Aquarium lighting concerns

[oceanway]

I've been running a 20 gallon planted tank for about six months now, and my plants just aren't thriving. I'm using a basic LED light that came with the tank, but I'm not sure if it's enough. Has anyone else had this issue? My Anubias and Java Fern are barely growing, and the leaves look pale.

[dawnsea]

What's the wattage on your LED light? I had a similar problem until I upgraded to a full spectrum light. My plants started growing way better after that.

[dipson]

I've been running a 20 gallon planted tank for about six months now, and my plants just aren't thriving. I'm using a basic LED light that came with the tank, but I'm not sure if it's enough. Has anyone else had this issue? My Anubias and Java Fern are barely growing, and the leaves look pale.

Anubias and Java Fern are low light plants, but they still need decent lighting. How long do you keep the lights on each day? Too much or too little can mess with their growth.

[fluxer]

Yeah, dude, those stock lights are kinda sketchy. I swapped mine out for a Nicrew and it made a huge diff. Plants went from meh to wow in like two weeks.

[ironclad9]

Lighting duration and spectrum are key. I run my lights for 8 hours a day with a timer, and I use a Finnex Planted+ 24/7. My Anubias and Java Fern are thriving, and I've even got some Crypts growing well. What's your photoperiod like?

[oceanway]

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I'll look into upgrading my light. Right now, I'm running it for about 10 hours a day, but maybe that's too much.

[dawnsea]

10 hours might be overkill, especially with a weak light. Try cutting it back to 6-8 hours and see if that helps. Also, check your nutrient levels. Low light plants still need some ferts.

[dipson]

10 hours might be overkill, especially with a weak light. Try cutting it back to 6-8 hours and see if that helps. Also, check your nutrient levels. Low light plants still need some ferts.

Yep, agreed. I dose a bit of Seachem Flourish every week, and my plants are chill. You might wanna test your water for nitrates too, just in case.

[fluxer]

If you're gonna upgrade, go for something with adjustable brightness. That way you can tweak it as needed. My Nicrew has a dimmer, and it's been a game changer.

[ironclad9]

If you're gonna upgrade, go for something with adjustable brightness. That way you can tweak it as needed. My Nicrew has a dimmer, and it's been a game changer.

Adjustable lights are great, especially if you're still figuring out what works. I started with mine at 50% and gradually increased it over a few weeks. Less chance of algae blooms that way.