Your pond is probably the best thing in your yard. Then the sun goes down and it disappears until morning. Lighting fixes that. The right setup lets you enjoy the water garden at night the same way you do all day.

The tricky part is that there are a lot of ways to light a pond. Here's how to sort through them.

Start with one question

What is this lighting actually for?

Is it purely to illuminate the pond, or do you also need it doing double duty as landscape lighting? That one answer shapes everything else you pick.

Here's a case where the answer matters more than you'd think: a lot of ponds sit level with the ground. In the dark, the edge of the walkway and the edge of the water look the same... right up until someone finds out the hard way. Lighting the walkway clearly defines where the path ends and the pond begins.

The good news is your options keep growing. Low voltage systems are multiplying all the time, and there are solar powered choices now too.

The four types of pond lights

Solar. No electricity needed, which means no cord restrictions to plan around. These can float safely on the pond's surface or sit on the surrounding ground, and they light up the night either way.

Rock. Lights enclosed in housing that looks like the surface of a rock, built to blend into the landscape instead of announcing themselves. Some use faux stone housing that simulates real rock. Others come in the genuine article, like granite.

Submersible. Light coming up from under the water. This is one of the most aesthetically pleasing options out there... it makes the whole pond shimmer at night.

Floating. Typically circular, built from temperature and water resistant materials, and running 5 watt bulbs. They sit on the surface and complement your pond decor, especially lily pads and other plants.

Halogen vs LED

This is the fork in the road for submersible lighting, so it's worth slowing down here.

Halogen is still the most economical pond light you can buy. It comes in warm white, which is popular for a reason, and it's the usual pick when you need a bright beam or want to wash a wide area in light. Wattage runs from 10 up to 150, the voltage draw is minimal, and halogen can reflect a variety of colors. The catch: the bulbs need replacing more often than LEDs.

LED is the newer technology, and it shows. LEDs come in a variety of colors in or out of the water, run cooler, last longer, and sip less wattage than halogen. They cost more up front. But over the life of the light, they're cheaper to maintain. Pay now or pay later, basically.

A word about transformers

Whatever system you land on, check the transformer that comes with it. It should carry a rating: indoor use or outdoor use. That rating is not a suggestion.

And weatherproof is not the same thing as waterproof. Don't put a transformer in the pond itself unless the manufacturer rates it as completely waterproof. Handling rain is one job. Living underwater is a different one.