[genyosha]

What's the best option for the oddball length (30") of a 20 gallon long tank? Seems Coralife is the only people that make a full 30" length fixture and its T5HO. Due to the tanks location on my fireplace mantle the lights have to sit on the tank and can't be suspended. Any help would be great

 

[Gafi]

if the tank is 30" inch long and its only a 20 gal im guessing its not deep....T5HO on a tank that shallow will cause you a lot of problems if you cant suspend it and aren't dosing and injecting co2

 

[Gafi]

you may be better off to go with a low light, low tech tank setup

 

[Leah]

you may be better off to go with a low light, low tech tank setup

If you do go low tech, you should look at the marineland double bright LED. I'm using them on 10g tanks, which are pretty much the same height as a 20 long. So far, I'm happy with them, plants are growing well, very little algae, but I haven't been using them long enough to really say.

Leah

 

[BlueJack]

You could always try using a T5NO fixture like this:

http://www.aquariumguys.com/aqualight-flourescent-fixture.html

Or you could modify a T8 shoplight from lowes or home depot:

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/diy/134759-dual-t8-lighting-20-bucks.html

Like the others have said, using T5HO's on top of a 12" deep tank is A LOT of light. You'll most certainly have to pay a good amount of attention to the tank. Daily fertilizing, consistent CO2, weekly maintenance, clipping, trimming, etc.

Using the 2-T5NO or 2-T8 lights will give you somewhere around medium light. I'm using 3-T8's over my 20 long and it is more than enough light.

 

[freph]

I use a 2x24W 24" T5-HO fixture centered about 14" I'd guess above my tank. 10 hour photo period. HC growing in, EI dosing, paintball CO2.

 

[londonloco]

You could always try using a T5NO fixture like this:

http://www.aquariumguys.com/aqualight-flourescent-fixture.html

What I use on three 20g longs, great fixture....