When buying a tank, there is always the question of how the aquarium will be illuminated. Especially beginners often buy starter sets, which have a light source included. However, in almost all cases, this light is very weak. As a result, it is usually only possible to cultivate aquarium plants with low requirements. These include, for example, Anubias or various Vallisneria species.

However, to maintain plants that have medium or even high demands on light, strong lighting is needed. It should be noted that at least 30 lumens / liter. With this amount, most plants can grow successfully. For particularly light-hungry plants such as some ground cover or also red water plants, approx. 50 – 60 lumens / liter should be available.

However, when choosing a lamp is important to note that it is not too strong for the aquarium. Because if the light is not needed, this can promote very strong algae growth. Thus, you should still buy a too strong lamp only if it is dimmable or if floating plants stop part of the light.