extra light for your fish tank

hi if you need extra light for your fish tank you dont have to spend many for expensive stuff you can do as your self.
you can use electronics from energy saver bulbs.
-its cheap
-easy to make
-about 10% less energy using
-less heat
-small size
how to make it:


1)cut here with scrudriver or knife<br><br>Post edited by: adriano210, at: 2007/07/14 02:56

2)

3)
1,2,3,4 how to connect to tube<br><br>Post edited by: adriano210, at: 2007/07/14 03:06

mistake<br><br>Post edited by: adriano210, at: 2007/07/14 03:45

how to set box, remember to make holes for heat excange and to put elentronic outside from the tank, cables from board to the tube can not be longer then 1,2 m please use proper izolated cooper cables. if you want use 25 tube you have to use electronic from 30 W ENERGY SAVING BULB, IF YOU WANT USE 20 W TUBE USE ELECTRONIC FROM 22 OR 25 W BULB
BE AWARE OF RISK ELECRIC SHOCK, IF YOU DONT KNOW HOW TO TO THAT PLESE DONT START.

kind regards
Adrian <br><br>Post edited by: adriano210, at: 2007/07/14 03:14

hello johnH that is werry easy to do but you have use proper equipment (soldering iron, 2 wire cable for 240v about 1mm diameter soft coopper) and put box wit electronics outside from your tank if you have any problem pm me<br><br>Post edited by: adriano210, at: 2007/07/16 13:29

I have a city and Guils part 2 in electronics which is just enough knoweldge now a days to blow up s ciruit board, one would still need the rubber caps to go around the end of the tube, plus if you price your time modify a board that has a capasttor (bigest blue clinder thing in first photo)that could give a real nasty shock if toached bearing in mind one can buy off the shelf a safe sealed in ballest unit I don see the real finacial gain to make one.

I'll be giving this one a miss as well. You need to be very careful with electrics especially when they are going to be close to water.

Holger mentioned these bulbs to me at the last SAS meeting. I didn't know of this method &amp; we kinda came up witht the idea of just suspending them over the tank, in the non-butchered state.

the goog idea is to buy a box in maplin you can connect all cables together in and left that box outside from fish tank hood its working verry well
regards
Adrian

The socket holding the bulb won't be waterproof and will be prone to splases and condensation. Not worth the risk IMO.

I had planned on a cover glass or my fish would be gone anyhow. I have had many cats in since childhood &amp; the current one is the first one that pesters fish.

YOU CAN BUY SOCKET WATERPROOF FOR 2 E EACH IM THINK THAT IS NOT EXPENSIVE
WWW.RADIONICS.IE

Adriano,
thanks for the radionics website. I couldn't get waterproof fittings anywhere in Cork. And your idea works fine. For the sake of it, I tried it last night. Pity you can't use them with T5 bulbs though.
It is somehow funny that most of you lot don't remember when you had to built your own hood because ready made tanks weren't available. Anybody with a fish house will probably still do so.

Then again most of you won't remember magnetic ballasts either. I'm starting to show my age here

It's perfectly safe to use these starters once you take a few precautions. I do agree if you only have a tank or two buy the ready made luminaires in a shop. However, If you have a fish house or dedicated breeding set-up it will start to seriously get expensive.
For an even cheaper set up use cold light cathodes. Javafern and Javamoss will still grow OK and they will have enough light for you to see what's going on in your breeding tanks. They are really cheap on ebay. You will probably also get them in a garage that specialises in car alterations. Could the boy racers out there how much a garage will charge for them? All you need is a 12V transformer. Old mobile phone chargers will do fine. And the beauty of it all is that you will safe a lot of electricty. Two 12 inch cathodes will only use between 3-6W.
Cathodes already come ready assembled and the the fittings are splashproof anyway. A bit of silicone glue and you have them waterproof

Holger

Oh captain my captain thou art both wrinkled &amp; wise.

When's the last time you look at yourself in the mirror?

today i made that lights from the phillips 18w energy saving bulbs, i dont use the fittings to connect tubes with wires i use soldering iron and i seell that connection with waterproof duck tape, its working very good, the the board with electronics i set up in plastic box outside from the hood, in short time i add some pictures, and one question anybody know where can i buy tubes 8000k or 6500 k i look in dublin but i cant get them. thx for any information about that
kind regards
Adrian

today i made that lights from the phillips 18w energy saving bulbs, i dont use the fittings to connect tubes with wires i use soldering iron and i seell that connection with waterproof duck tape, its working very good, the the board with electronics i set up in plastic box outside from the hood, in short time i add some pictures, and one question anybody know where can i buy tubes 8000k or 6500 k i look in dublin but i cant get them. thx for any information about that
kind regards
Adrian

Hi Adrian,
I don't mind a bit of DIY and I am all for it once the final product is safe but you are seriously moving into Indian country here. First of all, why bother connecting the wires directly to the tube? You won't safe any money since you sill have to attach the bulb to the hood and why not to this with a proper fitting? Secondly, it is morer labour intensive since you have to solder the wires to the tube every time you have to change a tube.
Never mind that using a proper tube is a lot safer and neater to install than a lot of lose wires hanging all over the place.

Try electrical wholesalers for the bulbs you are looking for. I do agree that the tubes made especially for aquariums are over priced.

Holger

now i use nice tubes made by osram
t8 36w cool white
and t5 philips tld 840 6500k
now most of tubes will be ok, most of tubes (new stock) are tri luminofor, and as long as you mix one cold and one warm light is a good for your fish, and plants
and is better to pay 3,60 then 36e

Gobsmacked and in awe to say the least when i saw this DIY setup to make a cheaper lighting system,water and electricity is a potential killer and should be treated with the greatest respect.As well as that theres the risk of possible fire,injury and events even worse that could very easily happen from anybody thats not an electician and knowledgable in this field attempting such DIY,whats next,homemade electric heaters for tanks???

We seek to educate and encourage the younger generation of fishkeepers,they are needed for growth and expansion in this very rewarding hobby so i personally think that the likes of this or any Diy that combines water and electricity in inexperienced hands should not be allowed and submited for viewing ......

nomad wrote:

We seek to educate and encourage the younger generation of fishkeepers,they are needed for growth and expansion in this very rewarding hobby so i personally think that the likes of this or any Diy that combines water and electricity in inexperienced hands should not be allowed and submited for viewing ......

well put