20L Low light plants/fish - light recommendations?

This 20 (gallons) Long will have corydoras, anubias, and java fern.

I've been using the Aqueon Deluxe LED on my 10 gallon which has been fine. It was too bright so I've covered about half of the bulb in electrical tape (thanks Fishlore for that idea!) which has helped.

I could get that same light, just in a larger size for the 20 Long... But wondered what other options you might recommend? I'm not planning to get into higher light/maintenance plants but would be open to getting a light that had low/medium/high ranges available.

I'm also open to moving to a glass top with those "hook on the hood" lights, rather than a full hood that has a light in the hood.

Thanks!

 

In principle you could use a desk lamp, so any LED strip with less Lumen than the Aqueon one is ok.
In which country are you located? Helps giving you recommendations otherwise people might show you stuff that's not available to you or expensive where you are.

 

Thanks MacZ. I'm in the U.S.

 

Allright, so I have no recommendations. Bet enough of the others can and will help you out.

 

Allright, so I have no recommendations. Bet enough of the others can and will help you out.

Thank you anyway!

 

You're welcome!

 

My 20 long, which is a planted tank, has a hood that first came with a Florescent tube light. I replaced that tube with a grow light tube and the plants are doing great. Like all my tanks, it is low tech. This is also working in the two 20 highs and one of the 10 gallon grow out tank.

I do have one 10 gallon grow out tank that uses the led lights in the hood that came with the tank (I hate that hood, got to take the whole thing off to do a water change). It has just a sand bottom since it's used to grow out cory fry and I threw in cutting from one of my stem plants and the plants have been doing great so far.

If that is not something you can do, my 55 gallon has a led light strip and again, planted and low tech. The plants are doing great as well and they are planted in plain gravel, the only plain gravel planted tank so I do add root tabs. The only problem the plants have in that tank is the silver dollars, aka, my plant assassins, lol.

My nano betta tank only has a led desk lamp over it. It's a fairly new tank, but so far the plants seem happy. I don't think this would be an option with a 20 long since it gives such a small area of light unless you are willing to add more than one desk lamp. Personally I only have so many plugs available so use lights that extend most of the top of the tank.

Hope I gave you a few options to think about.

My 20 long, planted, wcmm/cull shrimp/snail tank

 

My 20 long, which is a planted tank, has a hood that first came with a Florescent tube light. I replaced that tube with a grow light tube and the plants are doing great. Like all my tanks, it is low tech. This is also working in the two 20 highs and one of the 10 gallon grow out tank.

I do have one 10 gallon grow out tank that uses the led lights in the hood that came with the tank (I hate that hood, got to take the whole thing off to do a water change). It has just a sand bottom since it's used to grow out cory fry and I threw in cutting from one of my stem plants and the plants have been doing great so far.

If that is not something you can do, my 55 gallon has a led light strip and again, planted and low tech. The plants are doing great as well and they are planted in plain gravel, the only plain gravel planted tank so I do add root tabs. The only problem the plants have in that tank is the silver dollars, aka, my plant assassins, lol.

My nano betta tank only has a led desk lamp over it. It's a fairly new tank, but so far the plants seem happy. I don't think this would be an option with a 20 long since it gives such a small area of light unless you are willing to add more than one desk lamp. Personally I only have so many plugs available so use lights that extend most of the top of the tank.

Hope I gave you a few options to think about.

My 20 long, planted, wcmm/cull shrimp/snail tank

Thanks barbiespoodle!

It wasn't clear from what you said - does one of your tanks have the flat glass lid with the led strip lights that attach above the tank? I'm debating between getting a traditional hood with led lights, or looking into this option. Can't figure out if there are pros/cons to each type.

 

For good lighting at a cheap price look on eBay/Amazon for the vivagrow 24/7 led lights or the hygger 957 led lights. Both are very good grow lights and cheap. The 957 is fully programable. So as you get more demanding plants you can raise light intensity. I use both of these models. I also use the glass hoods that fold up. Never had a problem with them. If no jumping fish I don’t use a top.

 

"quote"
It wasn't clear from what you said - does one of your tanks have the flat glass lid with the led strip lights that attach above the tank? I'm debating between getting a traditional hood with led lights, or looking into this option. Can't figure out if there are pros/cons to each type

Yes, kind of, the 55 gallon community.

Or let me be more exact. The tank has been going non stop for over 30 years and being an older tank, it's hood is old fashion and first had where there were where two florescent light fixtures would fit in. When those went, instead of replacing them, I put a led light strip over where they would have sat. The hood itself is still perfectly good and it was actually cheaper buy a led light strip to go over where the florescent light hoods would go, the only difference being that there is a divider instead of a complete glass surface. Plus I like having it where I have the two lids that open so I feed each side of the tank or do water changes. Another plus, the light strip uses one plug instead of using two as in the old set up.


I recently replaced the one I had over the tank for a longer one and I got a great deal at chewy.com, basically half off. The new one is brighter so I know the plants are going to love it even though they were doing just fine with the old one, it was just because the old one didn't scan the whole tank like the new one. Check out chewy, every once in a while you get a great deal and most of the time you get it the next day.

Now in my 20 long, which is a fairly new tank, 6 months now, I shopped two different lfs, one for the tank, another for the hood and saved money doing it that way, in my case, doing on-line ordering saves money.