# Lighting for 20 gallon long



## bradfordson (Aug 25, 2005)

I wanted to know what everybody else uses for lighting a 20L. I want lots o light lots o plants without using co2 or ferts


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

Not sure you can have "lots of light" without CO2 and ferts. Your plant selection will be limited, but you can still have a well planted aquarium of crypts, anubias, moss under low lighting conditions. 

For minimal tank setup, find a fixture that gives you about 2.0 wpg (watts per gallon). In fact you probably could grow the above mentioned plants using the stock tank lighting. The plants won't thrive, but iwill survive and grow ever so slowly. 

I personally would get a Coralife 65 watt fixture, and supplement with some DIY CO2 or excel, and supply ferts ocassionally, mainly relying on root tabs, fish waste, and waste from fish food to supplement the tank.

-John N.


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## xcooperx (Jun 24, 2006)

Im using 30"Coralife 65 watts with adjustable mounting legs


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

xcooperx said:


> Im using 30"Coralife 65 watts with adjustable mounting legs


Me too!


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## bradfordson (Aug 25, 2005)

thanks for the replys, xcooperx tank looks great are you using co2 ferts, if so what? I was going to try some cheap topsoil and pea gravel with lots of plants


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## xcooperx (Jun 24, 2006)

yeah, Nutrafin Hagen co2 system, and the substrate is 100% Eco-complete. about the substrate you can use shultz aquatic soil or soilmaster select.


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## erijnal (Apr 5, 2006)

This isn't about light buuut.. DIY CO2 shouldn't be too much of a hassle if one of those month-long jello recipes work. Try to stay away from buying "DIY" CO2 systems. You'll do just as fine, if not better, with using 2L bottles solo or in series and save around twenty-five bucks. There's a sticky in the Equipment section about DIY CO2, it should get you started in the right direction in terms of CO2. Dry ferts will last you forever, so it's an initial investment that will pay off bigtime in the long run.

If you want to stay away from the high maintenance though, just do what John suggested and try the 2 wpg with the mosses, crypts, and anubias. Like he said, lots of light (~3 wpg and over) does not go hand in hand with no ferts and no CO2.


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## bradfordson (Aug 25, 2005)

Thanks again for the help I think I might stay away from the high maintenance. What do you think about coralife 30'' T-5 w/2 18w bulbs any experience with something like that?


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## erijnal (Apr 5, 2006)

I think instead of buying a fixture with two T-5's, you should get two fixtures that each house one T-5. The fixture with two lights is going to lose a ton of light due to restrike (light bouncing off the reflector and right back onto the bulb), whereas the fixtures with one light will utilize the bulbs a lot more efficiently due to less restrike. Make sure you get HO (high output) not NO (normal output). What I've been hearing is that only the HO bulbs/fixtures? are adequate replacement for CF lights. Maybe someone can correct me on this


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## Felf808 (Mar 21, 2006)

I have a 20L with a coralife 30" 2x65w PC fixture and adjustable mounting legs but I also have pressurized co2 and dose a lot of ferts. The glosso mat is super thick and my water sprite grows at least an inch(probably more) a day.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=73672&highlight=coralife+65w


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