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Dim or Bright, Your Guide To Reef Light

If there is one thing on Earth we depend on more than anything else, it's life giving light from our Sun. Photosynthesis is the primary driving force in our Aquariums as well as in our Oceans, sustaining the food chain for all essential organisms as well as driving the growth of our corals.

In today's guide I shall explain why adequate lighting is important for all systems as well as explaining the physics at work, going over the different lighting requirements along the way.

Why light is important for all Aquariums

As a general rule with aquariums, you need three things to be successful. Good water Quality, Good water Flow and Good Light. Light can merely provide an aesthetic role, making your fish appear more vivid, but for most tanks, its role is far more important.

Planted Tropical tanks, for instance, require a light that can facilitate photosynthesis to an adequate degree, and most modern tanks come pre fitted with adequate lighting.

Marine Tanks take lighting to another level of importance. For everything except most Fish Only Systems, getting suitable lighting is paramount, right down to the spectrum and intensity.

Corals love light

Corals are complex and beautiful creatures, consisting of predatory animals called polyps. For most corals, each polyp plays host to a symbiotic dinoflagellate algae called zooxanthellae, which, within the tissues of the coral, photosynthesises. This provides the corals with nourishing sugars to feed on, with the rest of its food coming from prey caught within its tentacles.

So I just provide light for the corals?

In a nutshell yes, but corals are also fragile and fussy creatures, and as a set of general rules.

Do not overexpose corals to intense lighting, start from the bottom and work your way up in order to acclimate these creatures to new lighting.
Use a decent, good quality light unit from a brand that you know and trust. These will provide the ideal spectrum (colour intensity) as well as adequate intensity.
If using Metal Halide or T5 Units, ensure bulbs are replaced whenever they are due, as they lose intensity over time.

As regards the intensity of lighting, most aquarists defined this as the PAR (Photosynthetically Active Radiation) available to the corals.

Over Or Under PAR?

Generally, most light units will distribute their PAR evenly, with the highest intensity found at the top of the water column. General requirements for most corals are around 50-150 Par, and most modern marine lights will manage this just fine. But for SPS and other corals requiring intense lighting, around 200-500 PAR, acclimated gradually, is recommended.

As a general guide

50-100 Par is Low Light
100-200 is Medium
200-500 is Bright

To summarise, lighting is the cornerstone to many a successful tank, keeping corals happy and colours popping is at times a tricky subject, but when one gets it right, the investment into the most expensive component of the tank is well and truly justified.

Our Top Picks For Marine Lighting Units

Ecotech Radion Series Gen 6

I had the Gen 3 Radion on one of my older tanks, and I fell in love with it. The Gen 6 is an all new design compared to previous models and blows the water out with its performance.

Here's why we like it.

Fully controllable via a mobile app and can operate in a variety of modes to simulate a natural reef environment, including the cycles of the moon!
Can be set to a wide variety of different lighting modes providing the perfect spectrum, and PAR, for coral growth.
Does not require a diffuser
Can work in tandem with other Radion units

Ai Prime 16 HD

Why it's the perfect light for small tanks?

Small, neat design that provides a vivid spectrum via dynamically adjustable light channels
Fully app controllable
Dedicated moonlight channel
Fully Compatible with the Fluval Evo 52L

Maxpect Jump MJ-L Series

Maxpect has been on the scene for some time, dazzling us with the popular and reliable Razer Series a decade ago.

why is this follow up model still amazing?

Compact, affordable and reliable
Fully app controllable and compatible with multiple units
Can be easily configured to different lighting regimes without loss of performance

We at Aquariumkeeping.co.uk will always be happy to answer any questions regarding any thing discussed in this blog, as well as any questions regarding water flow. Feel free to contact us via the website or any of our social media links below.