what do you guys use on your light demanding 20g tanks

[mrbill70]

Hi everyone,
I'm going to upgrade the lights on my 20g tall. I was thinking about either going with a 150w 10k mh fixture with 2x65 actinics. Would this boil my tank? It currently runs at about 80-81 degrees during the day with a 130w pc fixture.

 

[sir_dudeguy]

do you have a clip on fan? Put that blowing on the surface of the water and see how much it cools the tank. I would say it'll cool it down to about 78 at least (always does a few degrees for me). Then i'd say you could put that MH on there. Maybe just keep the MH higher up from the tank.

 

[BCreefmaker]

150w 14k for my 20 tall works really nice

 

[rodri075]

I replaced my 2x65 PC setup with the Coralife 150 MH with 2x65 PC setup for my 20 long about 2 months ago. It certainly did make things a bit hotter in my canopy. But I found that just opening up the top of my canopy was enough to keep it in the 82 or less temperature range. I only run the halide for 6 hours to decrease the amount of temperature rise. I actually have my lights setting pretty low over the tank (about 5 inches or so). Can't guarantee this will work for everyone but so far so good for me.

 

[everl0ng]

yeah i have a 150w 14k sunpod that i used over my 20H until yesterday when i switched everything over to my 37g perfecto column tank which is 24'' tall, and the light still shimmers and reaches to the very bottom and the lunar lights light up the WHOLE tanke wonderfully. i had no probs with heat when it was on my 20H

 

[Jovreefer]

250W SE 12k over my 20H sps tank

 

[storagedaddie]

175W 14k Hamilton on mine... Did get it a little hot, but added a fan, raised it a little higher, and now it's great...

 

[mrbill70]

I went with a 250w 14k phoenix in a PFO mini pendant. Im going to suspend it a ways above the tank. This will give me flexibility for expansion to a bigger tank in about 6 months. All I will have to do is lower the fixture down a bit.

 

[BCreefmaker]

go with built in moonlights too, you will regret it afterwards!