Thanks for feedback re. pictanks and update re. lighting.
I'll stick with endlers and cpds (yup, CPDs like my little tanks so long as the temp is reasonably stable tho' their habitat is shallow shallow water prone to temperature swings from day to night). For a 1 gallon plus, a betta might be nice but I'd have to find naturally colored stones and sand to complement the betta's color. No gimicks for me, I'm not trying to be that sort of a success. I am what you might call an aesthete and I've long ago found my personal aesthetic tastes and can emphasize them or argue them forever and not change a thing in anyone else's mind.
However, I found mine only because of what I saw in the tastes and choices of other people, so I see it as important to reproduce what one finds delight in so that other poor lost souls have a chance to find delight, too, should theirs resonate with mine. I am a writer and you should hear me rant about the baby-s__t most creative writing courses teach us to produce. Low common denominator. I feel the urge to rant! Better move on to new subject.
There is no arguing taste, as the Romans said.
My tiny tanks are "landscaped" after themes from teagardens mainly but with a bit of gauche American modern art and some Japanese landscape motifs thrown it. The purpose is to help people be calmer and more peaceful, so a betta could be great, but gaudy colors would work subtly against my aim. Also, I aim to sell to the Feng Shui crowd, and an earthier approach is more conducive to peaceful and healthy flow of Chi, if that's what you believe in. At any rate the Feng Shui aesthetic is a bit sedate and for a hyper talkative, easily agitate person like myself, that is a good thing. Every grain of sand helps the beach to make.
As for lights, I'm sure 34 watts of t5 suspended close to the top of a 23" tall tank will be perfectly adequate for med/high light conditions. I'm in favor of leaving room for more since I like nice bright conditions. Remember, and I swear by this, color rendering is very important! Many "daylight" bulbs have a distinct excess of green! More green than needed will downplay the more reddish and orangeish colors as well as the bluey ones, tho' "daylight" often have plenty of blue. Color temperature in fluorescents is a very poor predictor of their color rendering (how colors will look to you under them).
I've mixed yellower/browner bulbs with the allegedly "daylight" bulbs and found great plant growth and nicer colors. I wish I could remember the brands right now. Anyhow,
GE "cool white" while not made for plant growth, give excellent results despite everything about them that makes one think they wouldn't.
Point is, you got an aquarium to look at, I suspect. I did. Try to get a gander at the bulbs you're interested in action
As for T5 and T8 I agree the efficiency and crispness but I'd say the crispness issue is one of taste but if you prefer fuzzier, a smear of vaseline on the reflectors will make the light a bit schmeery.
Please excuse any implied assertion of my personal taste, I'm merely positing suggestions and tips! Best of luck.