72 Inch Aquarium Lights
72 inch aquarium lights are perfect for 125 and 150 gallon tanks. These tanks are 72 inches long and 18 inches wide. It is also possible to use a 72 inch aquarium light for a 180 gallon fish tank. Just bear in mind that the light will be more spread out in the larger tank.
Aquarium lights are a great addition to any fish tank. 72 inch aquarium lights help to illuminate the inhabitants of the tank, making them visible and showcasing many of the bright colors of the fish. In addition, proper aquarium lighting provides vital light to photosynthetic plants and even coral in your aquarium.
The choice of lighting is dependent on a range of factors. It is important to balance your plant’s requirement for light, with the visual display desired and importantly also mirror the natural environment of your fish as closely as possible.
There are a range of 72 inch aquarium lights available on the market today. These vary in quality, type and functionality. To help you narrow down your search we have highlighted our favorite pieces for your consideration:
72 Inch Aquarium Light Reviews
BeamsWork 72 Inch LED Aquarium Light
A Little Bit Fishy Score: 4.5/5
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BeamsWork’s 72 inch aquarium light is a high quality product. It has a 2 mode (day / night) setting. It is suitable for a range of 125-175 gallon aquariums.
The BeamsWork 72 inch aquarium light has 182 0.5 Watt LEDs:
- 102 white 10000K LEDs
- 32 actinic LEDs
- 22 red LEDs
- 26 green LEDs
From a display perspective this is great as it helps to accentuate the range of colors present in your tank.
The aquarium lights are suitable for aquarium plants. It is advisable to use the light on a freshwater (not saltwater) fish tank. The light comes with a 1 year manufacturer’s warranty.
Overall we found this to be a good quality product at a decent price. Certainly an option to be considered when looking for the best 72 inch aquarium light for 125+ gallon tanks. If you need some smaller there are also a range of good quality 48 inch aquarium lights available.
Zeiger Eco 72 Inch LED Aquarium Light
A Little Bit Fishy Score: 4/5
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The Zeiger Eco 72 inch aquarium light is a high quality product. It has a 2 mode (day / night) setting. The light can be extended and used for tanks from 72 to 78 inches in length. It is perfect for most 125 to 175 gallon tanks.
The Zeiger’s 72 inch aquarium light has 207 LEDs:
- 165 white 10000K LEDs
- 42 blue LEDs 460nm
It has two modes:
- Blue
- Blue and White
The white LEDs are great during the day, with the blue LEDs giving off a wonderful moonlight in the evenings.
Current 72 Inch LED Reef Aquarium Light System
A Little Bit Fishy Score: 3.5/5
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On the face of it this 72 inch aquarium light has it all. There is a range of LED colors with Actinic blue, white and RGB LEDs. Further, they are designed to mimic the changing light of the day: “slow sunrise, bright daylight, dimming sunset and moonlight”. There is also a built in wave pump controller.
A setup to provide your aquarium with a range of vivid and changing colors throughout the day. Unfortunately we haven’t had the chance to test this system first hand. However… a number of people reported that the reliability of the system is an issue, with many reporting complete failure within one year. As mentioned, we didn’t experience this first hand, but it is definitely something to bear in mind when choosing your 72 inch aquarium light.
Odyssea T5 Aquarium Light – 72 Inch
A Little Bit Fishy Score: 4/5
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The Odyssea T5 72 inch aquarium light is an interesting option. There are some definite positives and some definite negatives. Overall we feel these balance out to a 4 star rating. A system to be considered depending on your specific needs.
The Pros
- 4 x 80 Watt bulbs that offer reasonable output. 2 x 10000K and 2 x Actinic. Providing 23000 lumen.
- A timer panel, allowing your great control over the light settings at different stages of the day.
- The ability to easily swap out the bulbs with other options. And indeed if they fail they are also easy to replace.
The Cons
- The bulbs aren’t great. You may want to swap them out for a better quality options. Either at the beginning, or as they fail. Not ideal, but it shouldn’t detract from this 72 inch light being a viable option for your aquarium.
BeamsWork EA White Blue Aquarium LED (72″ – 76″)
A Little Bit Fishy Score: 4.5/5
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This light is similar to the multi-spectrum Beamswork light discussed above. The difference, of course, is that this light is white only. This is perfect if you’re looking for a more natural display. The light is configured at 10000K, Actinic 460nm with 0.5W LEDs. It is compatible with the Beamswork timer (sold separately).
The light gives off plenty of light for 125-150 gallon tanks, helping to showcase fish at their best. If you want to use it on a larger tank (such as a 200 gallon tank) you may want to consider purchasing two.
KZKR Aquarium Hood Lighting 72 to 84 Inch
A Little Bit Fishy Score: 4/5
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This KZKR 72 inch aquarium light has:
- 16 Red LEDs
- 8 Green LEDs
- 62 Blue LEDs
- 121 White LEDs
This is supported by 3 modes:
- All LEDs on
- All LEDs off
- Only Blue LEDs on
The light is suitable for a tank of length 72 inches (180 cm) to 84 inches (210 cm). It has 8000K, 2350 Lumen and runs of 43 Watts.
One thing to be aware of is that the light is not waterproof. Having said that, it is a decent option, especially since it is a third of the price of some lights on the market.
Current Orbit Marine IC PRO LED Aquarium Lights
A Little Bit Fishy Score: 4.5/5
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The Current Orbit Marine IC PRO 72 inch aquarium lights is the pinnacle of control. It is more expensive than the Orbit Marine IC LED (reviewed below) but gives out up to twice the amount of light, ensuring that your tank pops with color and class.
You will be able to control the spectrum of light. Per Current you’ll get access to “A powerful blend of Dual Actinic blue 445nm/460nm, Dual Daylight white 6,700K/10,000K and RGB LEDs combined with 90° spherical optical lenses delivers the perfect blend of light for strong coral growth and amazing fluorescence.” Just what you need to optimize the visual effects of your aquarium!
The Current Orbit Marine IC PRO has two more cool features:
- Built in lighting programs to give you natural 24 hour lighting cycles
- A built in wave pump controller
The light isn’t cheap, but it represents the peak of functionality for 72 inch aquariums.
Current USA 4108 72 Inch Orbit IC LED
A Little Bit Fishy Score: 4.5/5
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The Current USA 4108 72 Inch Orbit IC Aquarium LED offers extraordinary control over your aquarium lighting. It offers:
- Dual Actinic blue 445nm/460nm LEDs
- Dual Daylight white 6,700K/10,000K
- RGB LEDs
- Multiple modes including cloud cover and storms
- A built in lighting programs to give you natural 24 hour lighting cycles
It is not as expensive as the Pro version reviewed previously, but provides the majority of the features that are contained in the more expensive version. Definitely an option worth considering if you value control over a visually appealing aquarium.
72 Inch Aquarium Lights – Conclusion
Hopefully our review gave you a good idea as to the best 72 inch aquarium lights on the market today. The light are are perfect for 125 and 150 gallon tanks and can also be used for 180 gallon tanks. Just remember that the light will be a little more spread out for a 180 gallon tank (as they are normally 24 inches wide rather than 18 inches).
All the best for finding the perfect 72 inch aquarium light for your tank!