Guide to Buying Planted Fish Tank Lights

One thing you should do when setting up a planted fish tank, is pick good lighting. It is an essential step in creating a great environment for plants to thrive. Some things you should remember, the deeper you dive into specializing your fish tank, the more expensive it gets. If you cannot provide the proper environment for your plants to survive, you should not put these plants in your tank!

One thing to consider is your tank size. You want the light to be able to fit over the top of the tank, as well as provide the right wattage to gallon ratio. You are looking for a 2-5 watts per gallon ratio. Based upon what type of plants you are going to keep you should research how much power they require. If your plants require a lot of light, then it will not thrive under lower lighting.

When deciding on lighting, you should also consider the type of fixture. Compact fluorescent is a common choice, and are generally cheaper. But when getting into bigger tanks, they will eventually not be able to cover the the wattage per gallon, and buying more fixtures will be more expensive then buying one powerful fixture.

If you need a more powerful fixture look for a T-5 fixture. They are generally more expensive, but have more bulbs built in and can put out a higher output. They are usually better suited for saltwater fish tanks though, so only use these if you cannot find a solution for your specific tank.

A tip to maintaining constant light for your plants is to replace the bulbs every 6-8 months. This will keep them as bright as possible, and keep your plants thriving. You should also look into supplements for your plants as the home aquarium cannot always provide the nutrients your plants need to thrive. Enjoy!