Homemade lighting

[hotwingz]

So i was seeing if anybody has or has any good ideas on building a canopy to house a strip light or bulbs or whatever. I know i can make a nice one for cheaper than i can buy one.

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[jonclark96]

I built a canopy for my 180 that I could have mounted a shop light to if I didn't already have a fixture. Raw materials ran me around $100, but that is because I had to buy 8 foot boards for the 6 foot tank. Basically, the design is a 1x8 frame and top. I attached the frame to 2x4 verticals on the inside corners, so the 2x4 sits on the corners of the tank. I built 2 doors into the top of the canopy so I can access the tank.

 

[JLW]

http://www.aquabotanic.com/?p=934

This guy wrote a blog entry about doing it not too long ago. Handsome guy, too.

 

[Charlutz]

Here are some pics of one for a 20L or 29 that I built for my talk on DIY stands and canopies a few years ago.

And the one I built for my 7 footer:

They aren't too difficult as long as you plan them out correctly and have a decent work space.

 

[Hawkman2000]

Verry nice canopy. My friend and I are thinking of doing something very similar, except we plan on using a mix of PAR38 LEDS and flourescants.

 

[hotwingz]

Ya that is nice! Good job! But i was wondering more on what kind of lights i can buy from home depot! Ha that i can rig up to work. I was thinking that i can use a hanging shop light. Or making like a track light and use bulbs that get hot to help heat the water.

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[jonclark96]

I wouldn't try to use lighting to heat the water in the tank. There are much more cost effective and safer ways (a $30 heater) to heat the tank.

Pretty much any of the lights at home depot will work. I have a 24" fluorescent desk lamp on a 29 that cost $8 from HD. It just sits on top of my glass tops.

 

[UNCLERUCKUS]

nice hood!! i like it.
Danger_Chicken has some nice homemade ones too.
+1 for not using lighting for heating your tank.

 

[hotwingz]

Ya i figured it was a bad idea, but never hurts to ask! But i plan on using some tax return money to build a canopy if not a whole stand so im trying to get it all figured and priced out. And is more important the type of light used or just plenty of it.

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[jonclark96]

And is more important the type of light used or just plenty of it.

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Depends on what you are trying to accomplish and a matter of personal taste. If you are just wanting to view your fish, get enough light to be able to see them. If you are trying to grow plants, lighting is much more important (and something that I do not have the experience to comment on). From your fishes perspective, the light is probably more than they are used to having in the wild. They would be fine with just the ambient light from the house.

 

[hotwingz]

Ya i do have plants and they seem to be doing fine with tue make shift lighting i have including household cfl's but ya im mostly just trying to have a good viewing tank. But i do want to use lighting that is optimal. Id like my plants to grow well but not towards the middle of the tank or extra light bars if i were to add plant lights.

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