.
6. Wattshine 140W-180W LED Coral Light
When it comes to performance, you are always looking for a light that delivers on impressive brightness. Well, this super-bright LED should work for you. The model features a 180W light that delivers on the right brightness needed by aquarium life.
The best part about using these lights is that they are energy efficient. Since many people are looking to save on power, the manufacturer gave them a way to do that and still have an excellent aquarium light.
Being energy efficient does not mean it will not deliver on performance. More people than ever are using this light today for just that reason.
The light is fully dimmable. This is good news for those who might need a light with such features. It’s adaptable to a variety of functions, depending on the type of aquarium life in the tank.
The overall construction of the light is high quality. You will not have to worry about the light breaking down in a few weeks. Its impressive durability is what drives more people to buy it today. It also comes with a 31% higher PAR value and strong light penetration.
This light is most often used for the soft and hard coral growth, as well as the fish in your tanks.
7. MicMol LED Aquarium Light for Saltwater Coral Reef Fish Marine Tank
The evolution of technology has brought with it amazing changes in LED lighting. With this model, you are going to experience new LED lights like never before.
It features super-thin “smart” LED lights. You can be sure that they will deliver on performance at all times to ensure that you always like them.
The manufacturer recommends that you use this light for saltwater reefs. You will see positive changes in the tank from the moment you start using this light in your aquarium.
These super-bright LEDs and the real HD full spectrum construction are what really deliver high performance. You get up to seven bands of light that deliver on the needs of your tank from moment to moment.
It also comes with a smart controller. This is an important addition that allows you to easily manipulate the lighting. Some of the common manipulations you can do include simulating sunrise and sunset, checking the light intensity, and many more.
8. Phlizon 165W Dimmable Full Spectrum Aquarium LED Reef Decoration Light
The manufacturer offers you a wide spectrum of options when it comes to using this particular type of light. You can switch between the use of UV Blue, Purple, White, Green, and Red lights.
The blue UV light has been shown to be great for promoting the plant’s defense mechanism. The purple light, on the other hand, is important for sterilizing the habitat and protecting the fish growth. The white and red lights come in handy for the coral reef growth.
The design is all about the light delivering on the needs of the aquarium’s inhabitants. The best part is that you can use it for both saltwater and freshwater applications. No need to get a different product for each.
You still get the option of using a dimmer with this model. The aim of the dimmer settings is to acclimate the plants and the fish to the new light, then slowly increase the intensity.
The dimmer also comes in handy to help in simulating the night and day in the aquarium.
9. Marineland Reef LED Strip Light
The model is renowned for having unmatched efficiency and performance that most models lack today. The LED lighting technology has been transforming the aquarium lighting scene and this model often stands out as the best.
Coming from a top brand, you should always find this type of model delivering the best performance at all times.
Compared it to its predecessor, this model has proven to be twenty percent brighter. This is a major improvement over the HO-T5 fluorescent lamps. It is definitely going to change the look of your aquarium and make it better in all ways.
This light gives you the option of different modes such as the sparkling daytime and lunar modes. This model will give you the best lighting 24 hours per day with ease, thus being great for reef and saltwater applications.
This model comes with exceptional energy efficiency compared to most models on the market. It can also fit on several different models of aquariums because the fitting brackets are adjustable.
This lighting fixture can easily generate up to an impressive 2040 lumens, and so should be able to provide enough light for most applications. With up to ten years of service, you should find this model a great choice thanks to the durability.
10. Current USA Fixture Orbit Marine Pro LED Light
For those who own coral reef tanks, this mode makes an excellent choice. It is designed to make upgrades and installation super-easy. You will be done in just a few steps. The design and construction of the model keep it looking great over time without worrying about having to replace it anytime soon.
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The high-powered LED chips are important as they deliver a broad spectrum of lighting, which means you get enough of the quality light important for helping the marine life thrive and remain healthy.
The use of dome optics enables the model to spread light evenly. This makes sure the light goes to every corner of the aquarium with ease, providing the marine life in your aquarium with the light that it needs to grow effectively.