Lighting a Planted Aquarium
How Do We go About Lighting a Planted Aquarium?
In a fish-only tank, you can see and observe your faunas. But in a planted aquarium, aside from aesthetics, the light you use is the energy source and the trigger for plants to create their own food (sugars). These sugars are used for plants’ metabolic processes. Light, along with water and CO2, are plants’ lifelines.
Without enough light in a planted aquarium, plants will take in oxygen and depletes the supply, and continually produce carbon dioxide. A complete deficit of oxygen will eventually affect all your faunas and good bacteria too – dead. Everything will turn into mush in 2-3 weeks. You essentially have an Ammonia tank by that time full of decomposing organic matter.
So how do we go about lighting a planted aquarium? What are the specifications that we need to know? What are the marketing gimmicks that we need to avoid?
Table of Contents
Natural Lighting in Nature
How Much Light do You Need for a Planted Aquarium?
How Big is Your Tank?
What is the Right Light Source?
How Much Light Intensity?
Lumens per Liter or Gallon
Watts per Liter or Gallon
What is PAR?
General Guidelines for PAR in a Planted Tank
Drawbacks of Using High-Lighting?
What is the Right Color Spectrum?
Is My Lighting Color Accurate?
What are the Aquascaping Style and Plants You are Keeping?
Do I have to Light my Planted Aquarium 24/7?
Lighting Angle Spread?
Conclusion
Closing Remarks
Natural Lighting in Nature
Let’s say, what would happen if the sun disappeared suddenly in our solar system? We will not immediately notice it as light from the sun takes about 8.5 minutes to reach us. Nine minutes later, we will be in total darkness.
Without the sun’s magnetic field keeping us on our Goldilock’s orbit, we will be slingshotted and retain our forward motion. Every planet will fly off into outer space in a straight line.
Without light coming from the sun on earth: no plants, no phytoplanktons, no photosynthesis, and surely no oxygen as a byproduct of photosynthesis. Any animals, including us, that rely on plants for food, will be no more, and any predators, including us, who need these herbivores will be affected too.
Carbon dioxide as part of the greenhouse gases is not removed to some extent without plants. Oceans account for the most absorber of Carbon dioxide and the sun’s heat energy and distribute it evenly.
The Sun and the Earth. Image by Arek Socha from Pixabay
Forest Canopy
The earth is very good at keeping the heat but keeps on steadily cooling off. Within a year, the ocean’s top layers will freeze at global temperatures dipping below -100 F. The deeper layers will be continually insulated and remain liquid for the next hundreds of thousands of years.
But then the ocean’s deep layers will eventually freeze at a stable global temperature of -400 F. The atmosphere will collapse and will freeze too and come down (no protection anymore from all cosmic radiations). Ultimately, there will be no life on earth.
Imagine all these happening in total darkness as Earth continuously drifts into space aimlessly.
Plants and animals, including us humans’ Circadian rhythm, is set by the light from our sun and affects our well-being too. It gives us the ability to see and discern colors.
How Much Light do You Need for a Planted Aquarium?
Our earth is much like a terrarium (for land ecosystems) or a planted/marine aquarium (for freshwater or marine ecosystems) on a planetary scale with the sun as its light and heat source. It is beautiful and awe-inspiring when everything is in balance.
The thing is, as I always mentioned before, every planted aquarium is unique. There are no secret LED or T5 lighting specs, nothing set in stone. Even DIYs can work. There are many variables to consider when determining the proper lighting for your planted tank.
What light source to use (can we use sunlight)? How big is your tank? What is the right spectrum? DIY or not? What plants are you keeping? What is the design of your aquascape? What lighting intensity and how to adjust?
Do I have to bombard my plants with 100 % of my light by default? How long should I turn it on? Should I use a timer and dimmer? Narrow or wide light spread? Your budget comes into consideration too.
It is easy to get lost in the decision making but don’t be disheartened though. For a beginner or even an intermediate aquascaper, some of these terms, tables, and charts might be a little overwhelming to grasp.
But arming you with the right lighting knowledge, you can adjust and decide your lighting requirement based on your planted aquarium needs. So here are the basics and the most critical factors to consider in lighting a planted aquarium.
Dutch with some Elements of Nature Style Aquascaped by Lester Plata Philippines using x2 Chihiros Vivid v2 Lights
Iwagumi Style Aquascaped by Matthew Manes Philippines – client used ATLEDTiS Cookie+ LED Light
How Big is Your Tank?
Tall tanks require you to use stronger lighting. Light waves decrease exponentially as it travels deeper into the water. Long tanks that have more width than height are a good starting point.
10, 15, or 20 gallons ‘long’ are good choices to start with. Avoiding tall tanks saves you from overexerting yourself while doing the designing of your scape or while doing maintenance/trimming.
You can still use standard tank sizes but be prepared for the additional cost in electricity bill and the stronger lighting requirements. I did some adjustments to avoid these.
For example, I have a standard 35 gallons tank on our terrace. I have lots of ambient light but no direct sunlight. I used a Chihiros A plus White LEDs 60 to 80 cm before.
My light is about 22 inches from the substrate and only at 80 % intensity. I choose to keep mostly undemanding plants and carpets.
When I upgraded to LEDStar D60, which has WRGB LEDs and the same height, I adjusted the intensity to 70%. I am keeping mostly Epiphyte plants and Micranthemum Monte Carlo as carpet.
Click Gallery to Enlarge and See Captions
I also used Dwarf Hair Grass, Microswords, and Hydrocotyle Tripartita as carpets with good to great results. Nowadays, I am just using Cryptocoryne Parvas. They don’t require trimming for many months. They just grow horizontally via runners and not over each other.
Couple that with injecting only two bps CO2, I can still grow full-blown carpets, have some coloration on plants, dose leaner on fertilizers, minimal to no visible algae, and weeks between trimmings.
Eventually, I will use my old Chihiros at 50% intensity in my Riparium, mostly keeping marginal terrestrial plants, emerged epiphyte plants, and submerged Cryptocoryne. I DIYed a hanging fixture for my Chihiros LED Light 17 inches from the top of the storage box and about 32 inches from the submerged Cryptocoryne sp.
Nature Style Aquascaped by Allen Myung-hee Philippines using DIY UFO Light Lamp
Hardscape Diorama Style Aquascaped by Paul Vincent “Poci” Jacildo Philippines using x3 Dymax SpaceX LED Light
Most planted aquarium LED lightings have L brackets to fix them on the top of your aquarium. On some models, you can also hang them. That way, you can also adjust the height of your lighting. We don’t have to bombard our plants with 100 % intensity in most cases and wonder, why do I have an algae infestation? Yes, you should be able to adjust it.
It could be that your lighting is too strong but don’t forget that you may have other imbalances going on. (water parameters, over or under-dosing fertilizers, filtration not enough, overfeeding or overstocking, inconsistent CO2 injection, etc.)
