lighting for 20 gallon tall????

I've been getting conflicting informations on what kind of lighting
that I need for my aquarium so I'll tell you what it is that I want
and ask for recommendations. I'm new to plants and I want to setup a
planted angelfish tank. Money is tight (getting married and new
house...any of you who have done this know what I mean). I want
something that I can enjoy but isn't too much trouble. (No co2
machines).
Right now I have a standard flourescent bulb and I'm certain that
my lovely amazon sword plant is going to die. The money wart got
eaten by the goldfish cycling the tank. I have walmart bulbs that may
or may not sprout. The sagitarius looks ok as well as a dark green
plant with needles and a tall grass looking plant with a white strip
going through the center. I'm using the try and see method to see
what lives...
So what do ya recommend....
Thanks
Heather

If I may, just a suggestion about your typical lighting situation... If
it's the light that came with the hood it'll probably be just a 15W bulb,
which, really doesn't do any good at all with anything else except 'low
light' plants... I would suggest, crypts, red or green, java fern, and the
bulbs you got from walmart may work, except, sometimes, if not used pretty
quickly, they dry up and are no good....

From an earlier post from James MK
The best choice in a low light plants.

Anubias barteri var. nana (dwarf anubias)
ceratophyllum (hornwort)
cryptocoryne affinis
cryptocoryne lutea
cryptoryne walkeri
egeria densa (eledea)
microsorium pteropus (java fern)
hydrophila corymbosa



"Heather" wrote in message
om...
I've been getting conflicting informations on what kind of lighting
that I need for my aquarium so I'll tell you what it is that I want
and ask for recommendations. I'm new to plants and I want to setup a
planted angelfish tank. Money is tight (getting married and new
house...any of you who have done this know what I mean). I want
something that I can enjoy but isn't too much trouble. (No co2
machines).
Right now I have a standard flourescent bulb and I'm certain that
my lovely amazon sword plant is going to die. The money wart got
eaten by the goldfish cycling the tank. I have walmart bulbs that may
or may not sprout. The sagitarius looks ok as well as a dark green
plant with needles and a tall grass looking plant with a white strip
going through the center. I'm using the try and see method to see
what lives...
So what do ya recommend....
Thanks
Heather

I had a 20 gallon tall with a glass top and two standard flourecent strip
lights. I beleive those bulbs are 20 watts, so two of them gives you 2
watts/gallon. One strip light is probably not sufficent for most plants.
You can order another light for pretty cheap online (like 15$) from "Big
Al's Online" or "Drs. Fosters and Smith"

Chris


On Wed, 01 Oct 2003 09:15:04 +0000, Heather wrote:

I've been getting conflicting informations on what kind of lighting that
I need for my aquarium so I'll tell you what it is that I want and ask
for recommendations. I'm new to plants and I want to setup a planted
angelfish tank. Money is tight (getting married and new house...any of
you who have done this know what I mean). I want something that I can
enjoy but isn't too much trouble. (No co2 machines).
Right now I have a standard flourescent bulb and I'm certain that
my lovely amazon sword plant is going to die. The money wart got eaten
by the goldfish cycling the tank. I have walmart bulbs that may or may
not sprout. The sagitarius looks ok as well as a dark green plant with
needles and a tall grass looking plant with a white strip going through
the center. I'm using the try and see method to see what lives...
So what do ya recommend....
Thanks
Heather

Heather wrote:

I've been getting conflicting informations on what kind of lighting that
I need for my aquarium so I'll tell you what it is that I want and ask
for recommendations. I'm new to plants and I want to setup a planted
angelfish tank. Money is tight (getting married and new house...any of
you who have done this know what I mean). I want something that I can
enjoy but isn't too much trouble. (No co2 machines). Right now I have a
standard flourescent bulb and I'm certain that my lovely amazon sword
plant is going to die. The money wart got eaten by the goldfish cycling
the tank. I have walmart bulbs that may or may not sprout. The
sagitarius looks ok as well as a dark green plant with needles and a
tall grass looking plant with a white strip going through the center.
I'm using the try and see method to see what lives... So what do ya
recommend.... Thanks Heather


I have a 20 gallon tall tank, and I'm using one F40/30BX/SPX50/RS
fluorescent lamp, driven by an electronic ballast designed for F32T8 lamps.

This is not where I bought them, but here's a source:
http://www.atlantalightbulbs.com/ecart/pg0827/45010.htm

Best regards,
Bob

I did my lighting setup for less than $100. Of course I had a canopy already
so if you don't have a canopy then this info won't help you too much (unless
your future hubby is a handyman type). My amazons are doing great! If you
want to know more just ask or keep your eyes out for postings about this
subject with the heading diy lighting on rec.aqauria.misc as I currently
have a thread I am replying to about how I set up my lighting system on that
ng.