15 Best LED Lights For Reef Tank 2023 | Reviews & Guide

The best and effective led lights are the brighter one and produce less heat. It gives a beautiful and shiny look to the aquarium.

The ones which are easy to install and have various colours of light are the best-led lights for reef tanks.

Buyer’s Guide

As purchasing good LED lighting can be tough, below is a list of factors that you must consider before buying LED lights for your reef tank.

The Aquarium Size

The aquarium size is one crucial factor that should be considered when looking for the best LED lighting for your reef tank.

Some models are easily adjustable so you can install LED lights on different reef tanks as well.

The Marine Life in the Aquarium

The different plants/corals have different light needs, so you need to check the light needs ratings before buying the LED light for your reef tank.

For plants in the growing stage, they require maximum light.

When buying plants, you have to keep in mind the ease of maintenance, such as the amount of light needed.

Also, the animals in your tank will be affected by the intensity of the light so you should buy the right type of LED light, which works well for them.

Quality

The quality of the LED lights often determines the price of it.

The model should be well built and should provide quality performance. Check the outer cover for the quality of the light.

You still need to get the lenses that can work for a long time without losing their abilities. It should be waterproof as it has to work in wet conditions all the time.

LED Lights Lifespan

The lifespan is a significant consideration too. Getting an LED light which would last you a long time is critical as you would not want to buy one again and again.

Manufacturers usually mention the expected lifespan of the LED lights, and you can easily compare different models before finding the best one.

Ease of Use

Ease of use is another essential factor that you should consider. Look for a model that comes with a remote so you can easily control it from your couch.

It should be easy to make the adjustments on the control panel without having to go through so many menus.

Updating Options

Making changes to your LED light should be easy, thus get one that can be easily updated.

This will ensure that you do not have to buy a whole new set if changes need to be made.

The Color Temperatures

The colour temperatures of the LED light will also affect the temperature of the water in the reef tank.

When the LED light is on for a long time, the colour of the light affects the heat and is passed on to the water.

Keep in mind the colour temperature rating for the marine life of the aquarium before making the purchase.

1. NICREW Classic LED Aquarium Light

NICREW Classic LED is a great product to make the panel and glass-covered aquarium super bright.

It helps to provide fanatic shine to the aquarium as it is energy efficient and is durable also.

It has a feature that has adjustable metal brackets that help to fit in the aquarium tank.

The size is 18 inch to 24 inches. Lights come in two modes; for daylight, it is white and blue LEDs. And for a night it is blue.

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Pros:

• Two light modes
• Durable
• Energy saver
• Adjustable

Cons:

• Light is not bright
• Works mostly for two months

2. S SMIFUL LED Aquarium Light

This light comes with various features; it is 15 RGB lights with comes in 16 colours with four modes; these can be controlled by wireless remote also for perfect lighting.

It has a feature of dimming light also. The lights are waterproof; therefore, they can be submerged.

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Pros:

• 16colours with four modes
• Bright lights
• Wireless remote included
• Dimming light option

Cons:

• Poor quality
• Light burns out shortly

3. NICREW Multi-Colored LED Aquarium Lights

The multi-coloured LED lights are amazing. They come in a size of 2inch. It helps to give and promote the supplemental of oxygen underwater.

It has a feature of slowly changing colour and has air stone combinations.

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 Pros:

• Durable
• Easy fits in any aquarium
• Slowly changes colour

Cons:

• Poor quality control
• Lights start to dim quickly
• Short life span

4. Hagen HG Fluval Flex Aquarium Kit

It is a freshwater kit which is one of a kind. It has the best illumination and multistate filtration, plus amazing aquarium features along with it.

It has 48 white and 6 RGB that is adjustable 2450 lux lights that help to make the aquarium shine.

The 7500k LEDs also help in the growth of plants.

