hows it look!!!

[ohio reefer]

just finished my hood, what do you think. constructive critsism welcome.

thanks

mark

 

[ohio reefer]

one more shot, different angle

 

[ohio reefer]

the little blue ones are my moon lights which are really deck lights from lowes. i got those for $3.95 ea.

2x 400 watt MH
2x 65 watt CF

the fan is a desk fan 7" (i did that because i'm horrible at electricity and if it only works for a couple months i can change it out)

what do you think?

mark

 

[Thaiboxer]

RE

I like it! I'm going to steal some of your ideas for my own hood. I'm finishing the doors for my stand right now, putting them on tomorrow or Friday. I'll post finished pics soon.

Then the only thing left on this tank is building a hood, which will be nice fiinished wood. Questions for you -

1. How much did the MH cost? I like the setup.
2. Did you paint the inside white to reflect light?
3. Are you going to wire a surge-protector and timers into your hood, or have that external?

For fans... I have this thought about using an old computer power supply, and computer fans like the pic below. You can get big "stealth" fans (meaning VERY quiet) for $10 each. If I go that route I'll send you pics of the wiring, etc. It'd be more compact, and easy to wire.

I like it!

 

[ohio reefer]

thanks!

1. How much did the MH cost? I like the setup.

i got the reflector with mogul base at hellolights for $29.95, the bulbs also a hellolights for aprox $120, the dual ballast at aquadirect for $149.00

2. Did you paint the inside white to reflect light?

yes.

3. Are you going to wire a surge-protector and timers into your hood, or have that external?

yes, i got some weather resistant timers from HD and two surge protectors.

You can get big "stealth" fans (meaning VERY quiet) for $10 each.

yeah, you'll have to send me the schematics. the fan i'm using is a little loud but i did garound the edge with insolation foam tape. so that helps a lot!!!

thanks

mark

 

[BBReef]

LOL I thought about using those computer fans as well. im just stuck figuring out a way to plug them in. they dont have a normal plug. you would actually have to put a motherboard into the hood as well to power them up from a computer power supply. i havnt looked into it all that much tho. if you figure out a way to do it, be sure to pass on the info

The hood looks great btw. what size tank is that for?

 

[ohio reefer]

120 gal

 

[JProx]

reef
i assume your talking about the fans that have those little 3-wire harness ? if that's the case you can get a converter (at radio shack and all computer stores) that turns the 3wire harnes into those big 4wire harnes (the ones that power harddrives, and optical drives, and some new vid cards) then you could use a computer power supply to run the fans.

more info.. some of the fans that have a 3wire harness have a thermal detection circuit built into them. they change the fan's rpm depending on heat. (more heat = more rpm's, less heat = less rpm's) if you get a 4wire harness that will usually cancel out the thermal circuit.

thai -
what's the wattage of the ps your using? it might cost more to use it, to power fans. (good power supplies, have an eff of about 70%, so you were wasting 30% before you begin) you might want to shop around for 50-150watt micro atx power supply,

Food for thought: typical computer fans use 12v and .09 a (90mA) [R= volts/amps] so fans have a load of 133 (R). so Power (w) = (volts x amps) = 1.08 watts. Why run a ps with 200watt rating to run 2 fans that use 2watts ?

 

[oscarbreeder]

Looks great.
Good job.

I really like the moon lights.

 

[yaksplat]

just use a 12VDC plug in wall transformer from radioshack. Cut the wires and resolder it to the fan's wires. In this case you should be able to use some trial and error. If the fan turns the wrong way, switch the polarity. I'm not sure if the yellow or red wire is th hot lead, but i believe that the black wire is the ground.

Jim

 

[ohio reefer]

LOL, this is exactly why i went with a 7" desk fan

 

[William]

LOL I thought about using those computer fans as well. im just stuck figuring out a way to plug them in. they dont have a normal plug. you would actually have to put a motherboard into the hood as well to power them up from a computer power supply. i havnt looked into it all that much tho. if you figure out a way to do it, be sure to pass on the info

The hood looks great btw. what size tank is that for?

I had this issue when I was going to run dual PSUs in a computer.


