Are all plant lights created equal?

[Confetto]

Amazon has the Romsto LED Full Spectrum Plant Light for Indoor Plants on sale for less than $12. It's a small light on a telescopic pole (I would attach to the outside of the tank) and I was wondering if it would be compatible for a planted tank. 

Edited October 11, 2022 by Confetto

[Matilyn]

Any light should be fine, but you need to look at your plant's light requirements. Some need less light than others. If you can find a light with medium brightness ( Not too bright or dark ) then that should work. I have a small light over my aquarium that given medium light and all my plants love it. I would say go for it! 

[nabokovfan87]

I don't think that light in particular has enough LEDs. 

Let's break it down....
This light has: 29 LEDs in a circle
A Fluval Aquasky has: 42 LEDs in a rectangle across the tank (20" long LED strip)
A Fluval planted nano has: 63 (in a square)
A Fluval planted 3.0 (smallest size) has: 99 (rectangle, 20" long LED strip)
A Finnex stingray has: 36 (across the tank)
A beamswork has: 81 LEDs (rectangle)

You can get some pretty cheap aquascaping lights for a planted tank as opposed to designed (in shape and features) for an indoor plant.  Aquarium co-op does have their own light that is about to be available as well as the finnex stingray lights available.

A few key tips here would be to consider the shape of the tank itself as well as the height of the tank.  If it's a larger, deeper tank, you might need a pretty specific light.  If you only ever plan to grow anubias, you might not need a light at all!