# Lighting for a 20 gallon long



## sykogngsta (Apr 12, 2008)

I am going to be setting up a new 20 gallon long tank with medium lighting and I was wondering which kind of lighting I should use. I probably will use a DIY CO2 system for the tank also.

I don't want to spend wayy too much money on a lighting system for this tank and want to keep my budget at under $100 

I was thinking of maybe getting a Coralife Aqualight T5 Double Linear Strip 30". 
Has anyone had any experience with this lighting? If so, would you recommend it or not?

if the Coralife T5 lighting is not good enough, what are otehr good systems i can use?


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## sp33drhno (Jan 8, 2009)

i'm getting healthy plant growth in my 20 long with the coarlife fixture and diy co2. it's a great fixture.


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## sykogngsta (Apr 12, 2008)

sp33drhno said:


> i'm getting healthy plant growth in my 20 long with the coarlife fixture and diy co2. it's a great fixture.


What kinds of plants do you have in your tank?


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## sp33drhno (Jan 8, 2009)

i have java fern, crypts, ludwigia repens, dwarf sag, some kind of val, micro sword and pond penny. the micro sword is the only plant that hasn't shown much growth. it is spreading, but at a leisurely pace.


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## sykogngsta (Apr 12, 2008)

Anyone else know about this lighting fixture or would like to reccommend a different one?


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## rufus xavier sarsaparilla (Mar 6, 2008)

i use that 30 inch coralife fixture for a 20-long with no co2. my bolbitis ferns grow and i have to go in every few months to hack some out. the anubias grow and flower once in a while as well. the lotus bulb goes nuts throwing out leaves -- i may have to get rid of it because it grows so fast.

i'm actually looking to buy another of these for a different tank right now and, oddly, big als isn't showing it on their site right now. i've bought two from them before. it's hard enough to find lighting options for 30 inch tanks in general; i hope they didn't just stop carrying them. ahhhhh...well, i will have to call when they open in a few hours.

oh, and so you know, i have my light hanging onto the tank with no glass canopy. i do keep the acrylic sliding cover in place though. i love how this light fixture takes up NO space. if you ever want to increase lighting and implement a real co2 system, all you'd have to do is get another fixture and hang 2 at once.

i have other tanks that get pressurized co2 but this tank using this fixture is my low-low-maintenance tank. it's also my favorite! run it with an eheim 2213 and it's "set it and forget it."

did i mention how much i love this fixture?


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## [email protected] (Jan 14, 2009)

I have two single strip lights instead of a dual, total 40W, and light is great. I don't do CO2 though and am trying not to dose the water column, just root tabs.

Jeff


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## mointhehouse128 (Feb 1, 2009)

*Lighting for 25 gallon tank*

Does anyone know a good aquarium light for a 25 gallon tank (24" L x 12" W x 16" H) that has low - medium plants, under $100? I would like to have one that hangs over my tank...but another type would be fine.


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## sykogngsta (Apr 12, 2008)

I think I may get this fixture now for my 20 long. Everyone else who has this fixture over their tanks who have replied so far said that they use no type of CO2. This fixture would give me about 2 watts per gallon. Is this now high enough lighting where CO2 is not neccesary? If I wanted DIY CO2 would I need two fixtures rather than just one to get 80 watts of light total?


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## Left C (Nov 15, 2003)

mointhehouse128 said:


> Does anyone know a good aquarium light for a 25 gallon tank (24" L x 12" W x 16" H) that has low - medium plants, under $100? I would like to have one that hangs over my tank...but another type would be fine.


I have a 15g tall with a 24" Coralife Freshwater 1x65w Aqualight and the adjustable (flip up) legs. I replaced the stock 6700K bulb with a GE 9325K 55w PC. I never even turned on the 6700K bulb.

The Coralife Aqualight doesn't have a very good reflector and in my case, this is a plus. I knew that it didn't and that is why I chose it along with being cheap. I really like their flip up legs. It makes maintenance a breeze. I wish that more fixtures offered flip up legs.

The 9325K bulb does a great job. I don't understand why, but I haven't had any algae in this aquarium. It has 3.7 wpg with the 55w bulb and it works great. There is a pinkish cast to the aquarium because of the GE bulb. So people like it and others don't.

$54.99 - Fixture on sale ... regular price - $64.99
$14.20 - 9325K bub
$13.49 - flip up legs 
$82.68 plus shipping

Does this help you, mointhehouse128?


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## fastfreddie (Sep 10, 2008)

I wish they made the Coralife T5 in a 20" fixture for my 10g. They seem like a great value.

sykogngsta, I think Zoo Tycoon Master has the 24" on his ten gallon and Mizu Chan has the 36" on her 40B. They may have some info in their journals on these lights.


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## ZooTycoonMaster (Jan 2, 2008)

fastfreddie said:


> I wish they made the Coralife T5 in a 20" fixture for my 10g. They seem like a great value.
> 
> sykogngsta, I think Zoo Tycoon Master has the 24" on his ten gallon and Mizu Chan has the 36" on her 40B. They may have some info in their journals on these lights.


