Would one apply the same WPG rule for taller tanks?

My tank is 24" and I'm looking into a light unit. Thing is, because I want to stay out of the whole pressurized Co2 thing I'm not sure how to get around buying an expensive light.

Everything I have read tells me two thing, stay under 2 watts and don't get something fancy, regular florescent will do. I'm not so sure about that because my tank is taller then norm 12-18 inches so light doesn't get down there. I cant imagine a florescent being strong enough, but maybe I'm underestimating?

Right now I have a 96 watt compact florescent and it is really struggling to keep anything in the tank alive other than java moss and java fern.

What I was looking at was the Nova lighting unit that had 4 t-5's at 39 watts each. That would give me on the WPG rule in a 65 gallon tank 2.4 watts. But again I have also read the WPG on t-5 doesn't apply because they are stronger and more directed light.

So I guess my what I'm am getting at is how do I look for lighting units that is strong enough to get down deep, but not push me to far over into 2 watts?

Any one have any advice? Would regular florescent do?

Thanks in advance for any help,

RM

I don't think it is a bulb, its a 6,700 k rating. ph is 8.0, that's how it is out of tap. I have considered lowering it with products, but I am told a stable ph is better.

For what I have in my tank:

The back half(well a little less) is eco-complete. This is were I have giant hygro, vals and water sprite. None of these plants seem to be doing well. The hygro isn't growing well at all, lower leaves are dying. The water sprite grew well for a bit, got to about halfway up the tank, but is now yellowing and slowly dying off. The vals are just a mess, they look melted.

In the front of the tank I have regular gravel. In this I have crypt wendtii and crypt balansae. These are doing okay. They aren't all dead, but they don't look so hot either. They aren't experiencing crypt melt, but from the outer edges of the leaves to the center they are starting to go yellow brownish. I put in some root tabs to help them, but I do plan and taking out about 60% of the gravel out and replacing it with fluorite.

What my goal for the plants is to have it planted with a few simple bunched plants in the back. The bunched being water sprite, wisteria(which I have grown to a point in here as well then they died), giant hygro, and vals. Many crypts in the front and a few pieces of wood cover in java moss and java fern.

The overall goal beings a moderately planted Asian river influenced tank that has nice balance. I looked at someone's log on another site and had a balance in their tank of fish and plants. They had very few water changes (1 every so many months) with no Co2 or fertilizers. That is what I aiming to achieve.

With the 96 watt CF light does it seem possible to be able to get the plants mentioned above to grow? I guess my first instinct is the blame the light, but it seems it should be adequate. I do believe that fluorite will solve my issues with my crypts but what about the stems in the back?

Thanks for any help, and thank you to those who already have.

RM