The length of your lighting should span at least 80 % of your tank’s length to have uniform coverage. If there is no model of your chosen brand that can span your tank’s length, you have to install 2-3 of that model, or look for another brand.
Dutch Style Aquascaped by Lyn Jonie Philippines using Chihiros WRGB LED Light
Iwagumi Style Aquascaped by Alfred Repani Estrella Philippines using x2 120 cm Hepo LED Lights
What is the Right Light Source?
Nowadays, we only have two feasible choices: LED and T5 fluorescent lights. LED lighting for planted aquariums has come a long way and can achieve the same results, even better, compared to fluorescent lights.
LED lighting can do this while generating less heat, is very energy efficient, has a long life span (average 4-6 years, much longer if not 100% intensity and not subjected to excessive heat), has good spread, and will not cause a dent in your electrical bill.
There is no more proof of their popularity as most of the examples here are using LEDs. Some brands/models have automatic on-off/timers and dimmers to simulate dusk and dawn. They are convenient to fix and install on our tanks by L brackets that come with it or by hanging.
You can even customize the intensity of each individual LED color on some WRGB models by installing an app on your smartphone. They even have built-in heat sinks and fans to further bring down the operating temperature of the LEDs for more lifespan.
If you know electronics and building skills, you can DIY/experiment with your light fixture with LED bulbs or high-powered LED beads. Some had success with LED floodlights, even 5730, 5630, 5050, and 3528 LED strips.
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High-end LED lighting for planted aquariums is not cheap (from 200$ to 400$), though, but that is compensated by the longer life span, specs, and convenience features. There are a lot of low to mid-tier planted aquarium LED lights available in the market (from 50$ to 200$) that can grow plants well, and you have DIY options too.
Quality Fluorescent lighting (T5s), while not actually cheap when using multiple lamps and different colors, has a lifespan of 9-12 months, will put a dent in your electricity bill (much more with HOs – high output). Take note that the ballast and the fixture costs add to the expense too.
It is still the most common light source globally and is easily available (not in the Philippines, though). Only 40-60% of the energy is converted to light, the rest into heat. So less efficient than LEDs.
T5 Fluorescents also come in different colors like warm/cool White, Red, Green, Blue, Pink, Purple, etc. and you can customize/combine colors in a single fixture. The fixtures are bulky, including the ballast circuit, though, and more inconvenient to install.
The only ways you can adjust the intensity of T5s in a fixture are by subtracting/adding tubes or adjusting the height higher or lower.
So our recommendation is? Choose LED lighting for your planted aquariums. There are just no better alternatives for LED.
Dutch Style Aquascaped by Gilbert B. Dela Cruz Philippines using Week Aqua L600 Series LED Light
Dutch Style Aquascaped by John Michael Caamic Rivera Philippines using Chihiros WRGB90 Series v1 LED Light
Dutch Style Aquascaped by Julaton B. Poy Philippines using Week Aqua L600 LED Light
Not all LEDs are equal, though. They vary in quality, colors (spectrum), voltage or current controlled, wattage, lifespan, output, etc. Just be wary of those LED lights included on starter tank kits, as they are usually not enough to grow plants.
Planted aquariums LED lighting brands already did their R&Ds and testings (sometimes, with a few marketing gimmicks), and they have selections at any price point (they all can grow plants). But if you really want to realize the true potential of your plants (in terms of colorations), we really need to invest in our lighting.
Remember, lighting is just one variable in a planted aquarium equation. You still need to find the balance of everything and couple that with good planted tank fundamentals and husbandry. Our timely adjustments are still the key!
We will not even mention Incandescents or Metal Halides (Ooops!) unless you want to grow chickens.
Iwagumi Style Aquascaped by Ayong Go Philippines using Chihiros Vivid v1 LED Light
Nature Style Aquascaped by Ramz Usman Mohammad Philippines using Kandila x2 90 cm LED Light
How Much Light Intensity?
You may ask this yourselves at some point: “am I providing enough light in my planted aquarium?”, “how do I measure it?”, “do I just observe my plants and pray?”
There are really no exact numbers to answer those questions. As I mentioned above, every planted aquarium is unique. We all have different sizes of tanks, light sources, styles, water parameters, plant mass, stocking, filtration, etc.
Plants can adapt to whatever light we have given them. It is possible to grow healthy and lush plants at any given price point, even with DIY LED lighting and T5s.
Hardscape Diorama Style Aquascaped by James Ducut Philippines using Ista RGB LED Light
Again, just be wary of those LED lights included on starter tank kits, as they are usually not enough to grow plants.
Extra colors like red, orange, purple, violet, etc. in our plants are just a bonus but are the goal for anyone who loves Dutch-style aquariums, as you can see from the many examples here.
But enough of that ramblings, so do we have some sort of general rules of thumb to gauge how much light intensity we are giving our plants?
To be honest, I didn’t even know these parameters when I was starting. I can still grow plants, but with some problems (not caused by the DIY light alone), and I will explain later.
Hardscape Diorama Style Aquascaped by Chuck Llorca Cajilig Philippines using NuniQ LED Light
Lumens per Liter or Gallon
Lumen is the measure of the quantity of visible light emitted by a source but takes into account the human’s eye sensitivities to various colors.
Do you see the obvious problem here? Plants don’t have eyes, and we humans are not plants!
Human eyes are more sensitive to green, so it will have more lumen value. However, plants use more red and blue when they are photosynthesizing. Red and blue have less lumen value but plants like them more. So scratch this.
Hardscape Diorama Style Aquascaped by Edrian Corpuz Espiritu Philippines using RGB Chihiros and LedStar Z Series LED Lights
Watts per Liter or Gallon
The oldest measurement to gauge the amount of light appropriate for the plants in our planted aquariums. But watts per liter or gallons are without controversy. Watts is the measure of electrical power, not the light output. In terms of lighting, it is used to quantify the rate of energy transfer, from electrical energy to light/heat energy.
So on this side, we have old aquarists that agree that it can give us a rough guide of the amount of light our planted tank needs. That is from their years of experience and familiarity with T5s or T8s. Giving that advice to a new hobbyist who has zero knowledge about the topic will be more of a hindrance than a help.
And on the other side, we have aquarists disputing that it was a technique developed decades ago when semiconductors (thus LEDs) were not yet invented. We only had fluorescents, metal halides, and incandescents before, and it makes no sense anymore with the advent of LED lighting. Why?
Because LEDs give off the same level of light as T5 fluorescents but with much less wattage. You will likely have an algae-fest or kill your plants if you try to match old T5 or T8, including their ballast watts, with the energy-efficient LEDs available today.
Hardscape Diorama and Nature Style tanks Aquascaped by Louise Sy Philippines using Chihiros RGB90 LED Light
Iwagumi Style Aquascaped by Matthews Saliot Philippines using LEDStar AQ C Series 40 cm
Nature Style Aquascaped by Ned Principe Philippines using Week Aqua L600D Pro LED Light
Here Comes PAR to Save the Day! What is PAR?
