Aquarium Plants lighting BRIGHT TO VERY BRIGHT
These plants require a high-intensity light for a large proportion of daylight hours. However it doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to grow it in medium lights. In most cases, fluorescent tubes will often not provide sufficient light to promote good growth in a deeper tanks.
Unless you use many of them or T5THO with high output. Use metal-halide or mercury vapor lamps as well as stronger LED. Red plants, such as this Myriophyllum tuberculatum, thrive in very bright light.
Alternanthera reineckii, Ammannia gracilis, Bacopa monnieri, Blyxa echinosperma, Blyxa japonica, Cabomba aquatica, Cabomba piauhyensis, Cryptocoryne parva, Didiplis diandra, Echinodorus macrophyllus, Eichhornia azurea, Eichhornia crassipes, Eleocharis parvula, Eusteralis stellata, Fontinalis antipyretica,
Glossostigma elatinoides, Heteranthera zosterifolia, Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides, Hydrocotyle verticillata, Hygrophila corymbosa ‘Crispa’,Hygrophila corymbosa ‘Strigosa’, Hygrophila guianensis, Hygrophila stricta Lilaeopsis novae-zelandiae.
Lighting level – BRIGHT
Metal-halide or mercury vapor lamps are still the ideal choice for these plants although in aquariums less than 18 in (45 cm) deep, two or three fluorescent tubes (with reflectors) may be sufficient. If the plants are densely grouped together, use metal-halide or mercury vapor lamps; if they are not and there is plenty of open space, then fluorescent tubes will be adequate. LED light is nowadays universal, you can adjust the light dim it or add another fixture and you can basically grow anything.
Alternanthera reineckii, Anubias gracilis, Aponogeton boivinianus, Aponogeton crispus, Aponogeton ulvaceus, Aponogeton undulatus, Bacopa caroliniana, Bacopa monnieri, Bacopa rotundifolia, Bardaya longifolia, Bolbitis heudelotii,
Cabomba caroliniana, Cardamine lyrata, Ceratophyllum submersum, Ceratopteris cornuta, Crassula helmsii, Crinum natans, Crinum thaianum, Cryptocoryne albida, Cryptocoryne balansae, Cryptocoryne beckettii, Cryptocoryne ciliata, Cryptocoryne moehlmannii, Cryptocoryne siamensis, Cryptocoryne undulata, Cryptocoryne wendtii, Cryptocoryne willisii,
Echinodorus amazonicus, Echinodorus bleheri, Echinodorus bolivianus, Echinodorus grandifloros, Echinodorus horemanii, Echinodorus Echinodorus opacus, Echinodorus osiris, Echinodorus parviflorus, Echinodorus quadricostatus var. xinguensis, Echinodorus tenellus, Echinodorus uruguayensis, Eichhomia crassipes, Eleocharis acicularis, Eleocharis vivípara, Elodea canadensis, Gymnocoronis spilanthoides, Hemianthus callitrichoides, Hemianthus micranthemoides, Hydrocotyle leucocephala, Hygrophila corymbosa, Hygrophila corymbosa ‘Glabra’,Hygrophila corymbosa ‘Gracílis’,
Hygrophila polysperma, Lagarosiphon major, Lemna trisulca, Limnobium laevigatum, Lobelia cardinalis, Ludwigia helminthorrhiza, Ludwigia repens,
Marsilea hirsuta, Najas indica, Nuphar japónica, Nymphaea lotus, Pistia strattotes, Potamogetón mascarensis, Riccia fluitans, Roíala rotundifolia Sagittaria platyphylla, Sagittaria pusilla, Sagittaria subulata, Salvinia auriculata, Salvinia minima, Salvinia natans, Salvinia oblongifolia, Samólas valerandi, Saururus cernuus, Valllsneria americana, Vallisneria asiatica var. biwaensis, Vallisneria gigantea, Vallisneria tortifolia.
MODERATE Lighting level
These plants can be kept with two or three fluorescent tubes and are relatively hardy species. Although some plants survive and grow under only one or two tubes (with reflectors), they will not grow at an optimum rate and may not show their full health. Most of the plants in this group will do better with brighter light, but they do not require it.
Ceratophyllum demersum, Crinum thaianum, Cryptocoryne balansae, Cryptocoryne cordata, Cryptocoryne pontederiifolia, Echinodorus cordifolius, Echinodorus macrophyllus, Egeria densa, Vallisneria spiralis.
UNDEMANDING OR SHADED
The plants in this group are ideal for aquariums with just one or two fluorescent tubes. Some will live happily in a wide range of lighting conditions, others prefer to be in shaded areas or away from bright light. You can plant them in higher light intensity and it will also do well if the water circulation is good and you supplementing co2. Cryptocoryne’s grows the best in moderate light and co2, otherwise it is better to plant it in the shade of other plant if using a stronger light.
Anubias barteri var. barteri, Anubias barteri var. nana, Anubias congensis, Anubias lanceolata, Aponogeton elongatus, Aponogeton madagascariensis, Cryptocoryne affinis, Cryptocoryne lútea, Cryptocoryne walked, Lemna minor, Microsorium pteropus, Spathiphyllum wallisii, Vesiculada dubyana.