How long should the lights be on in a planted aquarium?

Most planted aquariums do not need more than 8 hours of light. Setting your lighting period for longer than 6 hours in NEW planted aquarium set-ups. During the first month your lighting period should be shorter to keep away algae while your plants grow in.

Is 12 hours too much light for aquarium plants?

Similarly for start up tanks, keep your lighting limited to 6 hours as the plants are yet to root and therefore not much growing is happening. 12 hours of light is just excessive. Not only will it cost you more but your lights will need replacing more often and your electricity costs will be higher.

Can I leave my planted aquarium light on 24 7?

You should never keep your aquarium lights on for 24/7. There are are several reasons you should not do so but the most important is it will cause algae growth in your tank. And you can spend literally weeks if not months to clean out algae from your aquarium. Besides, just as we do fish also require darkness to sleep.

How many hours of light for low tech planted aquarium?

6 to 10 hours
Typically, the daily light duration for a low light planted aquarium (or any planted tank for that matter) will be in the range of 6 to 10 hours. The mistake many people make when starting out is using a light duration that is entirely too long.

Can a planted aquarium have too much light?

Too much light causes more algae growth. Reduce the time the aquarium lights are on to eight hours, or a bit less if necessary, to help reduce the algae growth.

Can too much light burn aquarium plants?

Depending on the plant species you have in your tank, some need as much as 12 hours of light, but most require 8-10 hours every day. However, if you use all 12 hours of aquarium lighting when the tank’s already in a bright and sunny room, you’re at risk of providing the plants and fish with too much light.

How do I know if I have too much light in aquarium?

When your tank starts growing a lot of green algae, you are probably leaving your lights on for too long. Too much light in combination with a lot of nutrients in your aquarium water causes algae to grow rather rapidly and can also affect the color of the water, making it brown or yellow-ish.

What is considered high light in an aquarium?

0.5 watts/liter can be described as medium light. Some ground-covering plants or stem plants do well in this light. 1 watt per liter or more describes the so-called high-light tank. Demanding plants like red-leafed stem plants need this much light.

Is blue light good for planted tank?

Colors of Light for Healthy Growth of Aquatic Plants Red and blue lights are used in photosynthesis of plants. Red light is attenuated rapidly in water while blue light has better penetration in water.