PAR stands for Photosynthetic Active Radiation. It measures the amount of light available for our plants to create their own food, to photosynthesize in µmols unit. But it isn’t without challenges.
PAR meters are expensive for most hobbyists. It can run you up to about 375$. Yes, almost as expensive as most high-end LED planted aquarium lighting models/brands. Some manufacturers provide PAR readings but only on their high-end models.
Take note of their PAR readings if they are measured near the light source or at a certain height underwater (ex. 30 cm is about 12 inches – substrate level on long tanks). Obviously, PAR readings are the strongest right below the centerline of the light fixture, decreasing as more distance from the centerline as it approaches the substrate. They usually take their readings on a filled tank.
For the models/brands that you are eyeing that don’t have PAR readings from manufacturers, a simple google search will help you find other hobbyists’ measurements on forums that have PAR meters. Sometimes, as generous as measuring PAR on different depths.
Nature Style Aquascaped by Apz Kevin Philippines using Kandila S Series LED Light
Click Gallery to Enlarge and See Captions
Click Gallery to Enlarge and See Captions
If you double your lighting (same brand/model) to ensure uniform light coverage on complex aquascape designs like Hardscape Diorama or using tanks that have more width than height, you are essentially doubling the PAR value at that same spot as the light overlaps. PAR adds in that manner.
PAR meters can tell you how much light can be used for photosynthesis but do not tell you where in the spectrum/color the light falls. Remember, plants like more red and blues. But if you know your lighting has red and blue LEDs and has enough PAR in the substrate level, then there the issue goes away.
Plants use only the visible light spectrum for photosynthesis. Yes, visible to us, that means from violet (400 nanometers – unit of wavelength) to red (700 nm) and all the colors in between (combining all these colors results in white light – sounds familiar?). That range of visible light wavelengths is what triggers plants to create their food, and thus what we call PAR.
PAR meters do not selectively display how many photons of light are for each wavelength/color received by a surface per unit of time. It is the summation of all light colors’ photons.
Nature Style Aquascaped by Dah Real Philippines using Week Aqua LED Light
General Guidelines for PAR in a Planted Tank
We should look for PAR readings on the substrate level because that is where your low-lying plants are and make sure they are receiving enough light and avoid shadowing from taller plants, especially for carpet plants. The general guidelines for PAR used by planted tank hobbyists are shown in the table below:
PAR Values (Substrate Level)
Suitable for
Here is a good article about how to read manufacturers’ PAR tables by Dennis Wong, also known as the 2-Hr Aquarist.
If you are into DIYing, you can actually rig a DIY PAR Meter for about 100$ by using an Apogee SQ-120 PAR sensor, a quality digital multimeter for ten bucks, some duct tape, and PVC. Here is the Youtube video by AQUAPROS.
So what if, despite all your best efforts and you still can’t find PAR readings for that particular LED lighting? Well, you are in the right place. Just look at the examples here of different styles of Aquascape and different brands of LED Lighting so you can gauge the lighting’s efficacy.
Nature Style Aquascaped by Xavier Zantua Philippines using Chihiros WRGB v2 LED Light
Paludarium Aquascaped by Juan Miguel Echon Tilos and Imaginarium Aquascapes Philippines using 5x 70 Watts Floodlight
Nature Style Aquascaped by Fritz Rabaya and Felipe Caballero Philippines using Chihiros RGB Vivid v2 LED Light
Join Aquascaping forums or Facebook pages. When fellow hobbyists post their tank/s, they usually include all the equipment used, including the lighting and filtration used, what substrate, how big the tank is, water parameters, water source, if injecting CO2 or not, fertilization used and dosing regime, floras, and faunas stocking, etc.
If you still have questions, you can ask the owner. Try to replicate everything, or if there are some variations you have in mind, or you cannot replicate everything, you have to adjust. For example, if you really like this aquascape, but you cannot afford the lighting that was used, try to look for the next model that you can afford, then look for tanks that used that model.
You have to adjust your expectations too. Every planted aquarium is unique, even if you replicate everything. You have your own creative side, not all equipment/brands/models are available in your location, varying qualities of water source and parameters, etc. Do not expect the same 100% result. Be patient.
These pictures are not taken during or immediately after setup. Cycle your tank first, and you will arrive there. Most of the pictures here are matured enough planted tanks. All of these brands/models (even DIYs) will have good to great results as long as you find the balance and keep up with your maintenance.
Hardscape Diorama Style Aquascaped by John Michael Zante Philippines using LED Clip Lamp
Nature Style Aquascaped by Budoy Rush Philippines using Week Aqua Pandora LED Light
Nature Style Aquascaped by Dha Regala Philippines using NuniQ M60 LED Light
Nature Style Aquascaped by EA Canata Philippines using Margoo D60 LED Light
In my case, when I was still starting, I DIYed a LED fixture using cool and warm white, red and blue 5630 LED strips after a little research.
I had good growths, mostly keeping undemanding plants, but after a few months, I fought with the most stubborn algae (BBA and staghorn). As it turned out, it was not my DIY light but my inconsistent DIY CO2 injection (baking soda + citric acid).
I learned how to use dimmers back then and set my DIY light to only 80 %, and changed my CO2 injection to an industrial tank with a solenoid to automize it. To my eyes, though, my tank looks yellowish.
So after battling those stubborn algae, I researched for my very first branded planted aquarium light. I looked for a brand/model available in my country, and I looked for tanks that have been using it, and I decided on the Chihiros A plus (and I can afford it too).
DIY 5630 LEDs Warm and Cool Whites, Red and Blue with Dimmer – a little bit on the yellowish side
Using Chihiros A Plus 35 gallons tank standard. Color rendering is improved.
A few months after using Chihiros A Plus 80 % intensity. Some colorations manifested.
Upgraded my Lights to Ledstar D60 with WRGB LEDs at 70% intensity.
I was not really after the strongest coloration back then, and I am just keeping mostly undemanding and epiphyte plants. So my Chihiros stays at 80%, and I used a timer and dimmer in one (S2-Pro) to simulate dusk/dawn and to automate it.
This light is considered high-light at 20 inches from the source (substrate level) according to PAR measurements from other hobbyists. The distance from my light to the substrate is about 21~22 inches and only at 80%. So I think it has fallen into medium-lighting.
Dutch Style Aquascaped by Ayong Go Philippines using Chihiros WRGB v2 LED Light
Nature Style Aquascaped by Nahtanoj Padilla Philippines using Kandila LED Light
Hardscape Diorama Style Aquascaped by Gie Sibulo of Green House Aquatics Philippines using Scape Series LED Aquarium Light
Drawbacks of Using High-Lighting?
