Installation of lights from scratch - help!

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sixftsam

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Mar 29, 2008
78
0
36
England, Surrey
Heya there guys! i've just bought myself a nice 21 inch cube tank. Got it second hand, and it needs a bit of a clean out. I've decided to set myself the task of building the stand and hood from scratch, something which im fairly sure i can do based on past jobs and experience.

The problem i have is the lighting. I have no idea how to install the lighting power unit (the bit that holds the bulbs!?) into the hood safely, how to prevent water getting in and causing problems, and how to make sure all my fish dont get electrified?!

Also i seem to be able to find blubs in pet shops, but nothing that holds them. Where is a good place to find the lighting unit itself? I live in the UK so this might have an impact?

Any help at all that someone can give on what is needed, how to install it safely and where to get it from would have my appreciation for a long time!
 
You can get the light units from your local hardware store. To safely install them in the hood, you need to add some sort of splash barrier. I have a picture coming up.
 
Would you not be better off getting a second hand light rig and modify it from there? It would solve you connection problems,
 
You must excuse my ignorance, but saying light rig really means nothing at all to me! I really am a total newbie when it comes to the electronics side of a fish tank, so any info will have to be dumbed down a little!
 
Here's my splash guard/lid. The light fixtures are run of the mill florescent light with a "day light" bulbs in them. They are wired in parallel so that they require only one electrical outlet (and turn on at the same time).

Dumbed down version comming up...

tank lid and light.jpg

light and lid.jpg
 
Lots of good info in the link you gave, thankyou! i can understand the use of the foil as a reflector to amplify the lighting, but was there any other reason too? does it help to protect the wood from getting too hot, and is there another material that could be used instead?

A second question is why was there a need for a plexiglass cover? most fish tanks come without one, so i was a little unsure why your tank was in need of one?

Thankyou for the link again though, deffinatly shows it can be done!
 
sixftsam;1997346; said:
... i can understand the use of the foil as a reflector to amplify the lighting, but was there any other reason too? does it help to protect the wood from getting too hot, and is there another material that could be used instead?
Click to expand...
The foil protects the particle board from moisture absorption. Particle board acts like a sponge and swells when the humidity is too high. I have a little bit of swelling along the edges but for almost two years, it isn't bad. Particle board isn't a good choice anywhere water is involved, but the stuff was paid for.

As for another material, I think foil is the best you can do. It is cheap and readily available. The pictures in this thread were taken today and that is the original foil (about two years old). It is in excellent shape and holding good. You could make a reflector out of some sheet aluminum and then screw it into the hood before adding the light.

sixftsam;1997346; said:
A second question is why was there a need for a plexiglass cover? most fish tanks come without one, so i was a little unsure why your tank was in need of one?

Thankyou for the link again though, deffinatly shows it can be done!
Click to expand...

The plexiglass serves as a splash shield and moisture barrier. The lights are not designed to operate in a wet environment. The wood also will not tollerate water or moisture.
 
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