DIY lighting

[Dallas]

Since lighting is such an expensive part of this hobby i thought to myself. Why not build my own? I'm fairly decent at working with wood but electronics may be another story. I am not limited to what I can use because my dad ownes every tool/power tool on the face of the planet. I am looking to build my own 36'' metal halide custom lighting and canopy, I want to either have some PC atinics or moonlight LED's to give that nightime blue glow as well. I need to know where I can get the supplies I will need in Saskatoon, how much it will cost me, and mabe how to do it.........(plans???) Any advice/ custructive critisizm is much appreciated. I know alot of people here are guru's on custom lighting, please post.

thanks for your help, Dallas

[Invigor]

J&L for the halides
ebay for the LEDs
prairie reef supply for the T5 actinics (yes I said t5, not PC)
home depot for the wood.

That's the route I went, however I didn't do LEDs.

[Dallas]

What about local stores, you know, not online?

[tcharger67]

goto princess auto for the LED's and the power supply to run them. Its cheap, I have a string of 10 and a small power supply, cost me 20$ tax in and bonus is theres no shipping. Only problem is that there not submersible

[Dallas]

sounds good.

This seems to be a good option http://www.jlaquatics.com/phpstore/store_pages/details/l-mh-hoodp2.php?product_ID=pfo-hr362, but i also need to know, where can I get the balasts, bulbs, and cooling fans? If you add them on from JnL you might as well buy a deluxe hood. Comes out to 700$ instead of 150$

any idea's

[Dallas]

What do you guys think of these bulbs?http://cgi.ebay.ca/175W-20000K-METAL-HALIDE-AQUARIUM-REEF-BULBS-LAMPS_W0QQitemZ330013756707QQihZ014QQcategoryZ4631 4QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Invigor]

What do you guys think of these bulbs?http://cgi.ebay.ca/175W-20000K-METAL-HALIDE-AQUARIUM-REEF-BULBS-LAMPS_W0QQitemZ330013756707QQihZ014QQcategoryZ4631 4QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

probably have the same output as a 55w power compact. :P

if you want core ballasts (not the pretty aluminum cased, prewired name brand kind that mailorder places sell) go to a commercial lighting place...not sure if you've got a westburne in s'toon, but go there and get a pair of advance m58 ballasts or something, then a pair of mogul sockets and 20' of 12/3 wire....or even go to a hydroponics store and ask what a 250w ballast in a case is worth. 150w/175w halides aren't worth beans in my opinion.

princessauto has neat computer fans that work well with DIY hoods.

[Dallas]

I thought that the watt didn't matter it was the kelvin, In that case they have 250w and 400w bulbs for the same price.:pimp: :boink:

[Invigor]

well, in all reality, watts nor tempurature rating (degrees kelvin) matter. It's all about light output (PAR, and a couple other measurements) there are 250w combinations that beat 400w combinations, and 150w combinations that beat some 250w combos. That's why they invented m80 ballasts! match that up with a smokin 250w lamp and you got enough light for whatever you want...unless of course your tank is 5' deep.

[tcharger67]

I wish my tank was 5 feet deep then i could get right in there with my scuba equipment and an algae scrubber and do a prestine job of getting that little bit of diatom that always gets on the silicon, that the magnet cleaners can never get. But I agree, the m80 ballast is a good idea with some 250Watt metal halides. a good book i found when i first started off was saltwater aquariums for dummies, it has an entire chapter on the different types of lights, from flourescents, tungsten, mercury vapour, right in to metal halides, and why a keeper should use the different types for different animals.

[Dallas]

sorry to bring this thread back from the dead but what to you guys think of this setup?http://www.prairiereefsupplies.ca/index.php?id=36
http://www.prairiereefsupplies.ca/images/Sun%20Aquatics%20T5%20Retro%20Kit.jpg
Its a t5 retrokit complete with balast, endcaps and your choice of 2 10k or 20k bulbs with atinic supplement.

Whould this include the power cords too or is there something else I whould have to purchase for this kit. If space allowes id like to get 2 or mabey 3 of these for a total of 4 or 6 bulbs. What do you think? P.S it's only 99$

[Dallas]

bump

[Quinster]

Well I don't know if you want a reply from the person seling them, but I am using 2 of these systems on my 180G. The downfall of the endcaps supplied from Sun Aquatics is they do not have stand off's available...with a little playing they will fit into Icecap stand off's or if you pay the difference I will substitute Icecaps for the Sun Aquatics.
The 20K bulbs look very similar to the Giesemann 11K Aquablue Plus, and the 10K are a little more towards a off white. If you opt for the Giesemann bulbs I will also substitute bulbs if you pay the difference.

HTH

Quinn

[Dallas]

Hi Quinster, thanks for the responce. I'd like to know a few more things, what are you keeping in your 180g?, How much whould these kits come out to with those substitutions?, should I install fans in my canopy? How high above the water do these need to be to prevent heating,I have a 55 gallon 18'' tall tank. Where can I get the power coards and reflectors for it? How long are they?

really sorry for all the questions but I need to know all these things before I buy.

thanks, Dallas

[Invigor]

Hi Quinster, thanks for the responce. I'd like to know a few more things, what are you keeping in your 180g?, How much whould these kits come out to with those substitutions?, should I install fans in my canopy? How high above the water do these need to be to prevent heating,I have a 55 gallon 18'' tall tank. Where can I get the power coards and reflectors for it? How long are they?

really sorry for all the questions but I need to know all these things before I buy.

thanks, Dallas

I have 2 of those kits from quinn. I'd recommend 3" off the water, fans if you like, my tank is in the basement and fans cause huge tempurature drop to about 72 degrees (doh), so I don't use them. I had to buy some wire from home depot for the power cords/endcaps. and sorry quinn, i guess this is why you offer giesemann lights too, but sun aquatics lamps suck. and so do arc lamps from aquaria canada. I've seen giesemann lamps at paul's house and holy cow they're a beautiful color.

[Dallas]

I see, so fans aren't necessary then? My tank is also in the basement so it probably shouldn't be a problem. Do you happen to know how much the kits whould cost with the geismen bulbs and endcaps substituted?

[Dallas]

Bad News! I just ran into a problem, the bulbes are 4 feet long, my tank is only 3 feet. So unless they have some shorter bulbes i might be outa luck.:mad:

[Quinster]

On my site here http://www.prairiereefsupplies.ca/index.php?id=95 I also have T5 lighting from Sunlight Supply. You can build from raw ballast up, or they offer a retro kit complete with wiring, ballast, reflectors, endcaps and stand offs...all you need to add is the bulbs.

Kit 36" 2 X 39 watt $165.00 ea.

Ballast 36" 2 X 39 watt $72.50 ea.
T5 Waterproof Endcaps 1 pr. $20.00
T5 Standoffs 1 pr. $9.00
3' Giesemann T5's range from $30.00 - $37.00

One person locally also is running a 3' tank with the Sun Aquatic 4' bulbs, he is using the extra 1' for a refugium/plant area.

HTH

Quinn