There are increased chances of algae infestation when using high lighting in your planted aquarium. This might happen or might not happen to all new hobbyists out there, but managing and beating algae infestations is the biggest challenge, even in low or medium lighting, because you haven’t found the balance yet.
So if you are new to this hobby, do not venture yet into demanding plants and high lighting. Use low to medium lighting and with undemanding plants. This will help you understand the intricacies of a planted aquarium without too many challenges and naturally advance to the next level.
Consistent and well-distributed CO2 injection and a balance fertilization regime are mandatory when using high lighting. Strong tank fundamental with regards to cleanliness is essential. With that being said, even using low to medium light does not guarantee an algae-free planted aquarium if you are skipping on your maintenance and tank husbandry.
Dutch Style Aquascaped by Cjay Say Philippines using Week Aqua L600
Nature Style Aquascaped by Aristotle Acha Philippines using 2 pcs DIY 9 watts Firefly LED Bulb
Hardscape Diorama Style Aquascaped by Xek De Leon Philippines using 45 cm 40 Watts Plant Grow Light White LEDs
What is the Right Color Spectrum?
Like what we mentioned above, plants in our aquarium do use all the colors in the visible light spectrum for photosynthesis. This is where the so-called “full spectrum” marketing gimmick for LED lighting comes from. White light from the sun is full spectrum, too, with some extras (IR and UV), but we rarely see those very intense colorations of plants in natural submerge ecosystems. Why?
Because of no human intervention, submerged plants cannot do that with sunlight or so-called “full-spectrum” white LEDs alone. It is observed that plants display stronger pigmentation, better growth forms, and more compact and fuller leaves, with peaks in the blue and red spectrum.
Many hobbyists tend to believe that more pigmentation in plants are achieved by nutrient dosing or limiting alone. When actually, using a lighting with the correct spectrum plays a big and important role.
Growing vegetables with grow lights (containing only red and blue) yields faster growth, larger leaves, bigger fruits, etc. But we are not growing vegetables.
So, in our planted aquariums, the goal is full spectrum along with the emphasis on reds and blues. It should still have enough green, orange, and yellow colors present to give a balance visual presentation. Take note, I mentioned green. Not because most plants’ leaves are green, they reflect all the green spectrum (540 to 580 nm).
In fact, plants still absorb a significant amount of green, according to new studies (the whole leaf was tested, not just a sample in a test tube). There are pigments (we may not necessarily see them) in plants other than chlorophyll that absorb other colors, and some of them absorb green light.
When light strikes a leaf surface, it can be absorbed, reflected off, or transmitted through the leaf. Most plants appear green because they reflect more green than red or blue light. However, a significant amount of green is still absorbed, and some are reflected or transmitted.
The green light that is reflected is not actually lost, it can be reflected to other nearby leaves or transmitted to other leaves below.
Hardscape Diorama Style Aquascaped by Con Bergundo Jr. Philippines using Week Aqua Pandora 90 WRGB LED Light
Nature Style Aquascaped by Basil Basil Philippines using Margoo D Series LED Light
Red and blue alone will make your tank looks like pink/purple cocktails. Equal peaks on all visible colors will appear neutral white (most commercial daylight T5s for home use and white LEDs), and your tank’s color will look wash-out at full blast. But there is a solution to this.
I dimmed my Chihiros A plus (contains all white LEDs) to decrease the intensity up to the point that it looks not wash-out anymore to my eyes in my 35 gallons tank and still can provide enough light for my carpet plant. You can also do this by raising the height of your lighting, if you have no dimmer. But this may affect the angle spread of your lighting. You can use a reflector. We will discuss this further down below.
You can combine warm white (more red) and cool white (more blue) LEDs. You can also add red and blue LEDs in between to form a rectangular array/pattern with the warm and cool white LEDs to provide higher peaks in red and blue, as I did before by experimenting.
Hardscape Diorama Style Aquascaped by Fritz Rabaya Philippines using Chihiros A Plus 90 cm LED Light
Nature Style Aquascaped by Red Zamora Philippines using Margoo D90 LED Light
Also, in water, absorption is stronger in red and weak in blue. That is why our ocean is blue, but at least we don’t have depths like that in the ocean in our typical home-planted tanks.
A balanced spectrum with highlighted red and blues provides better contrast to plants and faunas. Aquascaping is an art. Thus, aesthetics plays a big part. Nowadays, manufacturers publish the spectrum chart of their products to help us in our decision-making.
Take a look at several spectrum charts provided by manufacturers of planted aquarium LED lighting below. Take note of the peaks in the red and blue spectrum. And in some of these models, you can change the intensity of each color via an app installed on your phone. Well, of course, they are more expensive.
Some of these models don’t even have white LEDs (or use less) and only use RGB LEDs like the Chihiros RGB Vivid and WRGB models, Week Aqua L Series, and ADA Solar RGB.
Click Gallery to Enlarge and See Captions
They have big peaks on the RGB colors, and the rest are gaps in the spectrum. This will make your green and colored plants pop. This is more obvious in real-life viewing as opposed to images or videos. Yup, use your own eyes whenever possible.
The LEDStar AQ D Series’ (which is what I am using currently) spectrum chart has a higher intensity peak in blue than red. In the picture, of my tank above using this light, the bluish tint is noticeable.
Is My Lighting Color Accurate?
Does the light we use affect the color of our plants and faunas as perceived by our eyes? Well, actually, yes, by what we called color temperature, in Kelvin unit (K).
A 2000 to 3000 K light source is referred to as “warm white” and will cast a yellowish-red-orange tint. It has a more red spectrum in it with some green and minimal to no blue. It is like you are looking into a chicken farm.
Color temperatures between 3100 to 4500 K are referred to as “cool white” or “bright white.” A light source such as this will emit a more neutral white.
ADA Solar RGB Spectrum Chart
The “daylight” term brings us to color temperatures above 4500 K, and these light sources will give off a bluish tint. It has more blue and some green and minimal to no red spectrum. It is like you are in a laboratory or a hospital.
A light source with only red and blue spectrum, with no green will emit a reddish-pink-purple hue into your tank, as with using grow lights. It means your green plants will look pink too, and you don’t want that.
What do all these tell us? Color temperature dictates how we see the accurateness of the natural colors of the plant. The CRI (color rendering index) measures the color accuracy of the light.
LEDStar AQ D Series Spectrum Chart
Some hobbyists prefer high contrast and saturation using high lighting with higher peaks in red and blues. They are most likely to prefer the Dutch-style planted aquariums or colorful Nature style aquascapes and love to see the strongest coloration in their plants.
Some hobbyists prefer balance color contrast, saturation, and accuracy. I am in this latter group. I want to see my plants in their natural colors as if I am looking at them during daytime but not too washed out. I don’t want my beige or white sand or my rocks to look pinkish. But that is just me.
