Which kind of lighting please

Obsidian · 02-02-2013, 06:15 PM

Completing my tank has stalled until I get the lighting figured out.
I've been trying (Lord knows) to learn and figure it out for months.
Take breaks then try again. It always ends up the same, frustrated, confused and not a clue what to do.

Where I can start tho is I have no desire to use CO2 or lights that require a fan.

I think I need medium lighting but if this isn't possible I'll deal with low lighting.

I need a light(s) with this design because I like plants/decor that goes above the back of the tank and because I take the hood off almost everyday. The water is kept a little lower because I have African Dwarf Frogs and 1 Betta in the tank.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/6576374...n/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/6576374...in/photostream

It's a 20 gallon. 16 3/4 tall - 12 wide - 24 long.
The inside lip (where a hood would normally go) at the top is 23 1/4 and the outside part of plastic top is 24 1/16.

What I desperately need is the EXACT hood to get, probably a 2 bulb setup, what 2 bulbs to buy and a trusted website to buy it all at.

(I bought a "plant light" T-8 5,000k. It's near useless and even though, at this time, all the plants are floating on the top they are slowly dying - elodea and wysteria - even with the light on all day)

Thankyou very much,
Dez

**I could buy a 2nd one bulb hood and still have enough room in the back for decor above the tank. If I bought a 2nd 5,000k would I then have 10,000k or just 2 5,000k bulbs?

Yankee · 02-02-2013, 06:56 PM

http://www.catalinaaquarium.com/stor...oducts_id=1834 this will give you medium light for a 20 gallon in my experiences. If you want to fork out for a 2 bulb fixture then you're looking at probably needing some CO2 (DIY or pressurized). If you want a 2 bulb fixture for such a small tank and don't want to run CO2 you might want to just get a couple shop lights from Home Depot and suspend them over the aquarium.

**Hoppy** · 02-02-2013, 08:51 PM

http://www.fishneedit.com/t5ho-24quo...quarium-l.html will give you low to low medium light, about the maximum you can use without CO2. Excel would be recommended with this light. I would get either the all white bulbs, or one white and one pink.

Obsidian · 02-03-2013, 03:59 PM

Thank you for your help.
The first link said the product is out of stock.
From the help in here led me to this site.

Is this what I'm looking for?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/6576374...in/photostream

Is the round grid on the left a fan? If it is then yes, I want a fan. But the specs say Fan Cooled - No.

This site has fairly high reviews on products and prompt delivery.
http://www.petmountain.com/product/a...ter-light.html

Co2 isn't an option. I've read too many horror stories about them breaking and too risky to use with anything other than a fishless planted tank.
I have 10 African Dwarf Frogs and they breathe through their skin, plus breath air from the surface. Anyway, they don't have scales like fish for a little added protection against toxins in the water.

Yankee · 02-03-2013, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Obsidian

Thank you for your help.
The first link said the product is out of stock.
From the help in here led me to this site.

Is this what I'm looking for?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/6576374...in/photostream

Is the round grid on the left a fan? If it is then yes, I want a fan. But the specs say Fan Cooled - No.

This site has fairly high reviews on products and prompt delivery.
http://www.petmountain.com/product/a...ter-light.html

Co2 isn't an option. I've read too many horror stories about them breaking and too risky to use with anything other than a fishless planted tank.
I have 10 African Dwarf Frogs and they breathe through their skin, plus breath air from the surface. Anyway, they don't have scales like fish for a little added protection against toxins in the water.

At 16" a lot of 2 bulb fixtures are probably too HO for a 20 gallon to not run CO2 or supplement aside from the fishneedit fixture that hoppy linked. I'm not too familiar with the Nova Extreme fixture (and I can't find data in Hoppy's chart) so someone else may chime in here. The only thing I've heard is that they're pretty cheap ballasts - I'm not familiar with their output.

Obsidian · 02-04-2013, 08:02 PM

First, thankyou for assistance/tolerance. I meant it when I said the more I read on lighting the more confused I get.

[SIZE=1]I liked the fixture Hoppy linked but it's out of stock. The other link to Catalina is only for one bulb. One bulb can't carry all the plant needs of a 20 gal can it? Idk.

For plants I'm 'pretty sure' I need 2 bulbs (1 white 1 pink?) 10,000k is good right?

What about this http://www.bigalspets.com/nova-extre...x-24-w-24.html

or
http://www.bigalspets.com/nova-extreme-t5-ho-saltwater-light-fixture-2-x-24-w-24.html
or
http://www.bigalspets.com/aqualight-t5-ho-dual-lamp-fixture-2-x-24-w-24.html

Edit- what about LED lighting? At first glance it looked like 6,5000k is as high as it gets. So maybe 2 units...

