Finishing up a DIY canopy build and was wondering if anyone has some good links or ideas for lighting to install in the canopy. I'm not looking for anything pricey like MH or HPS, rather a simple fluoro or t5 will get the job done just fine. I may only use one or two since the tank will be fish only. Simple/cheap. I'll try and snap a pic of the canopy later.
diy lighting for canopy
- Thread starter snake_charmer
- Start date
Hagen have T5 starter units, singles and doubles with endcaps. Cheap and mine are running for the last two years without any trouble. And best of all you can use standard lightbulbs with them and no longer need to buy the expensive ones in LFSs.
Do you guys have links to either product? They both sound right up my alley. Like I said I'm not looking for (6) 6 foot metal halide lights with a monster ballast unit or anything. Just something simple with 1-2 compact fluro's that I can run in my 6 foot tank. The only catch is that I want a VERY professional appearing product but I feel that can accomplished by taking my time and consealing wires/etc. as best as possible.
http://www.ahsupply.com/96watt.htm It looks like this one from AH supply is the only light that will occupy a 6 foot canopy
CFL daylight bulbs and outdoor sockets from the hardware store + one old extension cord + some plate mirrors from a dollar tree store for reflectors.
And there you go, you can build a lighting set up with more watts then you could ever need for less than 40 bucks.
I had a plan to build one i had seen on a planted aquaria site for my 125. I was going to use 4-5 100w CFL daylights and the mirrors but i have not started yet.
(5 sockets at $3 ea, 5 CFL bulbs at $3-4 ea, 5 6"x6" mirrors at $1 ea.= 500watts for 40 bucks) And takes very little skill to put togther. If you can change a wall outlet or splice a extension cord then you can do this.
i did build one for a my planted nano 2.5g. i used 2 10w CFL daylights which put out the same as a 40w regular bulb. And that turned out to be a algae growing monster with that much light. So I dropped down to one bulb and it worked fine for a year. And then i lost interest.
I still have it if you wanted some pics, but it was just a simple little 2 hr throw together project.
Let me know.
And there you go, you can build a lighting set up with more watts then you could ever need for less than 40 bucks.
I had a plan to build one i had seen on a planted aquaria site for my 125. I was going to use 4-5 100w CFL daylights and the mirrors but i have not started yet.
(5 sockets at $3 ea, 5 CFL bulbs at $3-4 ea, 5 6"x6" mirrors at $1 ea.= 500watts for 40 bucks) And takes very little skill to put togther. If you can change a wall outlet or splice a extension cord then you can do this.
i did build one for a my planted nano 2.5g. i used 2 10w CFL daylights which put out the same as a 40w regular bulb. And that turned out to be a algae growing monster with that much light. So I dropped down to one bulb and it worked fine for a year. And then i lost interest.
I still have it if you wanted some pics, but it was just a simple little 2 hr throw together project.
Let me know.
I was never really happy with available lighting. Unless you spent a bunch, your choices were pretty limited. Shoplights with various bulb combinations work pretty well.
Now I have been working with LED as an alternative. Pretty jazzed as to what is available now. Allot of the lighting for automotive use is getting brighter. Not quite a direct replacement for your normal lighting yet, but getting there.
Gotta love the LED potential..low power consumption, little amount of heat generation, and bulb lifespan.
Now I have been working with LED as an alternative. Pretty jazzed as to what is available now. Allot of the lighting for automotive use is getting brighter. Not quite a direct replacement for your normal lighting yet, but getting there.
Gotta love the LED potential..low power consumption, little amount of heat generation, and bulb lifespan.