cheap lighting build

[JPKeenan]

I posted this on Plant Geek too cause I want to get feedback.

The thing is super freaking ugly. I need to get some new rechargeable batteries to take some pics of it.

I also know there is confusion on some parts about the watts per gallon. It is based on t8 tubes. So I am wondering what sort of watts per gallon I am getting.

OK was looking for a cheap quick fix to getting a ton of light into my 20g planted tank.

There were power strips on sale for like $3. Some bulb to outlet sockets (screw in the bulb and it connects right into an outlet) for $1.40. I cut some 1 by boards.

I made a box with shiny foil on it, put the power strip in it, attached some (3) 14w daylight bulbs into the sockets. They are the spiral daylight kind, the curly kind like you would use in a lamp. They are 60w equivalent.

I have sand as a substrata in my tank.

The tank is now giving off a ton of light. Any thoughts on this cheap idea? I might make one for my other tanks as the price is right.

 

[WhiteDevil]

they are equivelant to a incandescant and that aint saying much, you basically have 42w on a 20g tank so a little over 2wpg.

Who cares if its ugly, it gets the job done. Now that its done you can tinker with it. Garbage nights are easy pickings for free DIY equipment.

 

[JPKeenan]

I went out to home depot again to get some culled lumber. This time I am taking pics of the project. It will look a tiny bit more pretty since I got some culled paneling to do the outside with.

 

[JPKeenan]

oh man these things are ugly! gimme a min to post pics,

 

[JPKeenan]

here we go....

1x2 and 1x3s on the 20g tank.... 3 x 14w daylight (5000k) spirals. Incandescent value is 180w

2x2s as a rigged box box frame, paneling as a shell (must upgrade later to make it look better now that I have 2 under my belt).

30g tank, 2 x 26w daylight (6500K) + 1 x 14w daylight (5000K) spiral cfl. Incandescent value is 260w.

He is a pic of the guts for the 30g one.

I took home some scrap vinyl from work (was scrap) and it has a good reflection rate and hardly any diffusion. The 20g unit is lined with the reflective vinyl/mylar and the top of the 30g is metallic with the sides being white.

 

[WhiteDevil]

Incandescent value dont mean jack in CFL's as far as light output, think of that value as $$$ on electric bills. no joke.


I think I am going to make one but I need to find a wood worker first per my tank design.

 

[JPKeenan]

so just go by the cfl rating... still gives me more than the 2wpg, which is what I was gunning for.

*lol* plus throws off more light than the lamp I have

 

[WhiteDevil]

Yes go by the wattage on the bulb itself not its equivelant. Incandescents put off like 20% light where CFL's put off around 80%+ of light.

I use those things on my petsmart 10g combo's, just line the inside with foil tape and its 3x as bright.

 

[JPKeenan]

I have my tanks behind my futon, and now can even read without a lamp being on, just the tank lights *lol*.

 

[cabezon]

we are like long lost brothers. I have even put a desk lamp pointing at my tank with a spotlight CFL bulb. lol. Line your box with AL foil.

 

[JPKeenan]

I'm using a vinyl, it is more reflective than AL foil.... I was looking into trying to find a cheap mirror and cutting it with a glass cutter. That might be for my next project.

 

[WhiteDevil]

I just did a 100 dollar build for less then 15 bucks.

t-12 fixture double( 8 bucks at depot) and a bulb retrofitted into my old housing( two t-12s fit just like 1 T8 bulb did.

Ill take pics didnt have time today.

I use foil tape, it reflects better then foil less then glass.

 

[fishmonkey]

cool. lets see the pics.

 

[WhiteDevil]

Before

After

Semi-finished product.

Old guts up for sale Best offer.

 

[Jnam]

Tin foil and Aluminum tape do a better job at scattering the light, you will most certainly notice that the tank is brighter but a lot of light is "wasted" passing out and through your glass. For a small amount more you could buy some individual t5 reflectors and bend them to match the girth of your t12s the reflectors are designed to force more light down in the depths of your tank. In tank PAR values will be better with a "shaped" reflector. I did the same build as you did with the CFLs on a pico reef tank, the corals responded much better to a modified wrap around reflector than to both the mirror approach(cut glass mirrors) and the white background approach. The same concept would improve any photosynthetic creatures performance I would expect. FWIW at least.

 

[JPKeenan]

wow make me feel like my tank lighting is so redneck I'll need to build a porch and put a sofa and junk cars on blocks for my tanks *lol*

 

[WhiteDevil]

I found a hampton bay 5 socket bar light at the thirft store yesterday, 2.62, I got it and a few of those old switched power deals that nerds used to put under their computer monitors( individual timers and individual circuits no more strips!!!)

I am using the 5 light bar for my 40g T. If it wasnt for Rednecks, america would be broken.

 

[mfdrookie516]

wow make me feel like my tank lighting is so redneck I'll need to build a porch and put a sofa and junk cars on blocks for my tanks *lol*

hey now... i have a couch on my porch... and a truck on blocks in the barn... dont be hatin

 

[Jnam]

wow make me feel like my tank lighting is so redneck i'll need to build a porch and put a sofa and junk cars on blocks for my tanks *lol*

dont forget the pink flamingos you aint redneck till you have pink flamingos!!!

 

[JPKeenan]

hehehe.... I should get a pic printed up of a redneck shack for the background of the 30g I am cycling.