Thinking of adding a low tech tank...for the wife

[WarDaddy]

She is a BIG fan of the fancy goldfish. I would not allow them in "my" tank LOL, and she is a bit pissed about that.

Well I was digging around in the garage and found my 20 gallon and an XP3 canister... all I need is a heater and light, right?

I am thinking of lighting it in a fashion not normally seen ... I want to use the decorative Pendants from Lowes (fancy blown glass, pretty). I am thinking 2 of these about 10 inches above the open top with the 6500K Spiral fluorescents that are in the flood light configuration (sort of have a built in reflector). Most likely would be the 18watt range.

Would that be enough light for a low tech 20 gallon with crypts and swords in it?

[Oscar17]

I thought gold fish didn't need a heater...

[WarDaddy]

yea, that is true...one less thing to plug in. Although a heater would keep the temp more stable, this time of the year, the house temp swings from 65 at night to 80 in the day.

[lauraleellbp]

That's a huge temp swing. I'd run the heater to try and keep the temps more stable.

And you're only going to have room for one adult goldfish in a 20gal tank...

What type of pendant lights are you considering? Unless they're metal halide (which I'm assuming not with the wattage you posted) there's no way that 18 watts suspended up over this tank is going to support plant growth. Even with 18 watts set right over the tank, you'd be pretty much limited to java moss, java ferns, and anubias- and if they grow it will be at a snail's pace.

An XP3 will be extremely strong flow on a 20gal tank. May be a problem if you get some of the more awkward, slow-swimming fancy goldfish varieties.

[WarDaddy]

I am thinking bulbs like this (maybe more power)
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...682&lpage=none

and a pendant like this:
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...-36&lpage=none

[lauraleellbp]

Definitely not enough light.

That pendant is designed to push light through the glass for the effect; there's no reflector at all and therefore very little light comes out the bottom. Most of that 18 watts won't come anywhere near the tank.

Doesn't matter what bulb you put in a fixture, it won't put out any more light than the fixture is designed to push.

[WarDaddy]

The bulb has the reflector in it. It is a flood light bulb, with internal reflector, pushing light down not out the sides.

the pendant would be there just to hide the ugly bulb. At least that is what I am thinking when seeing it had the reflector in the bulb. Is my thinking totally off?. I can understand what you are saying, if I put a normal spiral bulb in it, but wouldn't the internal reflector help focus the watts down?

[WarDaddy]

Originally Posted by EdwardN

Be sure to weigh her down so she wont float up in 3 days.....

???????

[lauraleellbp]

I can normally follow Edward's humor, but this time I'm afraid I'm as lost as you are LOL

I still don't think that any number of those fixtures could put out enough light to support any plant growth.

[Streptomycin]

Looks like a cool idea! Those pendants will look really nice as opposed to the mad scientist look most of us rock over our aquariums. I don't understand what the problem is with the light. If he buys those bulbs, the reflectors will push the light down through the open part of the pendant. 36 watts over 20 gallons seems like enough light, right?

[yikesjason]

I think with two of the 26 watt floods, you could grow some low light plants. I have one on my driveway and it puts out a lot of light.

[WarDaddy]

If there is anything I have learned in all my years of DIY aquarium keeping, it is that stuff that seems so reasonable is often not practical. Now that does not mean I am throwing in the towel on this idea.

The next phase is to see exactly how big the Pendants are, and if the are big enough for a 6 inch long bulb, or a 4 inch wide bulb. If it can deal with the size of the bulb, then we may have the space to party.