[Hobbes1911]

I am starting a 20L and want to get quite high light. What fixture should I use that will give me the ability to grow even the light demanding plants like L. pantanal? What are some brands that sell some good lights that aren't so horribly expensive?

Simon

 

[Hoppy]

A 20L tank is only 12 inches high, so it doesn't take much light to grow almost anything. A single T5HO tube, about 6 inches above the top of the tank, if you have 2 inches of substrate, should be more than enough for any plants to grow well. There aren't many single tube T5HO lights available to chose from. A two tube T5NO light would probably give about the same amount of light as a single tube T5HO, so that would be easier to find. However, the 30 inch length of the tank is a problem too, since there aren't many 30 inch long T5 tubes available.

 

[Hobbes1911]

There is this company (I forgot the name) that makes cheap power compact tubes. logo is green and red something. I would like them, only I have completely forgotten the name.

 

[macclellan]

Hoppy and I must be from different planets.
A single T5HO just won't be enough light for a tank full of high light plants.
I have a 20L and a T5HO fixture. If I dim it down to just one bulb, it is at best medium light, and the spread is terrible. That said, you don't need much punch since the tank is so shallow.
I'd get a 30" 2x31w Coralife fixture like this since it has the full 30" (31w) bulbs and not 24" (24w) bulbs in a 30" housing: http://www.marineandreef.com/Coralife_Aqualight_HO_FRESHWATER_T5_30_inch_p/res08611.htm

 

[roznalos]

Wouldn't it be ok if you use T5NO?

http://www.marineandreef.com/Aqualight_T5_Aquarium_Lighting_Coralife_p/res58021.htm

 

[gheitman]

I have Coralife's Freshwater T-5 Aqualight 30" dual bulb fixture over a 20g long tank and it grows almost any plant that I have tried including many that would be considered as requiring high light. It uses NO bulbs as opposed to HO.

 

[Hoppy]

Wouldn't it be ok if you use T5NO?

http://www.marineandreef.com/Aqualight_T5_Aquarium_Lighting_Coralife_p/res58021.htm

In my opinion that light fixture would work fine, but I would replace the actinic bulb with a 6500-10,000K bulb. That would greatly improve the appearance of the tank in my opinion.

 

[Burks]

There is this company (I forgot the name) that makes cheap power compact tubes. logo is green and red something. I would like them, only I have completely forgotten the name.

Aquatraders perhaps?

I'm at work so I can't view their page (this is one of the few I can).