Could use some advice please

[detroit_fan]

I am a long time saltwater guy moving over to freshwater planted and am a bit confused on the lighting. I have been using T5 HO and Metal Halide so long I am unfamiliar with today's lighting options for freshwater.

I am setting up a 20 long, which is 30" long and 12" deep. I plan to use a versa-top glass canopy. I am only interested in some lower-mid light, easy to maintain plants. I do not want to have to use any CO2. I plan to use Eco-complete substrate. Ive read that some plants like Anubias, java fern, and maybe couple swords would be a pretty easy to maintain tank. It sounds like just the Eco-complete and Seachem Flourish Tabs would be sufficient for those?

So I would like a light that would allow me to keep some plants, but not require CO2 or ferts.

The light needs to be able to sit on the aquarium, I can't suspend it. Is it best to just put something like this on the tank-

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...03&pcatid=3803

Or would I need 2 of those? Is there a better option than those lights?

Thanks for any help

[Wasserpest]

For planted tank lighting, T8 fixtures were made obsolete by T5's. For a low light tank, check out various T5NO options.

Two of those T8 fixtures would work, but not very well. If I remember right, a lot of the little light they emit is lost due to subpar reflectors.

Obviously you will pay a bit more for better fixtures with better reflectors, but you will be happier long term.

[detroit_fan]

Originally Posted by Wasserpest

For planted tank lighting, T8 fixtures were made obsolete by T5's. For a low light tank, check out various T5NO options.

Two of those T8 fixtures would work, but not very well. If I remember right, a lot of the little light they emit is lost due to subpar reflectors.

Obviously you will pay a bit more for better fixtures with better reflectors, but you will be happier long term.

ok, i'm having trouble finding a t5 no fixture. all of the normal vendors i use for my saltwater supplies have T5HO, which i know would be too much light. do you have a recommendation or link to a good 30" T5NO fixture?

[detroit_fan]

is something like this a good option for a 20 long?-

http://www.amazon.com/Coralife-Aqual...ralife+24+inch

I realize it is only 24", but the 30" model gets horrible reviews.

[chew]

I have the 30" version for my 20L its just 2 staggered bulbs same size as the 24

[detroit_fan]

I'm worried about having too much light since the tank is only 12" deep. I want to keep this as simple and low maintenance as possible since i have 2 very young kids and not a ton of extra time on my hands. Going with 2 T8 bulbs @ 17W a piece would not be a good option?

[Wasserpest]

For a low light tank it should work fine.

[detroit_fan]

Originally Posted by Wasserpest

For a low light tank it should work fine.

thanks. it comes shipped with a 20watt 5200K bulb, but they have many other choices. Which bulbs would you recommend? Here is a list of what they have available-

Aqua-Glo
18,000°K (21158)
Life-Glo 2
6,700°K (21162)
Power-Glo
6,500°K (128218)
Tropic Sun
5,500°K (261215)
Ultra Sun
6,500°K (261371)
Flora Sun
5,000°K (261267)
Coralife High Intensity
10,000°K (924301)
Colormax
350-750nm (74820)
Coralife Nutri Grow Plant
6,500°K (924431)
Aqueon Floramax
5,500°K (75413)ONT=Arial]350-750nm (74820)[/FONT][/URL]

[Hoppy]

A T8 light should give you good low light, around 30 micromols, if you have 2 inches of substrate. You don't need two bulbs which might be too much light without CO2. Picking a bulb is largely a matter of what looks best to you. I would go for one of the 6500K bulbs, but I have no idea how they differ.

[starrlamia]

I just got the life glo for my 20g long, I like it and read some good reviews on it.

Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk 2

[detroit_fan]

Originally Posted by Hoppy

A T8 light should give you good low light, around 30 micromols, if you have 2 inches of substrate. You don't need two bulbs which might be too much light without CO2. Picking a bulb is largely a matter of what looks best to you. I would go for one of the 6500K bulbs, but I have no idea how they differ.

Thank you very much for the advice

[detroit_fan]

Originally Posted by starrlamia

I just got the life glo for my 20g long, I like it and read some good reviews on it.

Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk 2

Thanks for the reply. I am leaning towards buying that bulb