Planted aquarium lighting - shading

[Art]

It's well-known that the reefing side of the hobby is gear-heavy and, as such, there are many businesses serving that side of the hobby. There is a LOT less focus on planted aquarium products, IMHO. Fortunately for us, there is some overlap between corals and plants due to the need to photosynthesize. This allows us to learn from the innovation taking place with reef-focused products such as lighting.

Bulk Reef Supply has been producing very good videos exploring lighting and the different aspects of lighting that matter to a reefer. Like I said, some of this can be applied to our planted aquariums. Their latest video is focused around the concept of shading.

Shading isn't something we think about much on the planted aquarium side but I think we should. I can't be the only one that has suffered poor leaf growth on stems that are shaded by either plants or just the same plant's upper leaves. It's just logical for us to want to provide a consistent blanket of light across our aquariums.

Please see this video and think about how it applies to our side:


I know that those of you with the large T5 fixtures are like "I told you! I don't have that problem!" and I know you're right. However, it's clear that more and more LEDs are being sold and some think that T5 won't be around forever.

Do you think shading should be something we are considering and, hence, looking for LED fixtures that try to simulate the blanket of light that T5s deliver?

 

[SyngAdorErio]

This is a great question and like you state about the crossover of reef specific products, I have employed two Kessil A360X refugium lights over my heavily planted 36 gallon tank because of the use of heavy red and blue Leds.

The one problem I have is finding the plants that will do best under the wood hardscape as the kessils are a very singular point source with their dense matrix leds that creates an amazing shimmering effect. I have for the longest time just ignored the fact that the wood hardscape shading would impact the plants. By ignoring the shading I soon had a handful of dead Syngonanthus Macrocaulon which I had planted under a 3 inch diameter Manzanita branch. I currently have nothing planted in the area but believe I may try low growing repens or something that requires lower lighting.

Any ideas of interesting plants that would thrive in some shade?

 

[BigWave]

Mosses, anubias, ferns would do good there.