DIY lighting in a custom canopy

ChewyCashew84 · 09-02-2010, 02:35 PM

Hi,
I'm in the process of planning a 55-75 gallon tank. I just can't get over how expensive lighting is. Would it be foolish/difficult to make your own T8 "Fixture"? My hope is that there's a way to just mount a ballast and end-caps under the canopy and call it a day. It would cut the cost from $350 down to $75. I want a lot of plants, so I'm planning on having 4 tubes. I think I found an acceptable ballast...

B432I120RH-A Ballast: Light Bulbs Etc, Inc.

Anyone have experience in this?

NursePlaty · 09-02-2010, 03:17 PM

I am currently making my fixture for a 55g tank right now. I am planning to have 184 watts. At Home Depot, I bought an extension cord for $6, 8 light sockets for $3 each and 5ft of wires black and white for $4. I already had wood laying around and I am already done with the frame. I am now screwing all the sockets in.

Its very easy... the hardest part for me was to make the frame because Im limited on tools so I had to cut everything by hand with a hand saw. All you do is attach the extension cord to the light socket. and plug it in. Thats for 1 bulb. If you want more than 1 bulb.. like how im going to have 8 bulbs.. you simply connect more than 1 socket. Im not going to spend $200-$300 on a fixture when i can make it myself for less than $40.

EDIT: Oh yes I am using pigtail CFL 6500K 23w Bulbs. 8 of them.

ChewyCashew84 · 09-02-2010, 03:26 PM

I didn't even think of that. I was planning on using 48" fluorscent tubes. CFLs would be way easier to wire up. Thanks for the idea!

archer772 · 09-02-2010, 03:45 PM

You could also build a canopy and pick up a couple shop lights from walmart and mount them inside the canopy

NursePlaty · 09-02-2010, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by archer772

You could also build a canopy and pick up a couple shop lights from walmart and mount them inside the canopy

Do they have tubes of 6500K?

archer772 · 09-02-2010, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NursePlaty

Do they have tubes of 6500K?

You can get them no problem

ChewyCashew84 · 09-02-2010, 04:06 PM

I'm not sure which would be more practical for me. I'm leaning toward a 75 gallon, and if that's the case I'm going to be shooting for 225 watts. I can get 23 watt CFLs, but that means I'd need 10 bulbs. Cumbersome, but cheap.

However, the affordable tube lights are only 40 watts. I'd need 6 tubes, 3 fixtures.

Am I supposed to put a glass lid on the tank between the water and the lights?

archer772 · 09-02-2010, 04:09 PM

Are you planning on running presurized CO2??

ChewyCashew84 · 09-02-2010, 04:12 PM

I'm up in the air about that at the moment. I kind of want to do a system with a sump, in which case I would do a CO2 system. But then again, I've got to cap my costs somewhere, and it seems like a sump isn't exactly necessary in a freshwater tank this size. Wether I have a CO2 system or not, I actually might just do a glass lid anyway to help control evaporation.

archer772 · 09-02-2010, 04:15 PM

I think 4 32 watt T-8's over a 75 would be plenty with out CO2 and maybe even with CO2

NursePlaty · 09-02-2010, 04:28 PM

You can always make 10 sockets and if you decide to go with no CO2, unscrew 2-3 bulbs out to reduce light and just use 7 bulbs. If you end up getting CO2 later on, screw back in the 2-3 bulbs.

For the glass lid, I did not use a glass lid because I believed it would block and reflect off some of my light. Instead I covered all my wires with electric tape.

ChewyCashew84 · 09-02-2010, 04:36 PM

True. I was basing my wattage requirement estimate on a website I found that said for a planted tank you should shoot for 3 watts per gallon.

09-02-2010, 02:35 PM	#1 (permalink)
ChewyCashew84 Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 16 Name: Ed Location: Chicago Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 2 Times Said "Thanks" 2 Times Was Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	DIY lighting in a custom canopy Hi, I'm in the process of planning a 55-75 gallon tank. I just can't get over how expensive lighting is. Would it be foolish/difficult to make your own T8 "Fixture"? My hope is that there's a way to just mount a ballast and end-caps under the canopy and call it a day. It would cut the cost from $350 down to $75. I want a lot of plants, so I'm planning on having 4 tubes. I think I found an acceptable ballast... B432I120RH-A Ballast: Light Bulbs Etc, Inc. Anyone have experience in this?

