The market for aquarium lighting is experiencing a resurgence. A big reason for this is the increasing availability, improving technology and overall lower price points the industry has seen in LED offerings.
When it comes to lighting, LEDs are grabbing the bulk of market share for independent retailers.
Once considered exclusively an option for hobbyists seeking to replace metal halide lighting, LED fixtures have evolved to fill nearly every niche in the aquarium market and, as a result, prices have come down.
“[LEDs] sell pretty darn well and pretty easily, and the fact that [customers] can get into an LED light with more features than any fluorescent really excites them and makes it easy to just switch them over from traditional lighting,” said Rick Preuss, owner of Preuss Pets in Lansing, Mich. “Probably the biggest thing is the turnover from those who already have [older lighting systems] and really want [to upgrade], because now the price points have gotten more friendly.”
“Newer LEDs are more efficient, smaller, not quite as big and heavy and hot, and are more cost efficient,” said Bruce Foster, owner of Foster’s Exotic Pet Center Inc. in Port Richey, Fla. “I think they’re moving a little more away from the programmable ones toward something easier and simpler. We’re seeing more sales with the simpler lights.”
Though some diehard HID and incandescent hobbyists remain, most new sales are coming from the wide variety of LED fixtures on the market.
“LEDs have replaced fluorescent and incandescent lighting in the last few years,” said Andy Hudson, research and development product designer for Central Garden & Pet in Walnut Creek, Calif. “LEDs offer lower profile fixtures, a theoretical longer life and lower energy cost.”
Another main reason LED fixtures have taken so much market share in the aquatic lighting space and helped increase sales is that they’re comparatively easier for retailers to sell, with manufacturer support lending a big hand.
Many retailers reported experiencing success with MAP-based sales, and the popularity of products with such standardized prices has leveled the playing field among competitors.