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Permalink Reply by Keith the Aquatard on August 24, 2011 at 1:27am

I have a 20 long with the same light fixture.  Should be fine for plants that don't require really high light.  Stick with plants like java fern, anubias, crypts and val.  There are other plants that would do well for sure, you just have to do a little research.  I think the watt per gallon method is outdated by most peoples standards now days.  This article might help explain it better than I can:

 

http://fishtanktv.com/forum/topics/t5ho-wpg-watts-per-gallon-is-n

 

Hope that gets you going in the right direction.

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Permalink Reply by PaducahFishFan on August 24, 2011 at 10:43am

If I were you I would get a glass top and a T5 strip like what I posted on my site.  I had a canopy and it built up heat but if I had a glass top only I would have kept it.

 

You get everything built into a nice slim metal black light with 2 T5 bulbs.  Runs about $90 not counting the glass top.

 

You might be OK with what you have and then consider that as an upgrade path.  T8 is not very bright but your 20 long is not very deep.  The key factor is distance from the light/reflector to the tank bottom.

 

I also agree with Keith's comments and he references a great link worth reading.

 

That's a great tank BTW.  That was my first tank when I started the hobby.

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Permalink Reply by Jordan Wilkens on August 24, 2011 at 10:02pm

Well i knew the wpg thing was kind of out dated, i was just wondering if that wattage at that intensity would be fine

 

And i totally forgot about that old post! Thank you very much :)

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