Lol nope I have the _Nova_ 2x24 watt T5 HO fixture

sykogngsta - are you talking about this product?


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## fastfreddie (Sep 10, 2008)

ZooTycoonMaster said:


> Lol nope I have the _Nova_ 2x24 watt T5 HO fixture


Doh! My bad!


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## NyteBlade (Aug 19, 2006)

I've had pretty good luck with my 30" 65 watt Sattellite PC light. My problem is in the 20 longs, the taller plants quickly cover the surface and block out the light for the foreground plants.trying to trim things to correct that though.


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

NyteBlade said:


> I've had pretty good luck with my 30" 65 watt Sattellite PC light. My problem is in the 20 longs, the taller plants quickly cover the surface and block out the light for the foreground plants.trying to trim things to correct that though.


+1

2x65W Orbit.


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## sykogngsta (Apr 12, 2008)

ZooTycoonMaster said:


> Lol nope I have the _Nova_ 2x24 watt T5 HO fixture
> 
> sykogngsta - are you talking about this product?


yeah it is that fixture but with two lights rather than just one.


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## ZooTycoonMaster (Jan 2, 2008)

Yeah I was thinking of getting that at first, but then I ended up getting this light (not the exact one, but similar to it). In your case, get the 30" model.

Is money an issue here?


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## sykogngsta (Apr 12, 2008)

ZooTycoonMaster said:


> Yeah I was thinking of getting that at first, but then I ended up getting this light (not the exact one, but similar to it). In your case, get the 30" model.
> 
> Is money an issue here?


Not really but I probably would like to spend under $100 for the lighting on this tank


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## sykogngsta (Apr 12, 2008)

ZooTycoonMaster said:


> Yeah I was thinking of getting that at first, but then I ended up getting this light (not the exact one, but similar to it). In your case, get the 30" model.
> 
> Is money an issue here?



Oh, I just wanted to ask...

Are the bulbs on the Nova Extreme SLR T5 fixtures T5NO or T5HO?
*
*


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## t0p_sh0tta (Jan 24, 2008)

Nova offers an 18" T5 fixture that I'm interested in (40w) with individual reflectors. Unfortunately, I can't find replacement bulbs (they come with a 10k and actinic bulb).

Here's a link.


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## ZooTycoonMaster (Jan 2, 2008)

sykogngsta said:


> Oh, I just wanted to ask...
> 
> Are the bulbs on the Nova Extreme SLR T5 fixtures T5NO or T5HO?


Yes, they're T5 HO.


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## sykogngsta (Apr 12, 2008)

I went to the LFS just now and they had the Nova Extreme SLR T-5 Fixture for $79.99 

Is this a good price for this specific setup?

The Coralife Aqualight T5 Double Linear Strip was about $50

Is 30 dollars more worth it to get the Nova Extreme Fixture? I think the Coralife is T5NO and the Nova is T5HO.


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## whitecloud09 (Jan 19, 2009)

Hey, I'm new here and have been browsing and learning for about three weeks. I have a 20g tank and instead of writing a new post I read this here and thought it might be helpful. My tank is about 24" long so wouldn't a 24" light be better or is that too short? I'm looking for a light fixture to attach with arms to the tanks rims. I also don't want to spend over $100.


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## sykogngsta (Apr 12, 2008)

whitecloud09 said:


> Hey, I'm new here and have been browsing and learning for about three weeks. I have a 20g tank and instead of writing a new post I read this here and thought it might be helpful. My tank is about 24" long so wouldn't a 24" light be better or is that too short? I'm looking for a light fixture to attach with arms to the tanks rims. I also don't want to spend over $100.


If the tank is 24 inches a 24" lighting fixture should fit on your tank.


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## whitecloud09 (Jan 19, 2009)

sykogngsta said:


> If the tank is 24 inches a 24" lighting fixture should fit on your tank.


Thanks, I was just wondering why others were saying to use a 30" lighting fixture.


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## sykogngsta (Apr 12, 2008)

whitecloud09 said:


> Thanks, I was just wondering why others were saying to use a 30" lighting fixture.


I think they are talking about lighting for a 20 galling long tank which is 30 inches long. If your tank is 24 inches long the 24" should be fine. You probably have a 20 high which is 24".


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## sykogngsta (Apr 12, 2008)

So which lighting fixture is better? The Nova Extreme SLR T5 fixture for $80 or the Coralife Aqualight T5 Doublestrip for $50? Is it worth it to pay $30 more for the Nova Extreme fixture?


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## mointhehouse128 (Feb 1, 2009)

> Originally Posted by *Left C*
> 
> I have a 15g tall with a 24" Coralife Freshwater 1x65w Aqualight and the adjustable (flip up) legs. I replaced the stock 6700K bulb with a GE 9325K 55w PC. I never even turned on the 6700K bulb.
> 
> ...


Yes, this does help me. How much would shipping be to Barrie?


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