# Best lighting for a 20long tank?



## finsNfur (Jun 3, 2010)

Hi,

I currently have a simple stock light on my 20l, it came in a kit with my 29g tank. It just has a 20 watt bulb, I think flourescent. I bought a Nova Extreme T5 48 watt light for the 29, and put the old 20 watt light over the 20 long. I had hoped that would be enough light, but my water sprite struggles in there. Initially I had the Nova Extreme T5 over the 20long, but after a few days the water turned green so I switched lights. Now I have a young bn pleco in the 20long, so I want a lot more algae growth in there. So I don't know whether to purchase another Nova Extreme for it, and possibly deal with green water again, or perhaps try the Coralife T5 36 watt bulb system? Would 36 watts be enough light? It sounds like it might be a happy medium, but before making a purchase I wanted to ask the "experts".  

Another option would be to put the Nova Extreme back over the 20l and risk green water, and put an even more powerful light over the 29. The Nova Extreme 48 watts seems fine over the 29 though, my plants do nicely in there, although it just has java fern/moss, water sprite, anubias, and a sword. There is plenty of algae growth in there for the albino bn pleco in that tank. I don't want to bother with CO2, just occasional liquid ferts. Thanks!


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## asukawashere (Mar 11, 2009)

36watts over a 20-long would be a little shy of 2 wpg (1.8 to be specific), but a 20L is a comparatively shallow tank depth, so you don't need so much light. I think you could definitely get away with it, providing you choose your species accordingly. The ones you listed should do fine - as would any relatively undemanding stem plant (i.e. Rotala rotundifolia, Ludwigia repens or repens x arcuata, or most Hygrophila spp.)

For algae for the pleco, you might try putting some stones or bits of driftwood in your pond, leaving them for a week or two, and bringing them indoors - when he eats all the algae on one, put it back outside and swap for another.


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## finsNfur (Jun 3, 2010)

Thanks for the advice! I was thinking it would probably work, I just needed an echo to my thoughts. 



asukawashere said:


> For algae for the pleco, you might try putting some stones or bits of driftwood in your pond, leaving them for a week or two, and bringing them indoors - when he eats all the algae on one, put it back outside and swap for another.


Now that is a great idea, I hasn't thought of that---and I do have some shallow rocks with algae growing on them, the goldies nibble them all the time. I will do that right now. Thanks again!


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## asukawashere (Mar 11, 2009)

finsNfur said:


> Thanks for the advice! I was thinking it would probably work, I just needed an echo to my thoughts.
> 
> Now that is a great idea, I hasn't thought of that---and I do have some shallow rocks with algae growing on them, the goldies nibble them all the time. I will do that right now. Thanks again!


No problem  One of the wonderful things about these forums is having others a sounding board to bounce ideas off of.

And yeah, your pleco should love that.  It's what he was raised on, too, so he shouldn't have any problems with CT pond microorganisms or anything. :mrgreen:


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