Lights for 20L

T

twodaend

AC Members
Jun 28, 2006
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Alsip, IL
I recently bough a 20L from PetCo's $1/gallon sale. I plan on putting this tank in my daughter's room and she really wants a pair of clowns. [rant]Thanks Finding Nemo[/rant] Because I'm in the process of planning my 75 gallon reef tank, I figured I would also do a reef tank for her only not as involved.

Since this is a 30" in tank I cannot figure out what lights to get. I'm leaning towards T5 as that is what I'll be using on my 75 gallon. However, on the 75 I'll be using a Tek Reto Kit, but I need the entire fixture for the 20L. I'm also open to getting a 24" fixture and just having a shady side or equal shade on each side.

Planned Stock List: (Subject to change)
2 clowns
Jawfish or Goby (1 maybe 2)
2 Cleaner Shrimps
Cleanup Crew

Bulb Anemone
Mushrooms
Softies
Polpys
Clam (if possible, when/if it get to big, it can be moved to the 75 gallon)
 
I was just looking at the Coralife line.

24" 2x36W Coralife Aqualight CF hood, 1x Actinic and 1x 10,000K, -Straight Pin

24" 2x65W Coralife Aqualight CF hood, 1x Actinic and 1x 10,000K, -Straight Pin

30" 2x65W Coralife Aqualight CF hood, 2x 50/50 (Act/10K), -Straight Pin

30" 2x65 Coralife LUNAR Aqualight Deluxe Series

The 30" comes with the 50/50 bulbs but it is 2x65W. I'm pretty sure I could change them, but for that money I think I would like to go with the deluxe version that includes the lunar lights. Since it is 2x65W also. I was wondering if that would be too much light.
 
The tank is typically the least expensive part of the SW set up. Clams and Anemones are 2 of the most light demanding species out there and if you want to keep them they'll need good T5s or MHs. If you're wanting to keep the budget on the lights low and buy new I'd look at stocking softies and non-photosynthetic corals.
 
Ok, if I don't go with the 30" Coralife CF, my only other choices are T5 and MH. If I do T5, I would have to go with the 24" Tek Light: 4-24W T5 High-Output Fixture. Since it is shorter than my tank, I will have shaded areas on each side, which I'm ok with. Also, I can't hang in from the ceiling as that is not an option, so the mounting legs will have to stand on the egg crate that I will be using for a cover rather than the tanks rim.

My MH option will be the 30" 150W SunPod HQI Metal Halide Fixtures with Lunar Lights. This will fit the tank, but I having trouble deciding how that will work. One thing I'm worried about in a shallow tank with MH is having too much light, I don't want to cook everything in the tank. Also, I though actinic where needed which I'll have with the T5's but the MH's. Because of this, I have no idea what my lighting schedule would be.

With T5 I planned on having the actinics come on 1-2 hours before the daylight bulbs and the daylights would go off 1-2 hours before the actinics. With the sunpod, there are no actinics. Just daylight and lunar. So if I do get the sunpod what schedule should I have?

I think I'm getting close to deciding, but I just need that extra yea/nay to point me in the right direction as to which technology I should go with. Disregarding price, which would be the better option.

Thanks
 
With the 20 long and it only being 12 inches deep you should be fine with the Nova T-5 light. Individual reflectors are better but IMO the nova would be fine for that tank, I have used that type of light on short tanks without any problems
 
Ok, the SunPod it is. I'll be getting the SunPod and keeping the stock bulb for now. I'll setup my schedule as follows:

6:00am blue leds come on
8:00am white leds come on
10:00am MH comes on / leds shut off

8:00pm MH shuts off / leds come on
10:00pm white leds shut off
12:00pm blue leds shut off

How does that sound?
 
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