Probably depends on the store, mine only has equipment suitable for tanks smaller than 10 gallons anyways...
Do 40 watt 30inch bulbs exist?
- Thread starter Paintballer99
- Start date
Gonna add some more to consider.
First. Don't get too carried away with lighting.
When I was first looking into plants. I was under the impression that a bunch of light was required to grow plants fast enough to out grow algae. And the cool side affect of using up nitrates.
The bunch of light isn't required. Above average, yes. But we can go over board with lights, real easy.
40w's over a 20 L, is alot of light.
A 20L is one of those tank "sizes" that messes up the WPG rule.
Once you get a substrate. The bottom of your plants are only about 9" from the surface. Opposed to a reg 20g, that would be 13" from the surface. 4" of water is alot, when it comes to light penatrating. Ask anybody with a 55g, about how much faster their plants grow when they get 6" from the surface.
When you stick a stem plant ion your 20L, its already going to be with in 2" of the surface. Most you buy will already be 7-9" long. And under 40w, at 2" below the surface. You could be trimming 2" off the plant every 4-5 days.
I haven't heard anything yet, about plants you already have or the kinds wanted. But just wanted to give an example of how things could go in that size of tank. And while on examples. Anacharis in that set-up could easily grow an inch a day.
This looks like a good time to ask...
What plants are you wanting?
Do you already have plants, that aren't growing?
Or
Is this just for more viewing, light?
While we're waitng on that...
Back to the lighting.
If you go with:
Glass top
Use your existing fixture
Add one more single fixture
You can run each light seperate.
So, if you start having algae problems. You'll be able to do stuff like, run both lights for 6 hrs. And leave the other on for an hour or so on each end, for your viewing pleasure.
If you get a double light fixture. Both will come on and go off at the same time. So your only option is total on/off. Which would be a bummer when cutting into your viewing pleasure time. Then it turns into an, all about the plants/algae. Instead of the "viewing pleasure" that we typically start a tank for.
This is another good reason why smaller tanks are harder to deal with, opposed to the standard 55g type tank.
The 20w over the tank just isn't enough. But 40w is on the verge of too much. As in, the option of low or high light. Not really much of a medium, using standard off the shelf equipment.
First. Don't get too carried away with lighting.
When I was first looking into plants. I was under the impression that a bunch of light was required to grow plants fast enough to out grow algae. And the cool side affect of using up nitrates.
The bunch of light isn't required. Above average, yes. But we can go over board with lights, real easy.
40w's over a 20 L, is alot of light.
A 20L is one of those tank "sizes" that messes up the WPG rule.
Once you get a substrate. The bottom of your plants are only about 9" from the surface. Opposed to a reg 20g, that would be 13" from the surface. 4" of water is alot, when it comes to light penatrating. Ask anybody with a 55g, about how much faster their plants grow when they get 6" from the surface.
When you stick a stem plant ion your 20L, its already going to be with in 2" of the surface. Most you buy will already be 7-9" long. And under 40w, at 2" below the surface. You could be trimming 2" off the plant every 4-5 days.
I haven't heard anything yet, about plants you already have or the kinds wanted. But just wanted to give an example of how things could go in that size of tank. And while on examples. Anacharis in that set-up could easily grow an inch a day.
This looks like a good time to ask...
What plants are you wanting?
Do you already have plants, that aren't growing?
Or
Is this just for more viewing, light?
While we're waitng on that...
Back to the lighting.
If you go with:
Glass top
Use your existing fixture
Add one more single fixture
You can run each light seperate.
So, if you start having algae problems. You'll be able to do stuff like, run both lights for 6 hrs. And leave the other on for an hour or so on each end, for your viewing pleasure.
If you get a double light fixture. Both will come on and go off at the same time. So your only option is total on/off. Which would be a bummer when cutting into your viewing pleasure time. Then it turns into an, all about the plants/algae. Instead of the "viewing pleasure" that we typically start a tank for.
This is another good reason why smaller tanks are harder to deal with, opposed to the standard 55g type tank.
The 20w over the tank just isn't enough. But 40w is on the verge of too much. As in, the option of low or high light. Not really much of a medium, using standard off the shelf equipment.
Ok, thank you, you really helped a lot! To answer some of your questions, I am looking into stuff like filters, plants, etc. becasue my tank isn't set up yet. I'm just doing reasearch before i go out and spend a lot of money!...
about the plants i like, some include, Java fern, baby tears, compact swords, Brazilian Pennywort, Rotala Sp. “Green”, and would it be possible to grow some type of grass in my tank? is is the lighting going to be too low?
So if i do the 2 seperate fixtures, how much wattage should i get altogether?
Thanks!
about the plants i like, some include, Java fern, baby tears, compact swords, Brazilian Pennywort, Rotala Sp. “Green”, and would it be possible to grow some type of grass in my tank? is is the lighting going to be too low?
So if i do the 2 seperate fixtures, how much wattage should i get altogether?
Thanks!
Researching is good!
With your 20w fixture and another fixture like it, you'll have 40w's.
With 40w you can grow just about anything you want.
Just think low growng plants, because your only going to have around 9" of water to grow them in.
Use the WPG rule like a weather man(person) talking about high and low temps.
With 2 WPG over a 20L, the plants will feel like they're in 2.6 - 3.0 WPG.
Kinda like when its 98* outside. But feels like 103. You don't care that its 98, your dealing with the feel like temp.
Ah yes! That makes sense! I like that idea, I think I'm going to do it. But i just can't help but to notice others with 20 longs, using 50-65 watts! Whats with that? How can they have that much wattage and still grow plants? ( i know im asking too many questions, sorry)
Thanks
Thanks
Yes, its a balancing act. With that high of light you need more Co2 and more nutrients to keep up with the plant's demands. That way they can grow at a rate that outcompetes algae.
Okay! I think 40 watts will be good for me.... I plan on having co2 (mainly for the benifits). But becasue i dont have a big tank and don't have enough money now, Im going to do a DIY system. Would i be able to run the injection through my filter?
A canister, yes. Would be a simple and efficient way to diffuse DIY. A HOB allows for too much gas exchange really...would be a waste IMO.