09-02-2010, 03:17 PM	#2 (permalink)
NursePlaty Queen Platy NursePlaty's Photo Gallery Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 932 Name: Annie Pham Location: Dallas Ft Worth, Texas Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 266 Times Said "Thanks" 41 Times Was Thanked 186 Times in 180 Posts	Re: DIY lighting in a custom canopy I am currently making my fixture for a 55g tank right now. I am planning to have 184 watts. At Home Depot, I bought an extension cord for $6, 8 light sockets for $3 each and 5ft of wires black and white for $4. I already had wood laying around and I am already done with the frame. I am now screwing all the sockets in. Its very easy... the hardest part for me was to make the frame because Im limited on tools so I had to cut everything by hand with a hand saw. All you do is attach the extension cord to the light socket. and plug it in. Thats for 1 bulb. If you want more than 1 bulb.. like how im going to have 8 bulbs.. you simply connect more than 1 socket. Im not going to spend $200-$300 on a fixture when i can make it myself for less than $40. EDIT: Oh yes I am using pigtail CFL 6500K 23w Bulbs. 8 of them. __________________ 55gallon Light - 6500K CFL, 23wattsx5 5hr/day Substrate - Red Mexican Clay, Sphagnum Peat moss, Eco-Complete Misc- Pressurized CO2, EI Dose KNO3, KH2PO4, CSM-B Plants -Limnophila Aromatica, Stargrass, Dwarf Hair Grass, Christmas Moss, Baby Tears (HM), Dwarf Baby Tears(HC), Rotala Rotundifolia, Ludwigia Glandulosa, Riccia Fluitans

09-02-2010, 03:26 PM	#3 (permalink)
ChewyCashew84 Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 16 Name: Ed Location: Chicago Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 2 Times Said "Thanks" 2 Times Was Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: DIY lighting in a custom canopy I didn't even think of that. I was planning on using 48" fluorscent tubes. CFLs would be way easier to wire up. Thanks for the idea!

09-02-2010, 03:45 PM	#4 (permalink)
archer772 archer772's Photo Gallery Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 943 Name: Scott Location: Michigan My location Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 273 Times Said "Thanks" 15 Times Was Thanked 261 Times in 250 Posts	Re: DIY lighting in a custom canopy You could also build a canopy and pick up a couple shop lights from walmart and mount them inside the canopy

09-02-2010, 04:06 PM	#7 (permalink)
ChewyCashew84 Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 16 Name: Ed Location: Chicago Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 2 Times Said "Thanks" 2 Times Was Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: DIY lighting in a custom canopy I'm not sure which would be more practical for me. I'm leaning toward a 75 gallon, and if that's the case I'm going to be shooting for 225 watts. I can get 23 watt CFLs, but that means I'd need 10 bulbs. Cumbersome, but cheap. However, the affordable tube lights are only 40 watts. I'd need 6 tubes, 3 fixtures. Am I supposed to put a glass lid on the tank between the water and the lights?

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09-02-2010, 04:09 PM	#8 (permalink)
archer772 archer772's Photo Gallery Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 943 Name: Scott Location: Michigan My location Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 273 Times Said "Thanks" 15 Times Was Thanked 261 Times in 250 Posts	Re: DIY lighting in a custom canopy Are you planning on running presurized CO2??

09-02-2010, 04:12 PM	#9 (permalink)
ChewyCashew84 Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 16 Name: Ed Location: Chicago Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 2 Times Said "Thanks" 2 Times Was Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: DIY lighting in a custom canopy I'm up in the air about that at the moment. I kind of want to do a system with a sump, in which case I would do a CO2 system. But then again, I've got to cap my costs somewhere, and it seems like a sump isn't exactly necessary in a freshwater tank this size. Wether I have a CO2 system or not, I actually might just do a glass lid anyway to help control evaporation.

09-02-2010, 04:15 PM	#10 (permalink)
archer772 archer772's Photo Gallery Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 943 Name: Scott Location: Michigan My location Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 273 Times Said "Thanks" 15 Times Was Thanked 261 Times in 250 Posts	Re: DIY lighting in a custom canopy I think 4 32 watt T-8's over a 75 would be plenty with out CO2 and maybe even with CO2

09-02-2010, 04:28 PM	#11 (permalink)
NursePlaty Queen Platy NursePlaty's Photo Gallery Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 932 Name: Annie Pham Location: Dallas Ft Worth, Texas Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 266 Times Said "Thanks" 41 Times Was Thanked 186 Times in 180 Posts	Re: DIY lighting in a custom canopy You can always make 10 sockets and if you decide to go with no CO2, unscrew 2-3 bulbs out to reduce light and just use 7 bulbs. If you end up getting CO2 later on, screw back in the 2-3 bulbs. For the glass lid, I did not use a glass lid because I believed it would block and reflect off some of my light. Instead I covered all my wires with electric tape. __________________ 55gallon Light - 6500K CFL, 23wattsx5 5hr/day Substrate - Red Mexican Clay, Sphagnum Peat moss, Eco-Complete Misc- Pressurized CO2, EI Dose KNO3, KH2PO4, CSM-B Plants -Limnophila Aromatica, Stargrass, Dwarf Hair Grass, Christmas Moss, Baby Tears (HM), Dwarf Baby Tears(HC), Rotala Rotundifolia, Ludwigia Glandulosa, Riccia Fluitans

09-02-2010, 04:36 PM	#12 (permalink)
ChewyCashew84 Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 16 Name: Ed Location: Chicago Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 2 Times Said "Thanks" 2 Times Was Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: DIY lighting in a custom canopy True. I was basing my wattage requirement estimate on a website I found that said for a planted tank you should shoot for 3 watts per gallon.

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