Our saltwater aquarium warriors have tested over 40 of the best LED lights for reef tanks since 2017. This update features 6 of the top-rated options, each of which has been through rigorous and complete testing. Keep reading!
Here are the best led lights for reef tanks you can buy in 2024:
- Best For Soft Corals: Hipargero HIPARGERO-A029
- Best For Hard Corals: VIPARSPECTRA V165
- Best For Small Tanks: Lominie Leite20
- Easy To Set Up: NICREW N14802
- Energy-Efficient: Current USA 4102
- Ultra-Bright: Bozily LED Reef Tank Light
| 6 Best LED Lights For Reef Tanks | ||
|---|---|---|
Best For Soft Corals | Hipargero HIPARGERO-A029 | |
Best For Hard Corals | VIPARSPECTRA V165 | |
Best For Small Tanks | Lominie Leite20 | |
Easy To Set Up | NICREW N14802 | |
Energy-Efficient | Current USA 4102 | |
Ultra-Bright | Bozily LED Reef Tank Light | |
Best For Soft Corals: Hipargero HIPARGERO-A029
- Ideal for soft corals – 0-100% lighting intensity adjustments
- Providing shimmering effects - 10 different color variations
- The touch buttons for color adjustments need improvement
The Hipargero HIPARGERO-A029’s moderate light and multiple intensity adjustments make it a perfect option for soft corals.
It also provides 10 different variations of white/blue and mix combo of each with separate control to meet your tank needs as well as imitate the deep-sea environment.
The LED light is quiet and runs cool enough to not heat up the water. Additionally, it comes with all mounting tools and the price is incredibly affordable.
| Hipargero HIPARGERO-A029 Specifications | |
|---|---|
Assembled Dimension | 8.7 x 4.33 x 1.2 inches |
Wattage | 30Watts |
Recommended Tank Size | Length: 10”- 18” Glass thickness: less than or equal 0.8” |
Highlight Features | 0-100% lighting intensity adjustments 10 different color variations |
Check out the Hipargero HIPARGERO-A029 if you are in search of the best LED light for soft corals.
Best For Hard Corals: VIPARSPECTRA V165
- Powerful illuminating - 55 super-bright LED beads
- Automatically turning on/off – a built-in timer
- Convenient – a remote controller
- A bit difficult to set up
- No ramping up or down
Our team has tested dozens of reef tank lights over the past four years and hardly do we find any option that’s as powerful and affordable as the VIPARSPECTRA V165 to suit hard corals’ needs.
It is built with 55 super-bright LED beads, a built-in timer, and a remote controller.
You’ve got two channel options to control: one blue and one white, each of which comes with three intensity adjustments and separate control to meet your reef tank needs
| VIPARSPECTRA V165 Specifications | |
|---|---|
Assembled Dimension | 16 x 8.5 x 2.4 inches |
Wattage | 165W |
Recommended Tank Size | 29 gallons: 30” x 12” x 18” 20 gallons: 30” x 12” x 12” or 24” x 12” x 16” 15 gallons: 24” x 12” x 12” 10 gallons: 20” x 10” x 12” |
Lifespan | 100,000 hours |
Highlight Features | 55 super-bright LED beads a built-in timer a remote controller |
The VIPARSPECTRA V165 stands out for its powerful illumination to create an ideal saltwater environment for hard corals to thrive.
Best For Small Tanks: Lominie Leite20
- Smart - Wi-Fi connectivity and the phone app
- Allowing for illuminating the desired angle – the 360-free gooseneck
- Designed for small tanks from 8” to 18” long
- A bit challenging for those who want to use the light with a black rim
- The dimmable feature is touchy
If you’re building a nano reef tank, then the Lominie Leite20 is the shiniest contender for the light of choice. Its light spread is perfect for small tanks from 8” to 18” long with glass thickness under or equal to 0.95”.
What we really like about this light is the Wi-Fi connectivity to be handily controlled via a phone app. So, you’ve got three ways to modify the light intensity and timing: Wi-Fi controller, RF remote, and manual.
The flexible 360-free gooseneck and the sturdy metal clamp are also notable.
| Lominie Leite20 Specifications | |
|---|---|
Assembled Dimension | 9.13 x 6.38 x 2.91 inches |
Wattage | 12~16watt |
Recommended Tank Size | 8"~18"(45 cm) long tank |
Highlight Features | Wi-Fi connectivity and the phone app the 360-free gooseneck Designed for small tanks from 8” to 18” long |
The Lominie Leite20 provides just right illumination spread to make it ideal for small tanks.
Easy To Set Up: NICREW N14802
- Easy to set up - an extendable bracket on each end & multiple size options
- Superior imitation of saltwater environment - a higher ratio of actinic blue spectrum
- No memory function
The NICREW N14802 features an extendable bracket on each end and it also offers a wide range of sizes to fit both rimmed and rimless reef tanks from 18” to 24” long. It’s a breeze to set up, even if you are a beginner.
Compared to traditional reef tank lights, this one provides a better color combo for the deep-sea environment. That’s all thanks to the perfect balance of full spectrum and a higher ratio of actinic blue spectrum.
| NICREW N14802 Specifications | |
|---|---|
Assembled Dimension | 16.2 x 4 x 0.75 inches |
Wattage | 20W |
Recommended Tank Size | 18 - 24 inches long |
Highlight Features | an extendable bracket on each end & multiple size options a higher ratio of actinic blue spectrum |
If you’re looking for a beginner-friendly LED light for reef tank, we believe that you can’t go wrong with the easy-to-set-up NICREW N14802.