I don’t want to soak my tank with high contrast/saturation via the light used. It’s like adding a color filter to your tank for photo ops. You can test this by replacing your current LED light with emphasis in red and blue temporarily with a LED containing only white LEDs, then looking at your colored plants, and you’ll see what I mean.
As an example, look at the Ludwigia Perennis grown below. The same plant but under different lighting, one on the left is using all white LEDs, and the one on the right is using RGB. You will notice that the yellow and brown in the 1st pic became pinkish and dark purple, respectively, under an RGB light.
Eventually, this plant will display stronger pigmentation due to the RGB light. If it is red, the light with more emphasis on red and blue will make it more red or dark red.
Ludwigia Perennis under Chihiros A Series All White LEDs
Same Plant – Ludwigia Perennis under Chihiros RGB A Series
Dutch and Nature Style Aquascaped by Omar Krishnan Afuang Philippines using DIY High Power (3 Watts each) White, Red and Blue LED Beads
Hardscape Diorama Style Aquascaped by Rennier Katigbak Philippines using Ista Professional RGB LED Light
Nature Style Aquascaped by Bobby Apuli Philippines using Hepo LED Light 60 cm
And some hobbyists just do not care about all these parameters (PAR, spectrum, color temperature, CRI, etc.) as long as it looks good in their eyes and they can grow plants well. Some colorations are just a bonus.
After all that is said and done, it’s their tank. They already have the insight and experience and can observe well how their plants adjust to the light they have given them and adjust from there.
You can even see competition tanks here that use DIY lighting or Dutch-style aquariums that use DIY or a no-name LED brand. Some are just using LED lighting brands at the lowest to medium end of the price points and just match the style of their aquascape. Just look at the results.
Lighting is not the “be the end of it all” equipment in our planted aquariums. It is just one of the variables in a planted aquarium equation that we can adjust. Remember, our plants can adjust too. It is still a matter of finding the balance of everything.
But it helps when you invest in quality lighting for your planted aquarium, eliminating the guessing and praying that hopefully, your plants can adjust to what light you are providing them.
Nature Style Aquascaped by Dann Morales Philippines using Week Aqua L900D & Chihiros A1201 LED Lights
Nature Style Aquascaped by Gboi Razo Philippines using Hepo LED Light 120 cm
What are the Aquascaping Style and Plants You are Keeping?
Your expectations, aquascaping style, and what plants you intend to keep may dictate your decisions on the right lighting for your planted aquarium:
- Nature Styles (Jungle, Walstad, Biotopes, Paludariums, Ripariums) – generally, Nature style aquariums and their derivatives employ easy-to-grow plants, shade plants, mosses, marginal plants, and heavy root feeders, so even a decent planted aquarium LED lighting (low to medium lighting – white, RGB or WRGB LEDs – branded or DIY) will work.
You can still use colored plants, and you will get some colorations with consistent and well-distributed CO2 injection along with a balance fertilization regime.
- Iwagumi Style – since carpet plants are the game here and their distance from the lighting, medium to high lighting is suitable here, along with consistent and well-distributed CO2 injection and a balanced lean fertilization regime. You can use white, RGB or WRGB LED fixtures (branded or DIY).
Nature Style Aquascaped by Reimond Po Philippines using x2 36 Watts Pinlight with Reflector
Nature Style Aquascaped by Sean Wesley Manalo Philippines Using LED Light
- Hardscape Diorama Style – while most Hardscape Diorama style aquariums involve complex Nature or fantasy structures, they usually use shade plants from Moss, Anubias (mini types), Bucephalandra (mini types), Java Fern Mini, Cryptocoryne mini varieties, etc. and some small leaves stem and creeping plants.
So it doesn’t make sense to use high lighting. Low to medium lighting will do. But part of what makes Hardscape Diorama styles trickier to light are they involve casting a lot of shadows due to the hardscape structures. If you are using a tank with more width than height, you may need to double your light fixture to ensure even light coverage.
Sometimes, small leaves colored stem plants like Rotala Rotundifolia, Ludwigia Arcuata, or Ludwigia Brevipes are used, but they are usually planted at the elevated back and already near the light, so you may still get some colorations from them if you are using medium lighting along with CO2 injection and balance fertilization regime.
You can still use only white, RGB or WRGB LED fixtures (branded or DIY).
Hardscape Diorama Style Aquascaped by San Mig Chad Philippines using x2 WeekAqua 60 Watts LED Lights
Hardscape Diorama Style Aquascaped by Luigi Valbuena Philippines using Chihiros A Plus LED Light
- Dutch Style – this style is all about plants’ care and is characterized by many different assortments of plants and leaf types. No hardscape. Carefully planning and designing a multitude of textures, shapes, and plants’ colors is the main focus. It is much like the terrestrial plants that are displayed in flower gardens.
In order for you to be successful in this style, you have to do a bit more research about the plants you want to keep, arrangements, and combinations, be vigilant with your water parameters and use high lighting and the correct spectrum. Consistent and well-distributed CO2 injection, balanced fertilization regime, and strong tank fundamentals with regard to cleanliness are a must in this style.
It is all about plants’ color contrast and saturation. PAR measurements from manufacturers and deciding on the right spectrum of your lighting are helpful but not really necessary. It depends on your expectations. But in order for you to realize the true potential of your plants, you really need to invest in your lighting, CO2 injection, and some automation.
For thorough discussions of all Aquascaping styles, please go here.
Nature Style Aquascaped by Paolo Landingin Philippines using Week Aqua M Series LED Light
Nature Style Aquascaped by Niko Brazal Philippines using Chihiros WRGB v1 LED Light
Do I have to Light my Planted Aquarium 24/7?
This is common sense. What would we humans feel, and what would happen to plants and trees if our sun kept on shining 24/7? Actually, those are the least of our worries when the earth suddenly stops spinning and gets us stuck facing our sun. But, oh boy!
Do this in our planted aquariums, and that is harmful to our plants and faunas. Plants and faunas also have their Circadian rhythms, which affect their well-being and metabolisms too. Ingrained in every living thing’s life is the ability to rest or sleep, among others, eat, socialize, etc. That is torture for them if we keep our lights on 24/7.
In our planted aquarium, we should switch our lights on and off at strategic times. You may want to do this automatically, so a timer is ideal. 6-8 hours of photoperiod is the optimal duration. Anything longer than that is a recipe for disaster, scorching your plants and will result in algae blooms.
In conjunction with CO2 injection, you must turn on your CO2 via a regulator with solenoid 2-3 hours before turning your lights on. This is for the CO2 to accumulate in your water, ready for plants to consume once significant light intensity comes on.
Nature Style Aquascaped by Raymund Del Rosario Mercado Philippines using Chihiros C2 LED White
Nature Style Aquascaped by Manuel Toraja Jr. Philippines using LEDStar D90 LED Light
When turning the lights on, I don’t like the idea of blasting my faunas with 100 % intensity of my light abruptly. What would you feel when someone just turns on the lights while you are deep in sleep?
