Dumpster Diving! - Aquarium Advice

rossmort · 04-02-2004, 02:49 AM

I was walking back from parking my car and saw a big florescent light fixture in a dumpster. I grabed it thinking that I might be able to use the reflector or something out of it when I start setting up my 125g in the summer but to my suprise the thing lights up! The bulbs seem like they are on their way out flickering a bit and one is black on the end but they both fire.

Would the flickering just be the bulbs or could the ballast be on its way out also? I don't know a lot about florescent fixtures and all that stuff so if anyone could enlighten me that would be great.

I was thinking about maybe making a canapy over my tank and running some bluer bulbs in this fixture along with my 2 36" tripple bulb lights. Any ideas would be great as I am a fan of [acronym:6243e6dcfa="Do it yourself"]DIY[/acronym:6243e6dcfa] projects and there seems to be some opportunity with this. Thanks

marcus russo · 04-04-2004, 06:47 PM

it could be either the bulbs or the ballast. I would suspect the bulbs though.
Try replacing those first

shawmutt · 04-04-2004, 10:12 PM

If the ends of the bulbs are black, the bulbs are bad, if they are not the starter is going bad.

04-02-2004, 02:49 AM	#1
rossmort Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: IOWA Posts: 124 Images: 1	Dumpster Diving! I was walking back from parking my car and saw a big florescent light fixture in a dumpster. I grabed it thinking that I might be able to use the reflector or something out of it when I start setting up my 125g in the summer but to my suprise the thing lights up! The bulbs seem like they are on their way out flickering a bit and one is black on the end but they both fire. Would the flickering just be the bulbs or could the ballast be on its way out also? I don't know a lot about florescent fixtures and all that stuff so if anyone could enlighten me that would be great. I was thinking about maybe making a canapy over my tank and running some bluer bulbs in this fixture along with my 2 36" tripple bulb lights. Any ideas would be great as I am a fan of [acronym:6243e6dcfa="Do it yourself"]DIY[/acronym:6243e6dcfa] projects and there seems to be some opportunity with this. Thanks

04-04-2004, 06:47 PM	#2
marcus russo Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: st louis Posts: 268 Images: 2	it could be either the bulbs or the ballast. I would suspect the bulbs though. Try replacing those first __________________ Marcus S Russo JBJ powerheads buy 2 GET 1 FREE JBJ chiller super sale. http://www.fish-forums.com/board/ran...small_loop.gif HTTP://www.Fish-ForumS.com Http://www.AQUATIC-STORE.COM

04-04-2004, 10:12 PM	#3
shawmutt Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Greencastle, PA Posts: 2,050 Images: 6	If the ends of the bulbs are black, the bulbs are bad, if they are not the starter is going bad. __________________ ~Mike Shaw Shawmutt.com. Blogs and Pictures of the Massively Multiplayer Offline game, Real Life.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
my dumpster diver took the long dive to the floor =(	MyCatsDrool	Freshwater & Brackish - General Discussion	7	01-28-2007 01:31 PM
Diving Pics	dr_girlfriend	The Lounge	6	07-05-2005 10:53 AM
few more diving pictures ....	quarryshark	The Lounge	19	01-13-2005 03:36 PM
scuba diving	Lindsikins00	The Lounge	8	06-05-2004 10:34 AM
guess what the maintenance man found by the dumpster.....	CRaZeeeBiTcHisH	Freshwater & Brackish - General Discussion	4	02-26-2003 04:46 PM