20g Tall lighting & bulbs

[Ellenquacker72]

I I just purchased a t5 HO hated GLO single ballast for my 20 g tall, the light from my 2x15w cfls just weren't cutting it. Is the a difference between NO and HO bulbs? Or just the ballast? I bought an aqueon 17w t5 bulb which works and looks good, but I just want to make sure. Will this lighting be good for plants? All I have are some sad java ferns at the moment but I would really like more growth and variety.

 

[CorallineAlgae]

What are the dimensions of your tank? I have a 20H and want to be sure about what your tank may need. On my 20 a single 24" T5 HO light would be fine without CO2. Sounds like your tank may be taller. Normally, 2 14 watt CFL daylights is plenty to grow java ferns.

 

[Ellenquacker72]

It's just the standard size as far as I know... 24x12x12. The java ferns weren't doing too bad, they just weren't growing at all and they was losing a lot of leaves in the last month ish. It probably just needed new bulbs, but I've been planning on upgrading anyway so I can get something other than ferns to grow . The incandescant fixture I was using also had a really bad reflector and I figured more light the better. So is it bad to put a NO bulb into an HO fixture? The manual says not to, but I have found people who have tried these things to be pretty reliable. Some sites say its ok but others say it isn't... And if the NO light works will it suffice for my tank for better lighting?