Best Light for a Beginner Planted Tank
2 minute read · Updated November 8, 2026
Edited by Ivan F.
Quick answer
Choose an LED that covers the length of your tank, with adjustable brightness and a timer. Easy plants such as anubias, crypts and ferns need only low light, so you do not need a powerful light. Run it 6 hours a day at first, and avoid very blue lights made for reefs.
What a first planted tank needs from its light
Most beginners start with easy plants, and those need little light. A retailer that sells plants says low lights grow anubias, crypts and ferns, and recommends that most people start there. Nearly every plant on our plant list is rated low light.
So the light does not need to be powerful. It needs to cover the tank evenly, and to be easy to keep on a steady schedule.
What we look for
- Enough light for easy plants. A plant grower, Tropica, recommends 10 to 20 lumens per litre for its Easy plants, 20 to 40 for Medium plants, and more than 40 for Advanced ones. We prefer lights whose maker publishes lumens, so you can check.
- A size that covers the tank. One retailer says most aquarium lights spread well over about 1 foot directly below them, so a tank 18 to 24 inches wide may need two. We look for lights sold in lengths matched to tank sizes.
- Adjustable brightness. Some LED lights are dimmable, a retailer notes, and a plant retailer suggests a dimmer if your light is strong. Dimming lets you turn the light down if algae appears.
- A timer. Tropica recommends a timer from the first day, with 6 hours of light a day for the first three weeks, then up to 8 at most. A built-in timer counts in a light’s favor. Without one, add a plug-in timer.
- LED and white light. A retailer recommends LED, and warns against very blue lights made for saltwater corals. Tropica suggests 5500 to 6500 K for natural colors.
- Sold for your country. We only list a light for a region once we have read its maker’s page for that region, and for anything that plugs in, its voltage.
Before you buy
Match the light’s length to your tank, using the size table on the maker’s page. Only one of our picks has a timer built in, so plan on a plug-in timer for the others. Start with the shortest day the plant grower suggests, and dim the light or cut the hours if algae appears.
Options that fit
Chosen against the criteria above. Nobody at AquariaWiki has used or tested these products. The specifications are the makers' own statements, so these are the strongest fits on the facts we could record, not a hands-on verdict.
Picks for the US
hygger 18W LED Aquarium Light (18-24 inch) US
The only pick here with both a timer and dimming built in, sold in sizes matched to tank length. Its shortest timer setting matches the plant grower's advice for the first weeks. Its page does not state the voltage of its adapter, so check that the listing is for US mains.
The manufacturer states: The 18 W size is for 18 to 24 inch tanks. Built-in timer set to 6, 10 or 12 hours. Brightness adjustable in 9 stages from 10% to 100%, though another part of the same page says 5 steps. 817 to 2815 lumens across the range of sizes. 2-year warranty on electrical parts.
NICREW ClassicLED Plus Aquarium Light US
A simpler light whose maker says it suits low to medium light plants, which covers the easy plants most people start with. It has no timer or dimming, so add a plug-in timer. Its page does not state the voltage, so check that the listing is for US mains.
The manufacturer states: Suits freshwater or saltwater fish and low to medium light plants. Adjustable legs fit rimless and framed tanks. The specification table lists 1150 lumens without saying which size that figure belongs to.
Picks for Spain
EHEIM classicLED plants 550 mm Spain
Made for planted freshwater tanks, sold in lengths matched to the tank, and slim enough to fit under a cover. It has no timer or dimming built in, so add a plug-in timer or the maker's separate dimmer. Its white is bluer than the range the plant grower suggests for natural colors.
The manufacturer states: Spectrum adapted to aquatic plants, at 8350 K. Six lengths from 550 to 1240 mm, for aquariums 60 to 130 cm wide. Fits under all covers. Freshwater only. Power supply rated 220 to 240 V. A Day & Night dimmer, sold separately, sets the day and night lengths and offers 30 brightness levels.
EHEIM classicLED daylight 550 mm Spain
The same sizes and fit as the plants version, with a daylight white inside the range the plant grower suggests for natural colors. Its maker does not describe it as a plant light, which is why it comes second. It also needs a plug-in timer or the separate dimmer.
The manufacturer states: Daylight color at 6500 K. Six lengths from 550 to 1240 mm, for aquariums 60 to 130 cm wide. Fits under all covers. Freshwater only. Works with the separate Day & Night dimmer. Power supply rated 220 to 240 V.
Frequently asked questions
How bright a light do easy plants need?
Not very. A plant grower recommends 10 to 20 lumens per litre for its Easy plants. A retailer that sells plants says low lights grow anubias, crypts and ferns, and recommends that most people start with those.
Do I need a light with a timer?
You need a timer, built in or plugged in. A plant grower recommends one from the first day, set to 6 hours of light for the first three weeks, then up to 8 at most.
Is one light enough for my tank?
It depends on the size. One retailer says most aquarium lights spread well over about 1 foot below them, so a tank 18 to 24 inches wide may need two lights.
Can I use a reef light for plants?
It is not a good choice. A retailer that sells plants says color matters little for growth, as long as the light is not too blue like those used for saltwater corals.