So I am using a timer and dimmer in one (S2-Pro) to simulate dawn and dusk. For example, my CO2 starts at 4 am, and then my lights start at 6 am at 2% intensity. It will gradually ramp to 30% until 7 am and will gradually ramp up to 50% until 8 am.
It will gradually ramp up to 70% intensity until 12 noon, and that is the highest intensity I set. Vice-versa, it will gradually ramp down to 50% until 4 pm, then 30% until 6 pm, then completely off at 8 pm. Overall, I have only 8 hours of significant photoperiod intensity, from 8 am to 4 pm. My CO2 is turned on for 11 hours, though, until 3 pm.
Some hobbyists employ a lighting siesta period, wherein they turn off their lights in the middle of the photoperiod for 3-4 hours and then turn the lights on again for the 2nd photoperiod. Some advantages are: The lights are still on for evening viewing when family members arrive from work without 12-14 hours of photoperiod. It helps in the fight with algae better by reducing potential triggers.
It allows for CO2 to ramp up before the 2nd photoperiod (when you are not injecting CO2). Plants do take in oxygen and produce CO2 during lights off. Depending on the heat produced by your lighting, it may increase the water temperature by several degrees. So a lighting siesta will make the water temperature even in your tank.
Nature Style Aquascaped by Jerhome Jacildone Alindogan Philippines using Margoo D60 LED Light
Nature Style Aquascaped by Ronald August Pino Philippines using x1 NuniQ M90, x2 Kandila S800 LED Lights
Lighting Angle Spread?
Last but not least, angle spread. I actually already mentioned this when we discussed lighting Hardscape Diorama-style Aquariums or when using tanks with more width than height.
A single rectangular bar light fixture with three to five rows of LEDs would create a dispersion pattern and may result in shaded areas if the aquascape is complex or using a tank with more width than height. To solve this, you can double your lighting fixture to ensure even coverage.
Or, if you are a handyman, you can DIY a reflector made of aluminum foil taped into a piece of black cardboard or acrylic. The side where you taped the aluminum will be facing down and will be glued to the sides of your LED bar fixture at an angle.
Or, the white side of an illustration board can be used as the reflector. No need to use aluminum foil. You can also use this illustration board technique to block the residual light from reaching your camera when taking pictures of your tank. However, turn it upside down. The black side should be facing downwards so it will absorb all residual light.
My S2-Pro Timmer and Dimmer and One – Allows for Gradual Ramp up-down of LED Lighting
For Demonstration purposes only – DIY Reflector using Illustration Board
Conclusion:
We have numerous considerations to help us with our decisions to light our planted aquariums properly. We have discussed the most critical factors: the size of your tank, light source, intensity, color spectrum, styles, what plants you intend to keep, scheduled lighting, and angle spread.
Lighting is just one of the variables, among many others, in a planted aquarium equation that we can adjust. It is not the “be end of it all” equipment in our tank. It still falls on our adjustments and finding the balance of everything.
But it helps when you invest in quality lighting for your planted aquarium, eliminating the guessing and praying that hopefully, your plants can adjust to what light you are providing them.
Want to Explore More?
Closing Remarks
I hope you enjoyed this article and if ever you have additional questions or want to share your experiences with lighting a planted aquarium, please leave a comment below. Next, we will be discussing all about CO2 Injection.
First of all I must say I absolutely love the colour scheme of your website. You could not have done a much better job with a website that has to do with aquariums.
I never realised that the lighting can be so technical and I love how you constantly compare fauna with humans to remind us that fauna are also living beings and should be treated as such and then also the common sense factor that flows from this fact. Thank you for a very interesting read.
Hello Schalk,
Thank you for visiting my website and appreciating the color design. It’s like you are being prepared to go to the underwater world of aquascaping. Yup, I have the habit of putting our situations into the faunas and floras’ shoes and vice versa. After all, we are all living things, and they are one of my passions. To give the best and all the love for them.
Hi,
You have really had quite an education by creating these beautiful DIY aquariums! They are so beautiful! I especially liked the Dutch-style ones as they have so many different colors. Really very technical and informative for anyone interested in getting into this hobby!
Hello Barbara,
Thanks again for coming back. Just so you know, I only have two tanks here, the rest are creative works of my fellow Filipino Aquascapers. I just felt that I have to give many examples from different styles, different sources of light, brands/models, DIYs, etc. so my audience can gauge the efficacy of the light used. And to make everyone realize, that is not all about the light used. It is still finding the balance of everything and our adjustments are still the key to be successful in this hobby.
Hey,
This is a really informative article.
My niece has her own aquarium and so do a couple of her friends. They are huge animal people and they would love this article and your website.
I will let you know what she thinks and if she takes your advice.
I am pretty sure she will.
Keep up the amazing work you do on this topic and keep sharing your inspirational articles.
All the best,
Tom
Hello Tom,
Thank you for coming back and appreciating this article. I admit, it is a long post, but I need to correct the common misconceptions, marketing gimmicks, and myths about lighting a planted aquarium. And to make everyone realize that is not all about the light used. It is still finding the balance of everything, and our adjustments are still the key to be successful in this hobby. But it helps to invest in good lighting to eliminate the guesswork and praying, that hopefully, our plants will adjust to the lighting we have given them. I would very much appreciate it if you shared this with your family and friends.
This article is rich with valuable information. If anyone decides to start an aquarium in their own home then this website is a good starting point. I especially love the pictures, especially the ones showing the lighting. It almost brings new life into the fauna. I also agree the lighting must be controlled, like the installation of timers to control the lighting so as to not disturb the life within. Thank you for this insight into the world of aquarium life.
Hello,
Thank you for visiting my website and appreciating this article. Yes, lighting is one of the variables in a planted aquarium equation, and we should be able to adjust and control it. In most cases, we don’t have to bombard our floras and faunas with 100 % intensity and to provide convenience to the hobbyist by using timers and dimmers. At the same time, for the well-being too of our faunas and floras. I hope, in some ways or two, I was able to help you in your decision to keep a planted aquarium in your very own home.
Great article on led lighting do it yourself and I didn’t knew that red and blue light is the best choice for lighting. This definitely pays off for anyone to set everything up as you state in the article which lighting is best for planted aquarium plants. I will share this article with my friends and I’m sure many will find the best solution for how to plant plants in the near future. Thank you for this information. I wish you good health.
Hello,
Thanks for coming back and appreciating this article. Sharing this article with your family and friends would be deeply appreciated. I hope, in some way or two, I was able to help you in your decision to keep a planted aquarium in your very own home.
Hi Lemuel, Wow you really have gone into quite some detail here. I especially liked in the beginning when you made comparisons to our own ecosystem. It really does make things a lot more clear. Like I never really thought about how important these lights are but I guess really you have to recreate these organisms natural habitat to the best of your ability. It sounds like it could get pretty ugly otherwise.
