20g high, Help me pick a Power Compact Strip

I've been researching the exact same thing for my 20h! You have to add in the cost of mounting legs, which are included in some but not in others. Also some come with 10000k and others with 6700k range, which I hear is better. I'm trying to figure out how to do co2 if I upgrade to that high of lighting, which figures out to be about 3.25 or 3.5 wpg depending on how much stuff you have in there.

light deals

Please read other post with your topic for more info. I will continue to tell everyone to use www.aquatraders.com for pc lighting. You can get a 130wPC for less than $45 U.S. Honestly, out of the last 8 I bought 2 didn't last a year long, But expensive fixtures fail too, yet the costs of the fixtures with the lamps included literally make these disposable. I hate to say it , but the whole thing costs as much as a full set of replacement bulbs. When I need new bulbs I consider a whole new lamp if the other one is older because the costs are the same! I don't care for this company's customer service ,but you get what you pay for and a light is a light until we start talking 24" deep tanks for reefkeeping. Then things get a little more serious. All of my pics at www.tropicalfishhobbyist.com are these pc's. You can check at my gallery. I hope this helps.

I looked on aquatrader.com, but all of the inexpensive lights are out of stock. So the only ones avaliable are just as expensive as the others linked above, or are really high wattage, which brings it back to the question of whether 110w is too much for a 20gh.

IMO, there really isn't too much light for planted tanks. More light means more growth and faster. Smaller leaves and weak stems or yellowing means needs CO2 and supplements. Low light equals low maintenance. Get it. If you find competitive pricing buy what's cheapest the end result is the same. If you use PC then heat is not an issue. Algea breakouts are directly related to too much nutrients, not light per se. Too much light will cause algea blooms only because it provides the feul for the extra nutrients to catalyst. So, keep nitrates and phosphates at a minumum, PH stable above 6.6, and prune plants when needed and you will not have any problems at 10 WPG.
I hope this helps more.

I would go with the

1X65W for $54.00 w/ $12 or so Shipping: (Current USA Satellite)

from bigal

That is the light I have, although I did not buy it from BigAl.

I do not know what Firemouth is talking about with the lifespan of the fixtures. Your fixture should last you many years, not months!

I like this option bc 1) it comes with the bulb, 2) it comes with the legs, 3) it comes has the moonlight, 3) it is black and not the weird silver color.

I use the light on a tank with no lid. If you have a hood you should look at a retrofit kit with a polished aluminum reflector. I have such a set up on my marine tank where I use 4x96 watts on a 60 gallon (it has a hood). I run the 65 watts on my 30 gallon (with CO2) and my plants love it.

Oh yeah, my tank is low, no high, so you may have an issue with the light reaching your depths.

check these out!

:QUOTE:http://www.aquatraders.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=25:QUOTE:

Could you go with the 2x55 and just use one bulb? That gives you 2.75wpg, a decent number. This way is it gives you the versatility of a larger PC fixture should you get another tank. Just a thought.

What you could do since it's a retrofit is set each ballast to a timer, and have them timed in such a way that both could be on for a few hours, highnoon sun. That might help w/ giving an extra boost of light to the bottom of your tall tank, but without the high wpg overkill.

Check these out:
http://www.championlighting.com/product.php?productid=10021&cat=636&page=1