Energy-Efficient: Current USA 4102
- Keeping energy bills down – slim and efficient light design
- Creating daily natural biorhythmic lighting – a 24-hour timer & multiple weather effects
- Allowing for controlling the water flow – three wave modes
- Programing the timer is tricky
- The light’s legs aren’t rust-resistant
The Current USA 4102 not only provides you with multiple lighting intensity adjustments and color choices but also has many other interesting functions like the 24-hour schedule, weather effects, and pump control.
You have got three wave modes to consider. For example, you can adjust to slow down the water flow during feeding time.
The best part is that while providing more functions and controls, it runs efficiently to not pile up your monthly electricity bills.
| Current USA 4102 Specifications | |
|---|---|
Assembled Dimension | 34.8 x 3.5 x 0.44 inches |
Wattage | 18W |
Recommended Tank Size | tanks 18-24 inches wide. |
Highlight Features | slim and efficient light design a 24-hour timer & multiple weather effects three wave modes |
With the Current USA 4102, you will benefit from more functions with no fears of the increase in your electricity bills. Yeah, it’s the most energy-efficient and multifunctional option from our findings.
Ultra-Bright: Bozily LED Reef Tank Light
- 30% higher illumination transmittance than conventional lights - triple-layer and 90-degree reflector cup & the upgraded LED Lens
- Dependable - ROHS, CE, and FCC certifications
- Wish the instructions were more helpful
A lot of major pro reefers utilize the Bozily LED Reef Tank Light to light their reef tanks for two good reasons: power and full spectrum control.
Its white and blue channels are uniformly adjustable from 0% to 100% to satisfy the most specific needs of your coral tanks.
Thanks to the triple-layer and 90-degree reflector cup and the upgraded LED Lens for 30% higher illumination transmittance than conventional ones, it is ultra-bright yet efficient enough for any coral types.
While there are two fans for heat dissipation, the light rarely gets warm enough for them to kick on. Besides, it meets all safety and quality standards of ROHS, CE, and FCC.
| Bozily LED Reef Tank Light Specifications | |
|---|---|
Assembled Dimension | 12.2x7.9x3.0 inches. |
Wattage | 800W |
Recommended Tank Size | a 48 gallon fish tank. |
Lifespan | 100,000 hours |
Highlight Features | triple-layer and 90-degree reflector cup & the upgraded LED Lens ROHS, CE, and FCC certifications |
Our testers aren’t always on the same page, but it was easy to them to agree that the Bozily LED Reef Tank Light is one of the most ultra-bright LED light for large reef tanks
How To Choose The Best LED Light For Reef Tanks?
PAR Output
Lighting intensity is very important to reef tanks as too strong illumination could kill corals. It requires you to understand whether the light fixture is too much or too little for coral so as to make the right adjustments.
PAR (stands for Photosynthetically Active Radiation) is the easiest way for you to measure and consider the right lighting amount for your reef tank.
PAR indicates the number of light particles falling in a square meter in one second. It is measured in nanometer (nm) and the wavelengths are from 400 to 600 nm.
Each kind of coral requires specific light intensity to thrive. In general, soft corals (or LPS) require 25 to 100 PAR while hard corals (SPS) require 150 to 300 PAR.
But take note that PAR ranges are lower at the bottom of the tank and higher at the top, which means if you want your light fixture to provide 200 PAR at the bottom of the tank, pick a model with at least 400 PAR output.
Light Spectrum
For the most efficient photosynthesis of corals, you should provide not only the right light intensity but also the correct light spectrum.
Blue spectrums are what they need to grow happily and healthily, which explains why most reefers will set those blue and violet spectrums at the highest setting, then add in white until the tank gets the desired shimmering effect.
Longevity And Quality
LED light for reef tanks isn’t a cheap purchase. So, it is worth considering the quality and longevity of the one that you intend to buy.
Our experienced testers advise us to shop from those US-based brands that have been around in the industry for a long time so that if your item is unfortunately broken, you’ll receive better support.
Wattage
Speaking of wattage, there are three groups of reef tank LED lights:
- 50W range – ideal for nano tanks of 15” length. It is the smallest in size and most affordable.
- 90W range – ideal for reef tanks of 24”-48” length
- 150W range – ideal for reef tanks of over 48” length, more mature reef tanks with high PAR output requirements, or SPS dominant tanks.
Which Brands Make The Best LED Light For Reef Tanks?
Hipargero
The local stores in Canada and US, along with a 30-day return guarantee and instant customer support really convinced us to try Hipargero lighting products. And, we weren’t wrong! They are one of our favorite brands now.
VIPARSPECTRA
Another reliable brand for aquarium LED lights is VIPARSPECTRA, which was founded in 2011 and has had multiple warehouses around the world. Making them outstanding from the rest in such a competitive market is the innovative indoor gardening products at incredibly affordable prices.
NICREW
Another great stop for pro fish keepers and novice aquatic hobbyists to get high quality products at an affordable price is NICREW, where you can find almost aquarium products like LED lights, heaters, pumps, etc.
FAQs
Are LED lights good for corals?
Yes, they are. Only LED lighting can provide the spectrum that brings out colors in certain saltwater creatures like corals, according to many experts.
How many watts of LED lighting do I need for a reef tank?
Each gallon of reef tank requires 4W to 8W of LED lighting.
How many lumens do I need for a reef tank?
The brightness of a reef tank is measured in PAR. Various coral types require specific brightness to thrive:
- Clams – 100-300 PAR
- SPS corals – 200-300 PAR
- LPS corals – 50-150 PAR
What is the best lighting schedule for my reef tank?
The best lighting schedule for a reef tank should be 9-12 hours daily.
Do LPS corals need white light?
No, they don’t. LPS corals need blue light, not white light, to thrive.
Conclusion
Picking the best LED light for reef tanks can be challenging, especially with the plenty of options and potential tradeoffs with different designs. Once you figure out your needs and budget, you can start filtering out to get the right ones more easily. That’s also how we picked for this review list.