Your guide is very helpful thanks for sharing.
Hello Alex,
Thank you for visiting my website. We are replicating how Nature does it, after all, so the comparison with the earth and all living things really makes sense. I hope, in some way or two, I was able to help you in your decision to keep a planted aquarium in your very own home.
The way you build your aquarium or terrarium are unique and one is not the same. Glad to see that you you are still making these articles on terrarium and the specific lighting a planted aquarium.
We are going to be adding more plants to our ecosystem. The life in the aquarium is sustaining itself, when we first added plants there was no water.
There is no trick the lighting source just the temperature in our opinion the temperature is the most important part of the process.
Cheers,
MnD
Hello MnD,
Thank you for coming back and sharing your plans and experiences with your planted aquarium. The transition from visible red to infrared is called far-infrared (barely visible to us), and although far-infrared is not being used by plants for photosynthesis, it gives them warmth. Plants process visible light differently, by a complex process that we are very familiar with, called photosynthesis. That is how they create their own food for their metabolic processes and structural stability. They absorb visible light of different spectrums, and that absorption process creates warmth too for them.
We provided different scenarios here where different brands are used, different sources of light, DIY or not, etc. so that one can gauge the efficacy of the light used. They all can grow plants well. It just all depends on your expectations, finding the balance of everything, and timely adjustments.
Wow! How comprehensive! You certainly know a lot about aquariums and lighting. I didn’t realize it was this complex to grow an aquarium full of plants. I especially liked the idea of gradually adding and ending light. I never thought the plants would react negatively to abrupt sunlight or the lack thereof. Thanks so much for all the information. When I was younger I tried growing plants in an aquarium (it was all the rage way back then!) but was not too successful. Perhaps it was because of the lighting? If I try again, I will definitely use your site as a reference.
Nina
Hello Nina,
Thank you for coming back and appreciating this article. While it may look like a lot to absorb about this topic of lighting for planted aquariums, it still falls to finding the balance and your timely adjustments. As I said, the lighting you used is just one variable in a planted aquarium’s equation that you can adjust. Remember, your plants will adjust to whatever light you have given them.
Nowadays, put a LED light in your tank for planted aquariums, whatever brand you want, whatever model, only white LEDs, or RGB or WRGB, DIY or not, etc. and you will grow plants. You may encounter problems here and there, algae, plant growth not optimal, no colorations, faunas dying, etc., but those can be attributed to other factors, not just your light, and you haven’t found the balance yet. Cycle your tank first and be patient.
Hi Lemuel,
This is quite an extensive article on the details and alternatives for artificial lighting of plant aquariums. I personally had no idea such lengths were needed to keep the plants healthy and vibrant. But from looking at the images of these beautiful aquariums, it is noticeably worth the effort.
Is it possible to use the natural sunlight from a terrace to use in these aquariums, or is it better to use a controlled artificial light spectrum?
Thank you for your informative website, I am getting an urge to start an aquarium!!
Hello Chas,
Thank you for coming back! My planted aquarium and my Riparium is actually on our terrace (fully shaded and no direct sunlight – but still lots of ambient light). Sunlight, most especially at noon, is hard to control and the surrounding hours 10 am to 3 pm. Especially in the Philippines, where we have scorching summer heat. If you rely on sunlight, you may be in for spectacular algae blooms. Farms here that sell submerged plants for planted aquariums only grow them in shades or use greenhouses or garden nets to diffuse the sunlight, they are not grown for display though.
Planted aquarium lighting is made to grow plants, be able to adjust them, and for aesthetics. I can show you a display planted aquarium using diffused sunlight so you can see what it looks like. Please message me using the contact form in the Contact Us via the menu above.
In every last quarter of the year and early the next year (this is consistent), my vivariums receive some sunlight but only in the early hours (7 to 8 am) and late afternoon (4 to 5 pm) (sunlight is not too intense anymore at those hours). I guess it is due to my location and the position and tilt of the earth with respect to our sun during that time of the year.
Wow. Awesome article. Very comprehensive.
I love the idea of trying to recreate the fauna’s natural environment as closely as possible. It just makes sense really. If this is how nature does it, we should copy it. After all, we are not smarter than nature.
Your pictures are amazing. They give us a good idea of some of the different landscapes that can be created…. I know everyone will create something unique, but this is a great place to begin.
All the additional information makes me realize that it is quite a complicated job to create a healthy landscape in an aquarium.
Thanks for sharing your expertise and all this information.
Most appreciated.
Hello Andrew,
Thank you for your comment and for visiting my website. I love your phrase, “after all, we are not smarter than nature.” Many hobbyists tend to forget that we are just replicating how nature does it, and not only to impress the judges or satisfy our eyes. I have to give many examples from different light sources, different styles, etc. and avoid the bias of preferring only one style or preferring more contrast/saturation than color accuracy.
It still depends on finding the overall balance and timely adjustment to be successful with this hobby. Cycle your tank first. Use a quality water source and a filter that can keep up (you can even overfilter – just avoid hurricane flows) and you will get there. It is not only about the light. Plants can adjust but find the balance.
Hi Lemuel,
This post is very informative, it’s like a science subject to me where it gives direction to do our experiments! haha
It really described that you love nature by just reading your article and I admire you for raising these aquariums by our fellow Filipinos I am truly amazed that our works as Filipinos are being recognized, you are really one among the Filipino talented I have met online. Keep up the good work and I really wish you a good luck in the future. Keep in touch inside the campus lol (you know where)!
Hello Leila,
Thank you for visiting my site, and it is nice to meet a fellow Filipino here. Yup, the site is definitely more lively and colorful with the support of our fellow Filipino aquascapers. It would be pretty dull if only my tanks were displayed here, haha! I only have two. I hope, in some way or two, I was able to help you in your decision to keep a planted aquarium in your very own home. I can’t wait to hear about your experiences and what style you can come up with.
I love this website – here’s a poem for you:
Look at all the different types of lights
So many bulbs and such different sizes
Allaboutplantedaquariums.com has all the info you need
To make your planted aquarium look complete
There are LED lights and fluorescent ones too
Which one will work best for you?
Allaboutplantedaquariums.com can help you decide
What type of light will make your plants thrive?
Hello Julia,
Wow! Thank you again for this poem. Poems really have a place in planted aquariums as it convey so many emotions and a lot of small details. And this hobby is about all the small details. I hope, in some way or two, I was able to help you in your decision to keep a planted aquarium in your very own home. I can’t wait to hear about your experiences and what style you can come up with.
Great article. I’ll bet it took you awhile to research and write this. You answer why someone needs to invest in quality lighting for their planted aquarium.
Hello Jeff,
Thank you for visiting my website. Yes, Sir, indeed, it was the culmination of all our experiences that led to this article. Lighting is just one of the variables in a planted aquarium equation. It still falls down to finding the balance and timely adjustments. Though, it is still a big yes to invest in good lighting to eliminate the guessing and praying that, hopefully, our plants adjust to the lighting that we have given them.