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Pros:

• Great shine
• Filtration also
• 48 white
• Help in plant growth

Cons:

• Filter is noisy
• pump heats up
• lights burns out-short life span

5. ECtENX LED Aquarium Light

This product has great light. It is a clip light for the aquarium. The LEDs are energy-efficient and durable.

These lights come in two colours, blue and white, for fantastic night and day effect in the aquarium.

They are built to save energy by 40%. It can be easily adjusted as it has a gooseneck clamp.

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Pros:

• 40% energy saver
• Two colours, white and blue
• Gooseneck-adjustable
• Clip light

Cons:

• Inefficient quality
• Difficult to set
• Clip loose soon

6. Clever Sprouts LED Aquarium Light

These LEDs are the best lights for making the aquarium shine and bight, as it has ultra-bright SMD 5050 LEDs.  These lights are 50% brighter than any other lights.

These lights can be completely submerged in water. It is designed with the concept to consume low energy. It is only 12v.

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Pros:

• Ultra-bright
• Submerges in water
• 50% bright
• Save energy

Cons:

• Only one light, while
• It heats up
• Cannot be touched

7. Current USA Orbit Marine Aquarium LED Light

It is a great product to make your aquarium bright and shine.

It has ultra-bright lights that help make the aquarium shine. It is a loop; it provides light and a pump control alongside.

It has multiple features. It can dim the lights; it has a storm mode, evening mode. It can easily be installed, as the brackets are 18-24 inches wide.

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Pros:

• Pump control
• Super bright lights
• Multiple modes
• Easy to install

Cons:

• Not durable
• On and off-time mode is not included
• Poor quality

8. Finnex FugeRay Planted+ Aquarium LED Light

This product is an effective built; it is a lunar blue moonlight LED, it gives great effects of soft light in the aquarium.

Along with an ultimate plant LED to help in the growth of the plant.

It is a clip light that is made of plastic and aluminium. It consumes only 6 watts of energy.

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Pros:

• Blue moonlight
• Plant LEDs
• Clip light, easy to install
• Durable lights
• Saves energy

Cons:

• Lights burn out soon
• It clips loose shortly
• Poor quality control

9. DaToo Aquarium Small LED Clip Light

DaToo aquarium lights have very excellent quality and performance; it has two lights, white and blue, which help to make the reef tank look beautiful and brighter.

It is clipped light; it can be adjusted at 360 degrees for effective results. It also built in a way to save energy, consumes 60% energy comparing to rest.

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Pros:

• Two colour lights-blue and while
• Clip light
• Light can be adjusted to 360-degree angle
• Saves energy

Cons:

• Not durable
• Not bright enough
• Ineffective quality

10. MingDak LED Aquarium Light

It gives a great and brightest light, as output is 12v/0.5a brighter than 5v/1a.

It has white lights that help to make the tank shine and looks a cool, warm look.

It is built with an in-frame mount that also to present it beautifully. It can be submerged in the reef tank.

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Pros:

• Durable
• Great light
• Saves energy
• White lights –gives a shiny look

Cons:

• Short life span-2 months mostly
• Suction cups do not sticky

11. HIPARGERO LED Aquarium Light

This product is great for a reef tank. It has real Cree LEDs and a professional spectrum.

There are three different colours lights, royal blue, blue and white for mimicking the deep-sea environment in the tank.

It has up to date features as it has a touch control system for adjusting two dimmable LEDs.

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Pros:

• Cree LEDs
• Three colours of light-royal blue, blue and white
• Touch control system
• Durable

Cons:

• Low quality
• Not suitable for rimmed aquarium
• Difficult light to use

12. Hygger Full Spectrum Aquarium Light

This light is super bright as it is DC12v/9w, and it has 5730 LEDs which helps it to make more sparkly in the clean water.

It also helps in the growth of a plant, with low to mid-light.

It has a feature of three light colours modes, these colours are blue, red and white, which can be controlled by the remote.

It is easy to install as it has adjustable brackets.

