If you have a backyard pond, you know what peaceful pleasure it brings to your outdoor living. Ponds are beautiful during the day, with sunlight catching the subtle sparkle of darting fish and lilies floating lazily in the breeze. But once the sun sets, much of the beauty disappears.
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Until you light up the pond! Suddenly your dark pond turns spectacular. Waterfalls sparkle. Fountains become dramatic works of aquatic art. The water surface shimmers and the light reflects off fish as they swim by. Pond lighting can also be used to light up nearby trees and other accent areas too!
Tips for lighting the pond area
Pond lights can be used submerged under the water, outside the pond pointing down at the pond (downlighting) and outside the pond pointing upward (uplighting). Each type of lighting creates a different look to the landscape. Let’s take a look at each type.
Downlighting
Uplighting
Submersible lighting
Avoiding common pond lighting mistakes
Best Rated Pond Lights Reviews
What to look for in pond lighting
1. Jebao Submersible LED Pond Light
Jebao is a well-known manufacturer of aquarium and pond products.
Their lighting kit features 3, 4, 5 and 6 light kits.
The light fixtures use energy-efficient LED technology. Each fixture contains 12 white LEDs.
You can use white light or select from red, green, yellow and red plastic snap-on lenses that come with each light.
A UL-listed low-voltage power supply keeps the pond safe. The lighting system is based on a 12-volts. A photocell turns the lights on at dusk and off at sunrise. Each light is mounted in a weighted base. The lights can be tilted up or down for easier aiming.
Pros
- 16-foot cords on each light for easy placement.
- Photocell for automatic control.
- Heavy base to keep the lights submerged under water.
- Comes with colored lenses.
- Stays submerged, does not float up.
Cons
- None.
2. Cal Pump Egglite Kit
The CalPump EggLites can be used submerged or dry. The patented EggLite lighting system can be used to illuminate ponds, fountains, statuary, potted plants and landscaping.
The 3-pack kit uses 10-watt halogen bulbs. The rubberized housing is durable and crack-proof.
The lights come with four colored lenses in blue, red, green and yellow. The lights are small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, making them easy to hide in the landscape. Each light comes with a magnetic mounting base. Each light has a 10-foot power cord and a 16-foot extension cord and 60-watt power supply.
Pros
- Durable light housings.
- Lights have heavy bases.
- Light fixture can be tilted for easier aiming.
- Glass lenses.
- 16-foot power cord.
Cons
- Halogen bulbs not as durable as LEDs.
- Halogen bulbs use more energy than LEDs.
3. Aquascape Submersible LED Accent Up Light
The Aquascape line of submersible spotlights can be used in or outside of the pond to illuminate a specific area around the pond.
The die-cast metal housing has a protective coating that won’t crack like plastic.
The light housing is permanently sealed and water-tight.
The fixtures won’t need to be opened since the LED fixtures will last for 40,000 hours. The LEDs provide a gentle, warm color temperature (3,000 K) that does not look cold and harsh. The Aquascape fixtures can be integrated into other 12-volt systems or used as stand-alone lights. Cord length is 14.5 feet.
Pros
- Metal housing.
- Permanently sealed.
- Warm LED lighting.
- 90% energy savings over halogen bulbs.
- Available in several wattages.
- 5-year replacement warranty.
Cons
- Does not have colored lenses.
4. WEKSI RGB 36 LED Submersible Lamp with IR Remote Control
The WEKSI lighting system uses red, green and blue LEDs inside each light fixture.
The colors can be blended to create an unlimited color palate. A remote control is used to select and set the colors.
The colors can be assigned to all lights or an automated color-changing program can be turned on.
Each light fixture contains 36 LEDs. The fixture heads can tilt 180 degrees in their yokes. For out of pond placement the kit comes with removable ground spikes. The spikes can be pressed into the ground to position the lights.
The kit has no photo-sensor so the lights must be controlled with a timer. The lights do not have a memory of the last color selection. When the power is turned off, the lights default to a strobing, color-changing pattern.
Pros
- LED technology.
- Remote controlled colors.
Cons
- No photo sensor.
- Lights tend to float when submerged.
- Cannot set the colors permanently.
- Color must be reset when power is disconnected or turned off.
Final recommendations
Pond lighting kits offer a complete lighting solution that is easy to set up and use. The CalPump EggLites offer good durability and come with colored lenses.
If LED lighting is desired, the Jebao LED pond kit includes an automatic photo-cell feature. While color-changing LED technology offers unlimited color choices, the WEKSI lights require re-setting of the colors every time the power is turned off. Some users leave the power on all the time since the power usage is very low.
The Aquascape LED uplight offers natural white lighting to accent a tree or water fall.