# Lighting help for a 20H Tanks



## webcricket (Oct 16, 2006)

I'm wanting to upgrade the lighting on my 20 gallon high tanks to support low-light plants (java ferns, moss, anubias, crypts, etc.)...I don't really want to go over 2 wpg as I am not interested in CO2 injection at this time. I can add Excel, but injection, even DIY CO2 is not possible at this time.

Would the AH supply 1X36 CF kit be enough to grow those mentioned plants? The only thing is that it's only 17" long and the tank is 24" so I do not think the ends would be lit very well at all. I'm afraid the 1X55 CF kit would be too much light. Can you put a lower wattage bulb into the 1X55 CF kit (and do they even make a lower wattage bulb like 40 watts that would fit)?

Thanks in advance.


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## Simpte 27 (Jul 16, 2004)

1x55 (or 65 depending) is not too much light. I had the same setup without Co2 (dosed excel) and had very few problems, none of which were Co2 related. 1x36 will grow java fern but you will be upset when you realize 80% of the plants will not grow well (take my word for it).


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

Are you going high tech or low tech?

1x55 with proper dosing of Excel would be OK...you might need fertilizers too, but no CO2.

In case you want to do high tech in the future, 2x36w would be good. Or maybe even 1x55w + 2x13 watts....but 2x36w would be good for a high tech tank w/ CO2.


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## webcricket (Oct 16, 2006)

epicfish said:


> Are you going high tech or low tech?
> 
> 1x55 with proper dosing of Excel would be OK...you might need fertilizers too, but no CO2.
> 
> In case you want to do high tech in the future, 2x36w would be good. Or maybe even 1x55w + 2x13 watts....but 2x36w would be good for a high tech tank w/ CO2.


Being new to plants, I'm not sure where I'd fall in the low/high tech schools of thought.

I've had success with a heavily planted 10 gallon tank with 2 wpg of CF lighting and regular old inert gravel. I dose Seachem's N, P, K, Flourish, and Excel daily on that tank and do 40% weekly water changes. I get really good growth on my low light plants in that set-up. I plan do the same routine with the 20 gallon tanks, which is why I don't really want to push the lighting.

The only difference is that the 20s won't be very heavily planted as my fish do like swim room and perhaps they'll need less ferts as the tanks are pretty well-stocked with fish.


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## webcricket (Oct 16, 2006)

Keeping in mind I just want to grow low light plants...

What about either of these strip lights:
T-5 2X14
Coralife F/W T-5 Aqualight Double Strip Light-24" at Big Al's Online

PC 1X36 (replacing the included 50/50 bulb)
Coralife 24" Aqualight Power Compact Strip Light- 1X36"Watt at Big Al's Online


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

I'd go with the 36 watt. 

You can get around 2WPG without being high tech IMO. Just fertilizer and Excel will do the trick. If it's not going to be very heavily planted, though, you might want to consider ~1.8WPG, which is what the 36 watt fixture will give you over a 20 gallon tank. =)


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