Work lamp as lighting?

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H

HrHagel

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Sep 7, 2009
1,639
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Denmark
Hey there.

I'm on the lookout for a new tank. The tank i have in mind is a bit on the expensive side, so i won't be able to afford a light fixture to fit the tank, but i figured i might aswell do it right the first time, and make sure i'll have enough room, so i won't have to upgrade again. (Light fixture for this tank will cost minimum 350$, and that's if i go for the cheapest and poorest quality)

Anyway, my question is:

Will a work lamp do the job? if not, then why?

I can get some work lamps for cheap, anywhere up to 500W etc, but i've just never seen a tank with a work lamp before, so it got me wondering if there is a reason for this?
 
Those are halogen lights and will not look good in aquarium use (subjective of course). The light is going to look very yellow in a tank though.

Stick with shop lights (T8 flourescents are my pick). Still extremely cheap and produce a lot of light.
 
I see.

Thankyou for your response.

I guess i will have to find some sort of wall mount for t8's.

I only want direct light in the middle of the tank, that's why i thought one of these halogen's could work as a spotlight.
 
So I know this is a foreign concept on MFK (And I'm guilty of it too), but have you considered just waiting to get the tank so you can save up some money for quality lighting?
 
Johnnybravo60025;3881177; said:
So I know this is a foreign concept on MFK (And I'm guilty of it too), but have you considered just waiting to get the tank so you can save up some money for quality lighting?
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Nope :p
 
JakeH;3880893; said:
Halogens make some serious heat. Especially at 500w... Thats why you dont see them too often in aquariums
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Even better. Maybe i wouldn't even have to have an ugly heater in the tank :naughty:

But if it makes an ugly yellow tint i'm not to keen on it.
 
HrHagel;3880759; said:
Hey there.

I'm on the lookout for a new tank. The tank i have in mind is a bit on the expensive side, so i won't be able to afford a light fixture to fit the tank, but i figured i might aswell do it right the first time, and make sure i'll have enough room, so i won't have to upgrade again. (Light fixture for this tank will cost minimum 350$, and that's if i go for the cheapest and poorest quality)

Anyway, my question is:

Will a work lamp do the job? if not, then why?

I can get some work lamps for cheap, anywhere up to 500W etc, but i've just never seen a tank with a work lamp before, so it got me wondering if there is a reason for this?
Click to expand...

I did the exact same thing, only I used the cheapest 48" shoplight with T12 bulbs and have suspended the lights from the rafters in my unfinished basement.

I have gone through 6 F'ing piece of POOP lightfixtures with totally worthless ballists, and gotten a grande total of ONE that is what I would call functional. Pee poor ballists in these cheap pieces of poop cause the bulbs to "flicker".

I have managed to stress my fish out so F'ing bad with my cheapskate B.S. that I am tempted to punch myself in the face! It is flat out not freaking worth trying shop lights. You will have nobody but yourself to blame if you kill your fish from stress with the strobe effect that is likely to occur.

Don't be an IDIOT like I am. At least go with a couple/few cheap ($9) 24" grow lights from Walmart. They are mountable, have on/off switches and actually work.

Please be advised that this is not a bad batch of "shop lights" that I got. Two came from the Lowes in Westminster, MD. Two came from the Lowes in Glen Burnie, MD. and two (different brand) came from Home Depot in Westminster, MD.
 
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