Simple Aquarium LED Lighting Circuit

Bring color and light to your fishbowl, this aquarium LED lighting circuit is like a tiny sun for your fish tank.

It uses special LED lights to light up your aquarium, and some circuits are even smart!

They can turn on and off automatically depending on how bright the room is, just like a day and night cycle.

Plus, some circuits can change colors to make your fish tank look extra fancy.

Circuit Working:

Parts List:

This vibrant backlit aquarium lighting creates a natural ambiance in the aquarium.

The LED lights automatically switch on at sunset, displaying changing colors of white, blue and green to enhance the aquariums appeal.

In the morning, the LED lights turn off.

The lighting circuit utilizes an LDR as a light sensor for automatic operation.

During the day, the LDR has very low resistance keeping IC1 in standby mode.

At night, the LDRs high resistance causes the reset pin 12 of IC1 to become lo, activating IC1.

The CD 4060 is a binary counter with ten outputs.

Its outputs become high one by one, based on the counting frequency determined by C1, R1 and R2.

In the aquarium lighting circuit strings of LEDs are connected to the collector of switching transistors T1 through T3.

When the IC is triggered, oscillations begin and the Q6 output turns on after 5 minutes remaining on for another five minutes to illuminate the blue LEDs.

After 10 minutes the Q7 output becomes high, turning on the green LED for 10 minutes.

They both remain on for an additional 10 minutes creating a mix of blue and green colors.

After 20 minutes the Q9 output becomes high, turning on the white LEDs for 20 minutes.

During this period, various color combinations such as blue-white, green-white, and blue-green-white develop providing a beautiful display for the aquarium background.

Note: Position the LDR where it receives daylight but is dark at night.

Formula:

The above Aquarium LED Lighting Circuit, below mentioned is formula for Oscillator Frequency Calculation.

Establish the required LED flashing rate. This frequency will be shown as f LED.

The approximate formula for the oscillator frequency (fosc) of the IC 4060 is as follows:

fosc​ = 1​ / 2.3 * R * C

where,

• C is the value of the capacitor linked between pin 9 and ground, and R is the resistor value connected to the oscillator pin 10.

Notes:

To obtain the required flashing frequency and operating characteristics, make sure to properly calculate the values of the resistors and capacitors.

To make sure the circuit is functioning properly, test it first on a breadboard and change the component values as needed.

Additional changes can be required based on individual needs (such the quantity and configuration of LEDs, brightness levels and ambient circumstances).

How to Build:

To build a Simple Aquarium LED Lighting Circuit follow the below mentioned steps:

Connect the CD 4060 IC:

• Place the CD 4060 IC on the breadboard or PCB.
• Connect its VDD pin to the positive terminal of the power supply and the VSS pin to the negative terminal.

Connect the LDR:

• Connect one end of the LDR to the positive supply voltage and the other end to the ground through a resistor.
• Connect the junction of the LDR and resistor to pin 12 of the CD 4060 IC.

Connect the Timing Components:

• Connect capacitor C1 between pin 9 clock input and ground.
• Connect resistors R1 and R2 in series between pin 9 and the positive supply voltage.
• Connect the junction of R1 and R2 to pin 10 output Q4 of the CD 4060 IC.

Connect the LEDs:

• Connect strings of white, blue, and green LEDs to the collectors of transistors T1, T2, and T3 respectively.
• Connect the emitters of the transistors to ground.
• Connect the base of each transistor to its respective output pin Q6 for T1, Q7 for T2, Q8 for T3 of the CD 4060 IC.

Power Supply:

• Connect the positive terminal of the power supply to VDD and the negative terminal to VSS.

Testing:

• Place the LDR in a location where it receives daylight but is dark at night.
• Power up the circuit and observe the LED behavior.
• The LEDs should turn on automatically at sunset, cycling through white, blue, and green colors and turn off in the morning.

Adjustments:

• You may need to adjust the values of R1, R2 and C1 to achieve the desired timing for color changes and overall performance of the circuit.

Note:

• Ensure that all connections are secure and correct to avoid damaging the components.
• If you are not familiar with electronics or soldering it might be helpful to seek assistance from someone with experience.

Conclusion:

An aquarium LED lighting circuit is a specialized electronic circuit that utilizes LED lights to illuminate an aquarium.

It often includes features such as automatic ON/OFF based on ambient light levels and the ability to produce various colors enhancing the aesthetic appeal of the aquarium while ensuring the well being of its inhabitants.

References:

How can I power the blue LEDs sepearetely on this aquarium light?