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Pros:

• Super bright
• Three colours light-blue, white and red.
• Adjustable brackets
• Great quality

Cons:

• Not durable
• Lights burn out in less than a month

13. COVOART LED Aquarium Light

This product has super bright LEDs, which are 35% brighter than others.

The lights can be easily submerged in the water. It comes with an IR sensor controller.

It has built-in memory to remember the last savings of lights. It has 16 colours of light and four modes.

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Pros:

• Ultra-bright lights
• IR sensor controller
• Submerges in water

Cons:

• Poor quality
• Lights get soon
• Not durable

14. Relassy LED Aquarium Light Panel

Relassy LED can be controlled by the smart app. It is very advance.

All lights can be adjusted through the app. It is a professional design as it has 338 high-quality Cree LEDs.

The size of the light is 22x 12’’. It makes no fan no noise.

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Pros:

• Control by a smart app
• Cree LEDs
• No fan noise

Cons:

• Cheap product
• Does not connect with the app at times
• Lights are dim

15. GloFish Blue LED Aquarium Light

This led lighting is best for a reef tank, as it is in-framed. And is 8inch of length that is enough for the tank.

The LEDs is easy to install, as can be clipped on the aquarium.

It has a strong blue colour led lights. It is a durable product with great quality.

More photo & price on amazon.com

Pros:

• In-frame built
• Easy to install
• Blue colour light

Cons:

• Light does not hold on well
• Light heats up

Frequently Asked Questions

Below is a list of frequently asked questions by customers and their best answers so all misunderstandings you might have in your mind.

Can you grow coral with LED lighting?

Yes, you can grow coral with LED lighting. It stimulates their growth and makes your aquarium look great as well.

With a 24-hour light cycle that mimics sunrise through sunset and makes your tanks inhabitants shimmer with life.

How many watts of LED lighting do I need for a reef tank?

You should provide 1 to 2 watts of lighting per gallon for fish-only aquariums, 2 to 5 watts per gallon for freshwater planted aquariums and 4 to 8 watts per gallon for reef aquariums.

How long should LED lights be on in a reef tank?

Lighting LED lights for 8 to 10 hours work fine for saltwater reef tanks to stimulate a natural cycle of daylight.

How long do Reef LED lights last?

A standard claim is that Reef LED lights last for 50,000 hours when adequately cared for.

If you run your lights for 10 hours a day, that’s almost around 14 years.

So you would not have to change LED lighting if it turns out to be of good quality for a long time.

What light do I need for a reef tank?

The best light to use for a coral reef aquarium will be either a metal halide/fluorescent mix or one of the new high intensity LED setups.

The general rule is to use 4 to 8 watts per gallon.

What colour light is best for coral growth?

The blue and violet light spectrum is the best for coral growth as they deliver the best conditions for the corals to thrive.

SPS corals require the most lighting while soft, and LPS corals can do well even with lower intensity fluorescent lighting.

Actinic or bluer light should be used even with metal halide lighting to achieve the best possible coral colouration.

How long does Ecotech Radions last?

The usable lifespan of the LEDs is >50,000 hours. This is estimated based on the assumption that the lights are always on at full power.

This is never the case; therefore, they are likely to last much longer than this.

What type of light is best for a freshwater aquarium?

Standard fluorescent bulbs, compact fluorescent bulbs, metal halide lights, and LED lights are the best lighting options for freshwater aquariums.

Incandescent bulbs would not be a good idea as they are suitable only for small aquariums and give off too much heat.

Do blue LED lights cause algae?

Blue lighting can cause excess algae in freshwater.

Bulbs and tubes degrade over time, lowering their Kelvin rating, possibly creating more algae and producing light less useable by plants or corals.

Conclusion

LED lights play a vital role in the growth and life of all the corals and fish in your reef tank.

With all the LED lighting models available in the market, choosing one set can be extremely difficult.

Therefore, with our buyer’s guide and product reviews of our top 15 picks, we hope that you are now equipped to choose the perfect one for your reef tank.

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