ligHts! info please.

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
K

kiLLz kC

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jul 30, 2007
326
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kansas city-mO
you can go to home depot and get some garage lights. not some cheapo stuff that humms like crazy...but some nice lights. could i use that with a decent light from a pet store 5500k-10000k for a lighting setup?

if not why please.
 
ok...so why do people spend 200-500 on the coralife or other name brand setups? is it a label thing or are there benefits to going the expensive route?
 
kiLLz kC;1150986; said:
ok...so why do people spend 200-500 on the coralife or other name brand setups? is it a label thing or are there benefits to going the expensive route?
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Are you planning on doing plants? People usually don't spend much money on lighting unless they're doing plants or a SW set up.

If you wanna do plants it benefits you to go with more expensive compact flourescents like coralife.
 
If you wanna do plants it benefits you to go with more expensive compact flourescents like coralife.
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so the fixture has a higher output on the coralife in comparison to a "garage light"
 
OK....compact's have a much higher output in relation to thier size so you can get much higher wattage in any given space. The other main differance between a quality aquarium light and a good shop light. (I use them all the time by the way) is the waterproffing along with the types of end connectors. (the better aquarium lights use sealed end caps.)

I get around this by purchasing the rubber ended plastic tube covers for the bulbs. (about 2.00 each or so) and using a little liquid insulation on all of the connections...After that's don I fill the exposed parts of the end caps with dia electric grease from the auto parts store (1.29 a tube or so) This keeps the connectors and bulb pins from corroding. The modifycations cost about 5.00 over the price of the shop light and take less than an hour to complete.

My favorite bulbs for these fixtures are the 6700k daylight bulbs sold at the home improvement places. Your fish will look great and never know the differance unless you have planted tank.

My favorite shop light by the way is the red and cromed diamond plate dual bulb 48" unit. A bit wide but very high quality for the price.
 
i know the ones you are referencing.

what i'm planning on doing is hanging the light from the ceiling to about 6 inches above the tank. i have recently put a mesh top on the tank and the bursts of air coming up thru the water is touching the light, and evaporating alot as it does this. i have the generic lights that you get with a setup. not good quality at all.

this transition (about $100) will be worthwhile?
 
Higher end lights also have reflectors built to put the majority of the light in your tank and on your plants or other inhabitants, which is why shop lights aren't that great if you have creatures that need a certain amount of light. Fish don't need a certain amount of light so it's not necessary.

I used to grow plants with shop lights on my 125g but it takes a lot more shop lights than just getting a single CF light with the correct wattage.

I don't see the problem with hanging shop lights above your tank if it's simply for viewing. I'm planning on doing this with some of my tanks when we buy a house. It will make maintanance easier too since I won't have to worry about getting the strips wet or them falling in, or having to take them off when I'm doing maintanance.
 
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