This is such a lovely website for one to immerse themselves in! Beautiful layout and great theme with the greenery background, which is easy on the eye.
You provide very thorough indept information for anyone wanting to build a real aquarium, using different types of lighting and how they can alter the pigmentation of these unique plants! Almost magical!
Anything set in water with the bubbly sounds and fish swimming to and thro is so soothing and very relaxing, everyone should have one of these, for their well being and I believe to be super therapy for children with special needs too.
All your Aquascapes, whichever one picks, are unique in their own right and a joy to look at.
This is a great read for anyone wanting to set up one of these and oh’ I like your youtube video! a nice touch!
Keep up the good work.
Julia.😀
Hello Julia,
Thank you for coming back and appreciating the design of the website and this article. Indeed, I have to provide a lot of examples from different styles, different lighting sources, DIY or not, etc. to avoid bias or preferring just one style that has more colors. Bringing these Nature style aquariums into our home imparts a soothing effect. I agree. My son was diagnosed with ADHD, and watching a planted aquarium and counting the faunas became a therapy for him which helped him to focus.
I just like to mention that I only have two Vivariums here. The rest are the creative works of my fellow Filipino aquascapers who had supported me.
Damn. What a useful article. I have a tall tank so I think I will indeed need strong lighting to make things work well.
The main aim is that you need to ensure that you make your whole tank be good looking in general.
Hello Thabo,
Good to have you back! Thank you for sharing your experience as well. If you have a tall tank, you can make some adjustments without changing your lighting. For example, you can just keep shade/undemanding plants like Anubias, Bucephalandras, Cryptocoryne, Java Ferns, some Hygrophilas, etc. like I did in my standard 35 gallons tank.
Yes, I agree; your tank should look good in your eyes, and plants should be growing too, your tank is cycled, and everything is in balance. Those contribute too to how your tank looks.
I hadn’t even considered this. I always thought that natural light would be the best although I remember that we had lights attached to the lid of our aquarium when I had an aquarium as a child. If I ever were to have have an aquarium again, this would be the site to go to, to find all the info I needed and to choose the right lights that are needed.
Your explanation of what would happen if the sun disappeared one day was pretty scary, and it gave me an idea for a book (I’m a writer, I can’t help it 😉 ) Let’s hope the sun remains with us forever.
Hello Christine,
Thank you for coming back! While the sun has all the intensity and spectrum the plants need, it is hard to control for a submerged ecosystem. And even if you ever controlled it by reflection or diffusers, garden nets, etc., your tank will look yellowish, not good for aesthetics. Another thing to look out for is temperature build-up when using sunlight. Plants, faunas, and beneficial bacteria don’t like it very much and may trigger algae buildup. Your tank could be one of those starter tank kits with fixed lighting, and usually, they are not enough to grow aquarium plants. They are good enough to see and monitor your faunas, though.
I’m glad you have an idea for your next book. Let me know and I am interested in what you can come up with from it. Looks like some disaster story is looming out there. Also, you may want to research what would happen if the earth suddenly stopped spinning. It isn’t pretty for us, kind of end-of-the-world stuff too. Thank you!
This is a very interesting and informative site, thanks for this. I always love to look at the aquarium because of the beautiful interior lighting. And I don’t know the details of what to do. And your website. It’s great. You have all the details step by step with pictures to make it easy to understand. You make all the information more interesting. You use colors that match your idea. I believe that you are not choose the color with out reason you use a color that plays an important role in green psychotherapy. And every detail of you isn’t just about beauty. but also attaches importance to health
Hello Arisara,
Thank you for visiting my site and appreciating this article. So that you know, I only have two Vivariums on my terrace: A nature aquarium and a Riparium. The rest are creative works of my fellow Filipino aquascapers who supported the aim of this site. I believe Nature’s color is green. The rest of the colors often involved human intervention or just imbalances.
I am amazed that you noticed that I aim not just for aesthetics but for the overall health of faunas, floras, and even the hobbyist that keep this little slice of nature in their very own home. I hope, in some way or two, I was able to help you in your decision to keep a planted aquarium at home. I can’t wait to hear about your experiences and what you can come up with.
Bookmarking this article and sharing it with my cousin. The guidelines for PAR is exactly what he’s looking for! Thank you!
Thank you for sharing Eric.
Wow! This is really in-depth blog post about lightning for planted aquariums. Thanks for reminding that tall aquariums aren’t suitable for starters. I am wondering if you would suggest keeping the aquarium inside (room) or outside? Let’s say terrace or balcony .Considering I’m living in Northern Europe where temperatures are from September to March around 15 degrees Celsius. I have to say ,I really admire the pictures included inside of this post. Amazing. I’ve got inspiration from it, for going for one of those. Amazing, keep up your great ,inspirational work!
Hello Julius,
Thank you for visiting my site and appreciating this article. All my tanks are on my terrace, completely shaded, and no direct sunlight. Plenty of ambient light, though, and I am in the Philippines, where we have scorching summer heat. You may need a heater when you decide to keep a planted aquarium on your terrace. Your water temp will be lower than your ambient temp there. You need a heater to heat the water to 21 to 24 as lower than 15 degrees Celsius, and you will have limited fauna choices.
Wow, this is really an in-depth post about lighting aquariums which I have never heard of. You have explained every single one in such an easy way for anyone to understand. Thanks for sharing light on this.
Hello Christy,
Thank you for visiting my website and appreciating this article. I hope, in some way or two, I was able to help you in your decision to keep a planted aquarium in your very own home. I can’t wait to hear about your experiences and what style you can come up with.
Hi Lemuel and thank you for this in-depth article.
I need to admit that I love looking at planted aquariums and admiring them. However, I am not that good at taking care of them.
I would probably do all the things that you mentioned in your article not to do. Therefore, thank you for putting together this detailed post and explaining exactly how to take care of our aquariums.
I found it remarkable when you mentioned regarding the timing of keeping the lightning on. You mention that the plants in the aquarium should follow a daily cycle of light, just like the plants on the ground. That makes so much sense reading, yet, without reading this article I would probably have never thought about doing it.
All the best and keep up the good work.
Tatiana
Hello Tatiana,
Thank you for visiting my website and appreciating this article. Yes, we are learning from nature and how nature does it, not the other way around. I hope, in some way or two, I was able to help you in your decision to keep a planted aquarium in your very own home. I can’t wait to hear about your experiences and what style you can come up with.
wow Lemuel! You really have gone all out on your site about aquariums. This is an interesting hobby you have adopted. I like the detail you go into with every articles and this one about lighting only makes common sense. Photosynthesis is the coolest thing ever that I discovered way back in early schooling. You are so well versed in the processes. Keep up the great work!
All the Best,
DragonBlue
aka: Maylynn