How to Install Pond and Waterfall Lights

This article addresses how to light and illuminate a pond, water garden, koi pond, waterfall, and/or water feature.

When selecting a pond lighting system, it’s important to remember that anything placed under tends to fail quickly. Therefore, when selecting a submersible light kit, select something that is made of brass or select a plastic kit that has more than a 1 year warranty. Atlantic SOL Lighting components and kits are made of high quality solid brass, are sold in kit form or as separate components for custom systems, and are available in warm white and color changing models. Aquascape lighting components are an excellent choice as well because they carry a 5 year warranty depsite the fact they are made of plastic.

Pond and waterfall light kits contain a few key components: the lights, a transformer, and wire to connect the lights to the transformer. The transformer is what plugs into a regular outlet and provides power to the lights. Pond and waterfall lights are low voltage therefore safe to place in water. Transformers should always be plugged into a GFCI protected outlet.

When choosing where to place pond and waterfall lights, and how many lights to choose, a good rule of thumb is 1 light per cascade in a waterfall or stream, and 1 light for every 25 square feet (5′ x 5′ area) of area within the pond. For example: if the pond is 5′ x 10′, and the waterfall has 3 cascades, then a system with 5 lights is an excellent starting point. Place 1 light shining at each cascade, and then place 2 lights in the pond to softly illuminate underwater features.