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Cheap lighting option?

8K views 52 replies 8 participants last post by  Boredomb 
#1 ·
I been trying to find a fixture to use for my 40gallon breeder tank. The dimensions are as follows 36x18x16. This will a planted tank so need something that will work well for them. I was trying to find a dual T8 fixture in that size but haven't had any luck. I did find some T5NO fixtures that size but they are just a little to expensive and just a few more dollars and I could get a T5HO for it. I don't really want to go that route so was wondering if anyone had some ideas what I could use?
 
#2 · (Edited)
#4 · (Edited)
#8 ·
I know that there's info out there on the interwebs about how to use a hardware store strip light and gutter material to make one, if that's up your alley. But I'm also exploring options, so I'm keeping an eye on this thread, especially for inexpensive but good looking lighting options!
 
#9 · (Edited)
If you are up for some DIY, like Mina said you could do the rain gutter with CFLs. I am doing something similar to that but with the hood that came on my 30 gallon (also 36") since the lights that were in it didnt not work. So if you could find just the light chamber part you could retrofit come CFLs into that. Here is the link I am following:
http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/diy-aquarium/how-retrofit-your-light-cheap-35186/

There are also these, but dont fit/sit on the tank like you are after:
Shop Bayco 150-Watt Incandescent Portable Work Light at Lowes.com
 
#13 ·
It's not cheap, but I'm using an Aquasun 24" T5HO light suspended over a 32" long custom tank and it's working great. Check the light levels with a PAR meter and they are consistently in the 30-35 micromoles range, right where I wanted. (low-tech tank). Point is, if you elevate the light a little, you can likely use a 24" over the tank.
 
#16 ·
I thought the light spillage would be a problem, since it's in my living room where the family TV is. The light is about 18-20" above the substrate, about 10"-12" above the tank top edge. The spillage is actually not an issue. I did tilt the light slightly (by moving the cord) so the bulbs are not directly visible. It is bright, though! Would not work well near the TV, but works very well in a corner 6' from the TV.
 
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#21 ·
Thats exactly what I am going to be doing in my 30 gallon. Got my sockets today. I will only be using 10-15 watt bulbs though. Oh, one thing to think about....the 26 watt bulbs are bigger around than the 10-15 watt bulbs so you need to make sure you will have room in the rain gutter to fit the socket and bulb. It will probably fit, just may be a little tight.
 
#23 ·
It all depends what you mount inside the rain gutter fixture and how densely planted you want it. You can use spiral power compacts. These are cheap bulbs and easy to get. The downside is they have a lot of restrike especially mounted horizontally. There also fat which is annoying as certain sizes don't fit. If you go with those bulbs I would personally have at least 2WPG to get decent medium light levels. I use them to grow plants and prefer them over all the T8 fixtures I have laying around. Your tank is slightly deeper though.

You can get those same sockets at Menard's for around $4. Remember reflectors! In the end lighting levels come down to how much light gets into the tank, not how much is above it.

You could mount some NOT5 bulbs in there. It would probably be more expensive though. Even if you used home depots lights. Then the bulbs will be harder to find and more expensive. Though last time I was at HD they had 4100K T5 bulbs. You could get away with those, but the lighting will look crappy IMO. For the spiral compacts most stores carry up to 5500K, fleetfarm does carry 6500K ones which have a pretty good appearance.
 
#26 ·
Yeah they can be mounted in whatever direction. Its just that they normally fit in a hood horizontally unless you have a really tall hood.

Something I thought about while typing that last post has really got me thinking all of a sudden. I kinda wish I hadn't thought of it since I should really be studying for a test tomorrow..... Basically CFL's are self ballasted, meaning the ballast is contained in the base of the bulb. Now CFL's are cheap, where as electronic ballasts generally are not. Basically I wonder what bulbs you could run off a spiral CFL ballast if you took apart the bulb. In the end the only downside of a spiral CFL is its shape. In theory a ballast is a ballast and a bulb is a bulb as long as the ballast can provide a high enough voltage to initially light the bulb it should light. I could see an issue with being able to maintain that high voltage over longer wires. You could work around that though....

I'll probably kill a spiral CFL tonight >.>
 
#28 ·
The reflector is called aluminum 'roll' and you can get it at most home improvement stores for pretty cheap. I think its around $5 for 10 feet. The one that is 6" wide works the best IMO. Its pretty floppy stuff when you start out with it flat, but once you put in the bends it stays much stiffer. Stuff it really sharp though so best use gloves if your forcing it. Its sliced me really good before:-?.

Rain gutters are not tall enough for vertical mounting. Horizontal mounting works, its just studies with a PAR meter show vertical mounting gives you more light at depth.

I answered my question about powering different bulbs off a spiral CFL. I've only done one, but so far the answer is yes! I haven't really figured out what that means yet or if there is any real gain in doing this lol. I've only tested one bulb. A 13 watt spiral CFL 'driver' can power a 13 watt bi-pin power compact bulb just fine. I might try a 15 watt T8 just to see if it will light, but thats kinda pushing it. I'll probably grab a cheap 14 watt NOT5 and some larger spiral compact bulbs tomorrow and mess around with them. It maybe a lot more technical then you want to deal with.



This is the quick and dirty setup, this is NOT how I would recommend doing things. Just showing that it works. The light bulb socket can be completely removed and the driver wired directly to the power cord.
 
#34 ·
Rain gutters are not tall enough for vertical mounting.
Thanks for all the advice so far Mikaila. I am just a little confused on something though. In one post you said there is not enough room to vertically mount the Cfl in the gutter fixture and another one you are saying that would work for medium part of the medium range of lighting but how does one make it fit vertically then?

The gutter fixture with just vertically mounted spiral compacts should give you enough light if you can get around 100 watts of CFLs in there that will put you in about the middle of the medium light range IMO. It would be pretty simple. Just remember reflectors. Doing things cheap is one thing, but being cheap to the point were you loose light output is another. All fixtures should have a reflector even if it tinfoil or something.

Once I've played around with it some more I'll make a thread with more certain explanations and some DIY/step by step. Wiring is a lot easier then it looks. Ballasts and drivers are really forgiving on wiring. You can rearrange wires in different ways and it will still light. Theres more combinations that work then don't work. Even if you have no idea what your doing you can likely still wire a light just through trial and error.
I understand the difference of doing something cheaply and cutting corners so to speak. I definitely plan on putting in something for a reflector. Thanks for the tip!
Also I will wait for your thread on the new setup before I attempt that one! LoL
 
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