I forget which pins it is in the Motherboard lead, but you can bridge two of the pins with a paperclip or wire to get the PSU to work without a motherboard.


if you search www.google.com for dual PSUs you should find something that shows how to bridge the two sockets.

 

[cj10488]

I'm not sure if the yellow or red wire is th hot lead, but i believe that the black wire is the ground.

Red wire will be the positive... Yellow or blue depending on the fan is a Speed sensor Wire... Black is ground...

just use a 12VDC plug in wall transformer from radioshack

if you go to readioshack you can get the 12vdc adapter as well as a female end that matches the end of your new powersupply will plug into.. Get a couple of 120mm computer fans and cut the plug off. which should leave you with 3 wires red, Yellow/blue, and black the yellow/blue wire is not needed and can be cut extremely short or just tapped up.. hook the positive side to one end of the female receptical you purchaced and solder. then hook the black up to the other side and solder as well.. Plug it in and determine the direction the fans are blowing.. Mount them so that both fans are blowing out of the hood.. (cools Better) and your good to go.. it is extremely easy and anyone should be able to do this.. should be between 5-15.00ea for the 12v computer fan and about 10.00 for the 12vdc apapter.. the female receptical is about 2.00.. If anyone needs help just let me know.. I am sure I can even go to radio shack and get you part numbers as well as let you know of some great 120mm fans that work.. Just PM
me..

HTH<
James

 

[Thaiboxer]

Funny that I'm not the only one to think of computer fans! Hey Jprox, I have several spare power supplies lying around - mostly 250-300 watt jobbies. I figured it'd be cheap to go that route, as running my computers at home 24x7 doesn't seem to increase my power bill by much.

Maybe I'll make my new hood into a computer case? Run an old 266 mhz in there and have the fans run temp control? Just kidding...

Those MH bulbs are spendy! I think I'm going to go with normal flourescent.

Great ideas here!

 

[JProx]

sorry for my first post guysi i was pretty rushed when i posted, i planned on coming back to clean it up, and add my suggestion (exactly what yaksplat suggested) but i sort of forgot too..

thai- the point i was trying to make.. was just to use a transformer, if the fans you run are less than 5watts why go way over board on 200watt ps? i know what you mean by recylcing what you have at home.. i do it all the time, but sometimes life is less complicated by not recycling. If you go the ps route, you will have to do a little more work and have to put up with a noisy ps.

i don't know why i bothered to say it was cheaper.. i leave my machines running 24x7 too, and i believe my engery bill has went maybe 4bucks a month. sorry for saying that.. i don't know where my head was.

 

[Thaiboxer]

I think you're right Jprox - it's probably not worth the effort to use a PS. I'd probably do it if I were going to run the lights off of it too, but it's overkill for 3-4 little fans 8)

Seems easier just to run a transformer off the power strip. I'll put the power strip in the hood and run everything to it, then just have 1 wire running out the back to the wall.

I'll say it again though, lights are SPENDY!

 

[JProx]

thai.. you think lights for a freshwater tanks are expensive.. don't ever start a reef tank.

thai, i wouldn't knowingly steer you the wrong way, i just don't think using a ps for a few fans was a good idea.

 

[cj10488]

thai.. you think lights for a freshwater tanks are expensive.. don't ever start a reef tank.

LOL ain't that the truth LOL.. I have at least 3k into my 55gal reef tank LOL

 

[JProx]

man.. and all i got is about 600 into mine, i'm thinking it is about about time for a lighting overhaul.
cj what lighting setup do you have ? if you don't mind me asking.

 

[cj10488]

cj what lighting setup do you have ? if you don't mind me

My lighting setup is 2x250w Mh lights along side of 2x55w pc lights.. The light setup was about 350.00 or so.. The skimmer on my tank was about 400.00.. Livestock/corals ect were expensive.. along with my Wavemaker and powerheads heaters Ect the entire tank setup is right around 3k and counting.. WE are getting ready to buy a house so that bill is going to go up even more real quick as the 55g tank is turning into a min of 150g reef tank... SW can get real expensive if you let it.. LOL

James