Why LEDs are ready for practical and affordable use… That is if we alter the way we think about aquarium lighting and play to their strengths. Much like the pile-o-rock wall was become a staple in the hobby, so has the idea that lighting must be even throughout an entire tank. This would be true if [...]
Why LEDs are ready for practical and affordable use… That is if we alter the way we think about aquarium lighting and play to their strengths.
Much like the pile-o-rock wall was become a staple in the hobby, so has the idea that lighting must be even throughout an entire tank. This would be true if we kept large dominating colonies of similar species in the aquarium, but very few reefs take this true reef bio-tope approach. Rather we place Acropora, Montipora, Acanthastrea, Ricordia, Euphyllia and Tridacna in one jumbled mess as we attempt to mimic large stretchs of coral reef inside the confines of a glass box.
Flickr: Creative Commons S. Copley
When we think of the aquarium lighting we must realize the crucial limitations. Traditional aquarium heights do not allow for proper PAR and spectral shifts as seen in nature. The color spectrum and intensity where Acropora formosa and Acanthastrea lordhowensis occur are starkly different. Even the changes in intensity and spectrum at 5m, 10m, and 20m are all very different…. yet we force all these animals to adapt under the light that we conveniently provide. That’s not to say they cannot adapt, but is it optimal? I would argue in most cases it is not. This why I am a proponent of spotlight or area focused lighting. It allows a specific quality of light to be focused for a coral’s specific needs. All while lending to reduced electric consumption and light spill.
One new lighting technology can take the idea behind spotlighting a step further to coral specific lighting, while being affordable and practical for average sized aquaria–LEDs.
The biggest complaint of current LED technology for aquariums is spread. It takes numerous LED fixtures (of those currently available) to cover an aquarium with any front-to-back depth. We can increase the light spread of LEDs by forgoing optics, but then penetration and PAR levels at depth are sacrificed. This coupled with the high cost of available LED fixtures has cast the current use of this budding technology in doubt.
The future use of LEDs is a near given, but I strongly believe they can be affordably applied to aquariums now if we play to their strengths. Early LED fixtures have gone wrong by trying to illuminate an entire tank with large bulky fixtures (and inadequate intensity for SPS). However, if LEDs are used to highlight specific areas and corals we can utilize the best of what the current technology has to offer. Energy efficient, small, controllable, and focused. LED fixtures currently on the domestic market have failed to exploit these advantages.
A blue LED spotlight shows its focused and powerful beam
LEDs ought to trigger the development of luminaires previously not attainable. Sticking with traditional halide looking hoods with LEDs creates a focused light beam parallel to the front and back glass (a la Solaris) prohibiting creative aquascaping and coral placement.
If creative mounts are utilized, such as clip-on, you have a universal point source light that can be used to efficiently supplement existing aquarium lighting with the par and spectrum desired. The space required for LEDs is far less than metal halides or fluorescents, making them easy to place where desired.
For example, a standard 75g aquarium mixed reef could be adequately illuminated with two 150w 20K halides (in high quality reflectors), while supplementing with high power LEDs with narrow optics to pack additional punch for light demanding corals while warming the spectral quality to mimic their shallow water homes. This could be done with well under 400w, less than the standard dual 250w Halide set up used (500w) and still providing higher quality light by addressing the photosynthetic needs of each coral or coral groupings.
An LED spotlight from Japan
With the limitations that LEDs currently have (technologically and legally; Orbitec patent info here), spotlights are the most practical solution. If we are to continue our mixed reef trend, coral specific lighting is a must– In my opinion the use of supplemental LEDs is a great way to start this shift. In the future GBD will have more on the use of LED spotlights including a simple DIY high power LED Spot.
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