A Possible 20 Long Aquarium--Questions

[Galligak]

In the midst of redoing my 10g, I realized that a 20 long would fit there as I am needing to remove my failure 10g SW (anyone want some live rock? )

I am thinking through the costs of setting it up the tank, and the biggest one I see is the lighting. On my 10g I currently have a hood with 2 13W bulbs, which would be fine for a 20, but I don't have a hood. I'm trying to figure out the best way to light this is a cheap way, and I want to have live plants. In my 10g I have all low light: a crypt pontederiifolia, java fern, guppy grass, java moss, two small jungle val and some marimo balls, and the only things I would be looking to add would be dwarf sag and a few other species of crypts; so I would be happy with just some low light but cheap. I'm not all that sure how to go about lighting a 30" tank without over splurging on lighting.

Also, I am looking into getting kuhli loaches, which I have never had before, and I've read that they like to dig which leads into the issue of my planned dirting of the tank. Do you think that this would be an issue? Or should I just skip the dirting and just use root tabs for the crypts?

Thanks in advance! And just because I wanted to use this:

 

[Fishinfreak]

As for the kuhlis, i have heard their digging can be good for plants, as long as they aren't getting uprooted/harmed. Supposedly they can be like earthworms in the wild for the plants in the tank in how they help by digging in substrate.
I may be wrong on this, and someone please correct me if I am.

 

[Galligak]

As for the kuhlis, i have heard their digging can be good for plants, as long as they aren't getting uprooted/harmed. Supposedly they can be like earthworms in the wild for the plants in the tank in how they help by digging in substrate.
I may be wrong on this, and someone please correct me if I am.

Okay, great I now know that I'll wait a bit before I buy them as to allow the plants to have a bit of time to get rooted in. Thank you Fishinfreak

 

[Galligak]

Okay, I know that I'm getting ahead of myself, but I think I've got a stock:

x1 male betta
x5 least killies
(These are both in the 10g right now)
x7 ember tetras (or endlers--males only)
x6-7 kuhli loaches

I don't know whether to keep the killies or nix the embers/endlers, as that might be too much chaos!

 

[bettaowner]

I honestly would go for a sparkling or dwarf gourami rather than a betta because there's no telling how the betta will react to tankmates. Sparkling and dwarf gouramis are generally peaceful

 

[Galligak]

I would, but I already have the betta and least killies... He doesn't really mind the least killies as long as they don't try to eat his pellets or get in his "cave", besides that they're fine.

 

[Galligak]

I got the okay today to be able to get this tank Reasoning: the larger volume of water allows you [my parents] to do less work on it next year [when I'm in college]. But score, anyways Just wait for the build thread!

Any ideas how to light it? I have two extra 10g lids... but that's not going to work. I do, however, have some of those clip-on lights that allow CFLs to be screwed in, alas I only have 2 of the though... Hm... Ideas anyone?