65w PC or 130w PC for a 20g long?

[Felf]

initially when i got into the hobby i bought a 20g High and since then i've been regretting it more and more because i've been getting into live plants and aquascaping. i want to sell this tank and get a 20g Long. right now this tank only has jungle vals and crypts, flourite/florabase(which i'll be transfering over to the new tank), 2x18w RO bulbs, and i dose excel daily. does anyone have glosso in a 20g Long with 65w PC lighting? should i be safe and go with 130w? TIA

 

[ringfinger]

I had 65W PC lighting on my 20 long and grew glosso without a problem. It stayed low and really spread fast after it took hold. I was using the Current Dual Daylight bulb with a 10000/6700 combination. Inconsistant Co2 and BBA caused me to switch to low light, but I will go back to that original glosso setup when I can get a manifold for my Co2 regulator.

 

[travis simonson]

65w should be puh-lenty. And you should seriously look into CO2, but I'm guessing you already have if you're thinking of growing Glosso. Glosso will grow under 2.5 wpg or more (maybe even less, but I've never tried it). No worries. Stay away from the 130 wpg, it is overkill.

 

[Felf]

thanks for the replies. i'm gonna be dosing excel until i get around to ordering a co2 setup so that's not a problem. is 130w really overkill? i have a 3gal with 13w PC lighting with glosso, dwarf hairgrass, and HC in it and they all do great.

 

[ringfinger]

130w is what reefers sometimes use on the 20 long. 65w of daylight will make for a bright tank! I even had a Lily creating a good amount of shade, but the glosso still flourished.

 

[Purrbox]

Small tanks (under 20 Gallon) need a lot more light to get saticefactory results than average sized tanks. You've only got about 4WPG over your 3 Gallon tank, but are talking about putting 6.5 WPG over the 20 Gallon. The 20 Gallon should need less WPG than the 3 Gallon, not more.

 

[Rxblade123]

If you get things set up tell me how things go. I've been planning a 20g L, but wasn't sure about going with 65w or 130w.

 

[Felf]

k thanks guys 65w it is i'll update when i get everything setup. but now i have another question...should i use the 6500k bulb that comes with the coralife fixture or should i get a 10000k bulb?

http://www.hellolights.com/301xcofraqcf.html

 

[Rxblade123]

If you like a more whitish color go with 10000k, but if you like a more yellowish color then go with 6500k.

 

[Felf]

oh nm i read the sticky and i guess i'll get the 10000k

 

[Felf]

Well, I haven't posted in awhile but here's my 20l with 130w pc and pressurized co2. Don't mind the bad quality photo(tank is actually much brighter), stubborn lace java fern that wont grow on my wood, and the untrimmed wisteria. I couldn't find any other good peices of driftwood plus I was impatient so, I just went ahead and filled it. I'll probably redo everything with ada amazonia and powersand later. Comments are appreciated.

 

[Purrbox]

That is looking very nice Felf. I especially like how nice and thick the foreground cover is. Once the Wisteria fills in a bit more that's really going add some more depth to the tank.

 

[Felf]

right behind the glosso is some blyxa japonica but it took some time for it to dieoff then make new leaves so it's still growing in. i'm only using the wisteria and water sprite as fast growers until i find nicer background plants to really give it depth. any suggestions on a thick stem plant that's red or a combination of plants that would balance it out?

 

[czcz]

Alternanthera reineckii is a nice red plant with broader leaves. I really like your tank; Drives home how dramatic a few species can look. Nice lawn

 

[Purrbox]

What about Ludwigia Brevipes? I'm really enjoying this plant in my 10 gallon, and it turns a very nice deep shade of red.

 

[mr funktastic]

i got some l.repens rubin from a member and it is an amazing wine red colour. the stems are thick and filling in really nicely. alos just got a new plant from another member that i absolutly love. have to remember the name though....

 

[Glenc]

L repens Rubin is a nice one. Gets as nice a colour as L glandulosa, only it's way easier to grow.

 

[mr funktastic]

lol there is the member i was talking about. very easy plant to start with them u can get something a little harder to grow later if u want to change the look.

 

[czcz]

L. repens "Rubin" gets HUGE though -- how do you guys keep it manageable in a 12" tall or deep (front to back) tank? Agree: awesome plant!

 

[mr funktastic]

so far i havent gotten enough growth yet to worry. i have only had it for like a week though. lots of trimming and replanting i am sure though. i have been dealing with a 20 high since i started plants so i have gotten used to the limits of the tank and always having to prune most stem plants. it just looks sooooo nice that i cant take it out.