The Ultimate Guide to ADA Lighting: Finding the Perfect Spectrum for Your Plants

Just like plants on land, plants that live underwater need sunlight to grow and thrive. Aquarium lighting can be tricky to navigate for beginners and seasoned hobbyists alike. From determining the right spectrum to avoiding algae blooms, this guide to Aqua Design Amano (ADA) aquarium lighting systems covers it all.

What Is the Light Spectrum?

Humans can see color because our eyes process electromagnetic radiation. While the electromagnetic spectrum is wide, including ultraviolet and infrared radiation, which humans can't see, a small portion is the visible light spectrum. This includes the colors red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.

Plants on land and underwater also use this visible light spectrum in the photosynthesis process. Using light, carbon dioxide and water, plant cells convert light energy from sunlight into chemical energy, which they can use to grow.

Can Aquarium Plants Grow in Sunlight?

Aquarium plants can grow in sunlight, and in the natural world, the sun is their only source of light. Using sunlight for your nature aquarium, however, can cause a few big complications:

• Algae blooms: Too much light can cause an abundance of algae growth, which, aside from looking unsightly, can clog up your filter, block light to the rest of the tank and outcompete other plants for nutrients.
• Lighting control: Some days, the light intensity might be too low or too high. Long periods of rainy weather could leave your aquarium without the necessary light, while stronger sunlight can lead your plants to use up too many nutrients in a short time. 
• Temperature: Having your planted tank in direct sunlight all day can significantly raise the water temperature. While some plants and a few select fish can safely live in outdoor conditions, most aquarium plant and animal species need consistent temperatures to survive.
• Deterioration of the aquarium silicon: Long term exposure to UV radiation in sunlight can damage aquarium silicone, causing degradation of adhesion which could lead to water leakage.

What Is the Best LED Light Spectrum for Plant Growth?

To achieve the best growth for your planted tank, use light-emitting diode (LED) lights specially made for aquarium use. The best LED lights for plant growth are red-green-blue (RGB) spectrum because those colors are essential for plants. RGB lights also provide enhanced aesthetic appeal, accentuating the vibrant greens and reds of your aquatic plants. Most aquarium lights fall within color temperatures between 9,000 and 12,000 Kelvin.

There are many benefits of using LED grow lights for plants in an aquarium, but most importantly, they provide the best light intensity for the plants you want to grow. One measurement you can use to determine how an LED light performs is photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), which refers to the visible light wavelengths that plants use for photosynthesis. PAR is similar to lumens, but instead of measuring visible light brightness, PAR measures the amount of light that plants can use to grow.

Photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) is an element of PAR that helps determine how much light actually hits your plants. For example, light will be more intense for floating plants, while carpet plants receive less light because they're both further away, and water reflects some light away from it.

Light Cycles

A light cycle in aquarium terms refers to the number of hours and intensity of light your tank receives per day. In general, six to eight hours of light is sufficient for a lightly planted tank, while larger or more heavily planted tanks may need between eight and 12 hours.

In addition to the cool white light aquarium plants love, some LEDs might include customizable features to change the light to almost any color on the color wheel. However, this is just for aesthetics. Your plants need the full RGB spectrum to grow. 

Many people prefer to align their light cycle, or lighting schedule, with the hours they'll be home. For example, those who work during the day may set their aquarium lights to come on around 4 p.m. and turn off at 10 p.m., allowing them to view and enjoy their beautifully illuminated aquarium while they're home.

Some aquarium lights have programmable features, while others may need external timers or manual operation for an ideal lighting schedule.

Choosing the Right LED Grow Light for Your Plants

While there are grow lights for indoor houseplants, you should look for LED lights that are made to support aquarium plant growth. For instance, ADA lighting systems for live plants have the optimum RGB spectrum for growth with fully customizable brightness, tone and synchronization.

When shopping for LED lights for your nature aquarium, take the following factors into consideration:

Type of Plant

The type and intensity of light you need will depend on the kind of plants you have. In general, aquarium plants fall under the classification of light, medium and high light, corresponding to the amount of light time and intensity they require. When purchasing plants, you'll find information about the light requirements in the description or instructions.

Examples of these include:

• Low-light plants: Plants with lower-light requirements include mosses, cryptocorene and anubias.
• Medium-light plants: Dwarf hair grass, Staurogyne repens and green Rotala all do well with medium light intensity.
• High-light plants: Plants with some of the highest light requirements include Dwarf baby tears, red Rotala and Pogostemon stellatus Dassen. You may also need higher-intensity LED grow lights for plants that flower.

To optimize your lighting system, you should invest in a lighting stand to maintain the right distance and coverage.

Heat Management and Energy Efficiency

Extra care and caution are essential when dealing with water and electricity. Lights also emit heat, so it's important to choose a light rated for your tank size — a light that's too large could use too much energy, while a light that's too small might overheat because it needs to stay on longer.

Aesthetics

When creating your beautiful nature aquarium, your light can make a huge difference in the overall cohesion of the design and how it fits into the surrounding space. Many aquarium lights stand out too much, distracting the eye and detracting from the beauty of the tank.

Select aquarium lighting that suits your tank and space, whether you choose a mounted light, a sleek above-tank fixture or an LED back screen.

Purchase ADA Lighting Systems From AFA

As the premier source for aquarium products worldwide, ADA produces some of the highest-quality, aesthetically pleasing lighting systems. AFA is the official distributor for ADA products in the United States, and we offer a wide range of aquarium lighting and equipment, plus scaping materials, cleaning tools and live plants and shrimp. Trust us to provide authentic ADA products that represent the most innovative solutions for the aquarium hobby.

Shop our selection of ADA lighting systems, or reach out to our team to learn more about our products and services.