floating and high-light

[Xandict]

I plan to make one side of my L-shaped tank planted for high light plants and the other for medium light plants. It will be mostly schools of tetras that I've read don't like bright light. If I use floating plants, won't they block the light to the plants? Anyway around this?

[DrNic]

Floating plants do block some of the light. But plants with small leaves, or spines will block less.

For example, plants like lilies and apons, that have large leaves will block almost all the light in the tank. Plants will medium sized leaves like broadleaf watersprite or dwarf rotala, will block less. Plants like hornwort, wish spines, will block the least.

In general though, the plants that block the least light grow the fastest and will need to be pruned more often. So keep that in mind.