How Much Lighting For A 40Gal Tank?

[Curiosity101]

Dimensions: 36" long x 15" high x 18" wide
As I said it's 40gal.

Obviously I'm going for 30W T8's, but I don't know whether to go for a single or double ballast...
I'll not be putting any high light plants in there, but they wont all be low light. Some/all will be more mid light.

I'm not going to be fertilising or injecting CO2, so am presuming 30W over a relatively shallow tank should be fine. But don't want to presume it and end up with a load of dead plants, or a bad algae problem.

Just incase you particularly need the plant list... I was thinking of getting the 30" collection from plants alive.

5 x Elodea Densa
1 x Aponogetum Crispus
5 x Elecharis Parvulus (Dwarf hairgrass)
10 x mini amazon sword
5 x Bacopa Monnerii
5 x Twisted Vallis
10 x Sagittaria Natans
5 x Rotalla Indica
5 x Hygrophillia Polysperma
5 x Cabomba Cariolina
5 x Ludwigia Mullertii
5 x Cryptocoryne Wendtii
5 x Straight Vallis
10 x Mayaca Fluvittalis

 

[ian]

Personally, i would go with the single T8 ballast. Fifteen inches high isn't that high so you should be hitting the spot OK with a single T8.

 

[Curiosity101]

That's what I was hoping people would say.

 

[SuperColey1]

I would suggest the opposite actually.

2xT8 without CO2. maybe 1 x T8 with CO2 as the CO2 addition will mean the plants use the light better.

Or 1 x T5HO.

AC