What kind of lights do I need for my aquarium?

Question

Currently I have a 20 gallon tank which is 24 inches long which uses 1 Fluorescent light Eclipse model F15T8 Natural Daylight. The light strip only supports 17 watts. I would like to purchase a new light strip that can support high light level plants and would make the tank brighter since right now it looks dark and gloomy (probably because of the black sand I use as substrate). Also I want the color of the fish to be shown more vividly.

Answer 1

You are probably right in that the black gravel absorbs the light and makes it look gloomy. However, your fishes colors should then be even more striking and vibrant by contrast. (except the black fish) Some of the best fish tank set ups I've seen have had black gravel and delicately colored shoaling fish. They actually seemed to glow twice as bright with the black gravel bottom.

For greater light there are double and triple light strips available, but I've only found a double strip at 24L" so far. Maybe try one of those. They are a little expensive but will probably enhance your lighting quite nicely. Especially, if you mount a couple of the Coral Life Trichromatic bulbs. After checking a multitude of bulb types, these are the only ones which specify  - that they are good for aquarium plants. Good Luck!