planted 20 gal High stocking ideas

I see a few issues here, so will offer what I can to assist. First issue is the brightness (intensity) of the light. With two T5 HO tubes, you have very high light over a standard (high) 20g tank. Thbis is going to cause issues with algae, even if the duration is reduced [duration and intensity are very different and one does not offset the other when the intensity is this high]. Anubias is a low light plant and if kept under this light I can guarantee it will develop brush algae. Floating plants would help, but the light is still very intense. You do have hairgrass which is high light, but without diffused CO2 this may still be too much. [I'll return to the API CO2 Booster momentarily.] Can you use just one tube? Depending how the fixture is wired, one tube may work without the other or it may not. This would still be high light, but more manageable.

To the CO2 Booster, I personally would not use this (or the very similar Excel product). The ingredient besides water is glutaraldehyde, a toxic disinfectant used in hospitals, anti-freeze, embalming fluid...etc. Some plants, esp Vallisneria and some mosses, will melt completely if this is used at normal doses; if it should be overdosed, it can kill plants, bacteria and fish. I have never seen the benefit of running this risk; adding chemicals to a fish tank does affect the fish, regardless, so the fewer the better.

Otos will help with algae, but they do not eat the troublesome species and that is what you will have with this much light.

Your water is moderately hard, and cardinals and neons will struggle and not last long due to calcium blockage in the kidneys. Also, these fish, along with glowlights, need groups of no less than six of each species, and that is getting crowded in a 20g. One species, the glowlight perhaps, with 7-8 would be it. Along with the cichlid pair or whatever, and some substrate fish. The "dwarf" species of cyprinids or characins would be better suited to a 20g, but many of these will be wild caught and requiring softer water. The Celestial Pearl Danio is a fish that would be fine here.

I would not mix a Betta in a community tank. Yes, I know some have done this and it apparently works, but that is the exception. Betta are basically stand-alone fish. A pair of blue rams will work, provided they are domestic and not wild caught (water hardness again).

Hope this is of some help. Feel free to question.

Byron.

jsking21 said:

Thanks for the information, I went with those bulbs because of the combined wattage of 48W figuring to 2:1 watts per gallon ratio would be good. The light fixture I have does have independent bulb control so I could turn one bulb off, but would raising the distance from the surface of the water also work? I have built I custom light hanging bracket that I can raise and lower; right now it is set to around 12" above the surface of the water and can move close to 20" above the surface. I could probably switch to diffused CO2 in the future, I have a 10lb CO2 tank for a kegerator I built, and could probably rig something up for it to share as it is in close proximity to the aquarium, I also have spare paintball 20oz tank somewhere I could use also. For algae control would adding few snails work? I'll keep in mind the fish suggestions, as I am still aways off from having a cycled tank. I would prefer a good schooling species, some substrate fish, and 1 or 2 showcase fish.

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Light first. Yes, raising the light above the surface does reduce the light getting to the plants in the water. But I like to think long-term, and with two tubes running you are using twice the electricity. Plus the replacement cost of the tubes (they wear out long before they burn out). If the light raised above the tank is enclosed, this doesn't create viewing issues as it does if not. I prefer the light sitting on the tank frame, then more light is being directed down into the water and less light is needed, and there are concerns for fish here too. I do not know how far above you would need to have this light to counter the brightness. As you can use only one tube, this seems the far more preferable route. And for that, the Ultra Sun would be the best tube; I have used this myself, when I could get ZooMed locally; good light.

Snails help with algae, definitely, but cannot handle the sort of problem algae that too much light creates. I have small snails (pond and Malaysian Livebearer) in all my tanks; they are super useful.

With live plants, including some fast growing such as floating (I still say you need floating plants regardless of what you do about the light, as you intend forest fish and bright overhead light is not appreciated) you can forget "cycling" per say. Get the tank planted and running, then add your first few fish.

Byron.