red light

[corylover5]

I wanted to get a red or pink plant for my tank. I was thinking of getting one like this https://www.google.com/search?q=red...noECA4QAg&biw=90&bih=150#imgrc=BZXLmJsAa8I_zM I'm not sure what kind of plant yet. I have no experience with red plants but to my understanding they need a red light to keep them healthy. Please correct me if I'm wrong which I'm pretty sure I am. I found this light https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07W2YG3C4/?tag=ff0d01-20 in my closet this morning so I now have that light on set to the red light along with my other white tank light. I will attach pictures but would the red light be strong enough to keep a red plant healthy?

This is a picture of the red light without the white light on.


This is a picture of the white and red light on together.


This is a picture of the lights on the lid. The circled one is the red light.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

@Byron would be best answering your questions. (Although he said he doesn’t have much experience with LED lights.)

 

[Byron]

I may be able to sort out the confusion over "red" light, LED or not, as all light is the same when we are discussing colour.

Plants need white light that is high in the red, blue and green wavelengths. Light (white light like sunlight) is composed of wavelengths of different colours, like a rainbow, or light shining through a prism that separates the wavelengths. The red and blue wavelengths are what drive photosynthesis; adding green to the mix does improve plant growth. This mix can be expressed as degrees Kelvin, and light with a Kelvin rating between 5000K and 6500K is closest to mid-day sun and is the best light for aquatic plants.

Plant leaves are the colour of the light they reflect. Green leaves are reflecting green light, and red leaves reflect red light. The red is the more important here because as I said above, red and blue drive photosynthesis. Adding just red light is not likely to work, at least I have never heard of it working. Increasing the intensity of the white light which is high in red, blue and green is the usual method. So we can say that red leaf plants tend to require brighter light than other plants.

You also want a true rendition of colour, and the white light around 5000K to 6500K achieves this. Though all such light is not equal.

 

[corylover5]

Thank you. Is there a certain brand light that would work best for red leaf plants?

 

[Byron]

Thank you. Is there a certain brand light that would work best for red leaf plants?

The light has to be 5000K to 6500K, and of sufficient intensity for the plant species. I use T8 fluorescent lighting still, as I have used it for 25 years and I know it inside out. LED is a whole different ball game, and there are good units and useless units; I tried five in the latter camp (though I didn't know it at the time) and they all went back. Other members have reported good LED units for planted tanks, they can advise you better than I on this.