Where should the money go? Complex problem

[outback]

Hi,

I would like some pointers on where to put my money in terms of filtration, and lights.

I am setting up a 20gal community tank. With 3 species of plant and 2 shoals of Tetra, 2 loaches and 1 feature fish. I really want the colours of the plants and fish to come out. I am now selecting the tank, filter and lights ONLY.

I have a choice of going with one of the Package Deals I.e. the WaterHome Euro 21 Aquarium starter kit ( double flourescent canopy, 21 gal tank,AquaClear 150 filter, heater, chemical test kits etc ) for $149. The other choice is build my own kit and select the components myself.

My question is this, how good are these external filters that come standard with the kits? Vs the cylinder filters?

My second question is, how good is the lighting that comes with these kits? Can I improve my lighting by swapping in a better fluorescent tube?

My third question is, where should the money go in such a setup? I.e. what is more important the light or the filter?

[William]

Hi
Both the filters and the lighting in thos packages are good enough for most aquarists. Where you should spend your money depends on which plants and which fish you are going to keep. Some fish requires more filtration because they put a larger strain on the water while some plants require more and better lighting to thrive.

Let me know what you are planning and i'll give you a better answer.