CO2 being out of the question I researched Flourish Excel. Can't be used with shrimp. I have ghost shrimp and it's very iffy with African Dwarf Frogs. Some have died some haven't, some fish have died - I have a Plakat Betta in the tank.

Thank you for any input

02-02-2013, 06:15 PM	#1
Obsidian Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Grants Pass, Oregon Posts: 7	Which kind of lighting please Completing my tank has stalled until I get the lighting figured out. I've been trying (Lord knows) to learn and figure it out for months. Take breaks then try again. It always ends up the same, frustrated, confused and not a clue what to do. Where I can start tho is I have no desire to use CO2 or lights that require a fan. I think I need medium lighting but if this isn't possible I'll deal with low lighting. I need a light(s) with this design because I like plants/decor that goes above the back of the tank and because I take the hood off almost everyday. The water is kept a little lower because I have African Dwarf Frogs and 1 Betta in the tank. http://www.flickr.com/photos/6576374...n/photostream/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/6576374...in/photostream It's a 20 gallon. 16 3/4 tall - 12 wide - 24 long. The inside lip (where a hood would normally go) at the top is 23 1/4 and the outside part of plastic top is 24 1/16. What I desperately need is the EXACT hood to get, probably a 2 bulb setup, what 2 bulbs to buy and a trusted website to buy it all at. (I bought a "plant light" T-8 5,000k. It's near useless and even though, at this time, all the plants are floating on the top they are slowly dying - elodea and wysteria - even with the light on all day) Thankyou very much, Dez **I could buy a 2nd one bulb hood and still have enough room in the back for decor above the tank. If I bought a 2nd 5,000k would I then have 10,000k or just 2 5,000k bulbs?

02-02-2013, 08:51 PM	#3
Hoppy Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (53/100%) Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 17,206	http://www.fishneedit.com/t5ho-24quo...quarium-l.html will give you low to low medium light, about the maximum you can use without CO2. Excel would be recommended with this light. I would get either the all white bulbs, or one white and one pink. __________________ Hoppy

02-03-2013, 03:59 PM	#4
Obsidian Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Grants Pass, Oregon Posts: 7	Is this the right lighting? Thank you for your help. The first link said the product is out of stock. From the help in here led me to this site. Is this what I'm looking for? http://www.flickr.com/photos/6576374...in/photostream Is the round grid on the left a fan? If it is then yes, I want a fan. But the specs say Fan Cooled - No. This site has fairly high reviews on products and prompt delivery. http://www.petmountain.com/product/a...ter-light.html Co2 isn't an option. I've read too many horror stories about them breaking and too risky to use with anything other than a fishless planted tank. I have 10 African Dwarf Frogs and they breathe through their skin, plus breath air from the surface. Anyway, they don't have scales like fish for a little added protection against toxins in the water.

02-04-2013, 08:02 PM	#6
Obsidian Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Grants Pass, Oregon Posts: 7	First, thankyou for assistance/tolerance. I meant it when I said the more I read on lighting the more confused I get. [SIZE=1]I liked the fixture Hoppy linked but it's out of stock. The other link to Catalina is only for one bulb. One bulb can't carry all the plant needs of a 20 gal can it? Idk. For plants I'm 'pretty sure' I need 2 bulbs (1 white 1 pink?) 10,000k is good right? What about this http://www.bigalspets.com/nova-extre...x-24-w-24.html or http://www.bigalspets.com/nova-extreme-t5-ho-saltwater-light-fixture-2-x-24-w-24.html or http://www.bigalspets.com/aqualight-t5-ho-dual-lamp-fixture-2-x-24-w-24.html Edit- what about LED lighting? At first glance it looked like 6,5000k is as high as it gets. So maybe 2 units... CO2 being out of the question I researched Flourish Excel. Can't be used with shrimp. I have ghost shrimp and it's very iffy with African Dwarf Frogs. Some have died some haven't, some fish have died - I have a Plakat Betta in the tank. Thank you for any input Last edited by Obsidian; 02-05-2013 at 04:20 PM.. Reason: new part to same question

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02-02-2013, 06:56 PM	#2
Yankee Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Oregon Posts: 235	http://www.catalinaaquarium.com/stor...oducts_id=1834 this will give you medium light for a 20 gallon in my experiences. If you want to fork out for a 2 bulb fixture then you're looking at probably needing some CO2 (DIY or pressurized). If you want a 2 bulb fixture for such a small tank and don't want to run CO2 you might want to just get a couple shop lights from Home Depot and suspend them over the aquarium.