DIY light unit ? need help

[lil-lynx]

hello i was thinking of makein a 3ft long light unit, i would like 6 x 39watt t5 HO any plans and equitment that i would need and has any one every made there own unit ?

 

[Steve Smith]

You can achieve a reasonable light unit using strips of plastic guttering and mounting tubes inside them. It can be cut to length easily with a hacksaw, and you can buy nice end pieces to leave it all looking tidy Not sure how many tubes you'd fit into a section, maybe 2?

Other than this, you'll be looking at some major DIY if you want to keep costs down I suspect.

 

[LondonDragon]

The following would help:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Hagen-GLO-T5-HO-T ... 3caa58b2fc

or total DIY!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/T5-LIGHTING-KIT-M ... 3359daa411

Or just a nice lumminaire:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/T5-Aquarium-Fish- ... 4837a7c1a0

 

[johnnypy]

I've just built three lighting bars for my Rena tank - each has two 39w t5 tubes. Made them from one inch square aluminium box sections cut to fit the ledges inside the tank, mounted stainless steel clips and used Hagen twin starters in the cupboard under the tank. Aluminium is cheap and very easy to work with. Happy to supply details.

John

 

[lil-lynx]

:O wow thanks every one i think i will give it a go

 

[Garuf]

Plastic guttering won't work, I used it and it melted and smelt awful when hot.

 

[jonnyjr]

I made mine using:

Twin 39w ERC Mectronic Flat t5 HO ballasts
http://www.dealec.co.uk/acatalog/erc_me ... lasts.html

Reflekta parabolic/gulwing reflector (bounces top part of tube light around the outside of the tube being parabolic optaining optimum light output)
http://www.aquaristic.net/shop.php/sid/ ... ype/search

Arcadia Ultra seal End Caps
http://www.charterhouse-aquatics.co.uk/ ... p-788.html

Some of that may be of use to you.
Had a lot of the stuff lying around already then just screwed it to two battens so ti can be easily lifted off my tank. Will try and get a picture tomorrow.