How to Choose Best Light for Aquarium Plants?
Light is life for the aquarium plants. It aids in their
growth and nourishment. It is recommended to light up your aquarium tank for at
least 10-12 hours. So that it can
benefit plants’ survival. If you are a beginner and want to know how to choose
the best light for your aquarium plants; then, this article is
right there to facilitate you. Though the type of light that you choose
depends upon the tank’s structure, budget, and plants’ needs. But here are 3
important parameters that are important to consider for choosing the best light
for your aquarium plants.
·
Light intensity.
Light intensity
helps to manufacture the plant’s food, leaf color, promoting the stem’s length,
and flowering. It is important to consider the light intensity to know
what kind of light you need for your aquarium plants. Low-intensity
lights are good for undemanding plants, like ferns, crypts, and anubias. For
stem plants or other demanding carpeting plants; medium-intensity lights are
specifically useful. You can also consider choosing high-intensity lights if
you want to grow virtually anything. However, with these lights, you
also need to induce carbon dioxide injections to minimize algae growth and fast
plants’ growth.
Another thing to
keep in mind is to pick the right light as per the tank’s structure. A tall
tank will require strong light to illuminate everything till the bottom.
Whereas, for smaller tanks; low to medium light intensity would be
sufficient.
Any brand of
light can be used to grow aquarium plants. However, it is recommended to
choose LED light as compared to compact fluorescent (CF), or other light
technology. LED lights for
aquarium can produce high brightness by consuming less power and they can
work well for quite a long time. A few LED lights are specifically made
for aquariums in which you can control the adequate amount of light
needed by the plants.
·
Light spread.
Another
important parameter is the light spread which means how far the light disperses or spreads. A shop light has a huge light spread
as it is meant to light up the entire room. Whereas, an aquarium light
usually requires 1-foot light spread to illuminate the tank in which plants can
be nourished. You need to be careful while choosing the light spectrum as well
as when checking the light spread.
·
Color spectrum
You can choose
light for the aquarium with any color spectrum. However, it is recommended to
choose a neutral color spectrum that is around 6500-7000 Kelvin. Avoid choosing
a color spectrum that is too blue so that you can stimulate natural daylight in
the aquarium setting.
Bottom
Line:
Picking the right
light might be confusing with so
many options in the market today. However, if you pay considerable attention to
the factors given above; it can be an exciting shopping experience for you. As
plants require adequate lighting so always make it a wise choice. Choosing the best light will have long- term
benefits for the plants, fish, and other invertebrates. And, it will enhance
the tank’s beauty by giving it a fresh look.