How to Setup Cheap LED Utility Bar Light in Fish Tank

How to Setup a Cheap LED Utility Bar Light in Aquarium:

LED stands for Light Emitting Diode. When current flows through the LED, it emits light. LEDs were able to emit three colors of lights: red, green & blue, but now they can emit white light as well.

They need less power than ordinary light & they have a long-life span than other lights. They are available for low cost & can emit high intensity of light. You can connect multiple LEDs together for more light. LED lights will enhance the colors of your fish & plants, & plants have low to high light requirements. LED light is suitable for both freshwater & saltwater aquariums. Corals require light to make oxygen & plants also need light to release oxygen & absorb carbon dioxide. If your tank lights are on, then your fish will show better activity, & they will be looking for food & will love to swim in the tank. In the absence of light, fish might be in sleeping mode, they might be inactive & might be hiding. However, not every fish species likes light because some fish like to swim in the dark because light stresses them. Bottom dwelling fish usually search for food at the bottom of the tank when tank lights are off.

Which light is best for my aquarium?

Make sure that you do a web research about the light requirements for your fish & plants, before purchasing light for your aquarium. If your fish & plants need high light intensity then I think that LED lights are better because they also provide a wide range of spectrum. Some LED lights have a night mode that turn on only blue lights at night. This blue light mimics a natural ocean environment. During the day, LED lights provide full spectrum i.e., white lights that show the true colors of fish. In the availability of faint light, your fish colors will be faint / dull. Live plants have their own requirements of lights, & some plants turn red in the availability of high intensity of lights. Plants grow quickly in bright lights. But, high intensity of light will cause abrupt growth of algae in your aquarium that seems weird if it grows abruptly. Plus, algae are indirectly dangerous for the health of plants & fish. Algae could cover your plants’ leaves & stop light from reaching them which could prevent them from photosynthesis.

If you have decided to use LED lights then I have explained in the tutorial below how to setup LED lights in your aquarium:

 

Steps: How to install cheap LED utility bar light in fish tank:

 

Step 1: Why I want to change my old tank light:

Push on light

I have earlier used push on light in my fish tank & it is fixed to the underneath of the fish tank. It does not show enough brightness but it is not too bad. I purchased push on light because it is a low budget light. I used it for just a week & then thought of replacing this light with LED utility bar light.

 

Step 2: Choose light that meets the requirements of your fish tank:

It is a bit difficult to find the light that suits your tank requirement because you might not be keeping the same type of fish & plants, & light requirements for plants widely vary based on the type of plant. It is a wise idea to choose a high intensity light that lets you decrease the intensity of light using a control. You can always adjust the setting if your plants & fish are exposed to too bright light because some fish do not welcome bright lights. I have chosen LED utility bar light because my fish needs high intensity of light.

 

Step 3: Why I choose LED lights:

Many LED lights let you control light intensity & allows aquarists to decide different colors. They have a lifespan of 50,000 working hours. They are available for a reasonable price, their setup is easy, & they need less power. They emit less heat & have a wider coverage.

 

Step 4: Unboxing LED Utility bar lights:

Unboxing ARLEC LED Utility Bar Light

I have unboxed the ARLEC LED utility bar light. It requires 10 W power & has a cord length of 1.5 m. You can simply setup ARLEC LED utility bar light in your fish tank. It offers 950 Lumens of light. It is available in the following dimensions: Length 500 mm, Height 28 mm & Width 45 mm.

 

Step 5: Attach LED utility bar light to the underneath of fish tank:

LED light attached to the underneath of aquarium

I have attached LED utility bar light to the underneath of my fish tank & I have tested its performance. Even though the length of the bar is less than the length of my aquarium, I am still impressed with its coverage. It needs less power & you can decide between different colors.

 

Conclusion:

LED lights are inexpensive, have a longer life span, can offer high intensity that can be adjusted, they are energy efficient, & they are the best choice for both freshwater & saltwater aquariums. They also provide a wider coverage even if their size is less than the length of your aquarium.