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Re: Lights for 40 gallon tank
> I have a 36 L X 18 W X 16 H tank. The shop light is 48 L, which is quite
long
> to sit on top of the tank. Also, I can't hang it to the ceiling of my apt.
So,
> this option is out although it's cheap:(
>
> I guess I have to make myself a DIY light hood/enclosure for the tank. But I
> have no idea about electrical stuff which is my major concern--fire hazard.
If
> you guys know any very easy DIY light projects for someone like me, please
let
> me know.
If you look at the ballast in those cheap 4 foot fixtures, they probably say
they can be used with F30T12 or F40T12 lamps. The F30T12's are three feet
long and have the same ends as the ubiquitous 4' lamps. So you could cut a
section out of the middle of your 4' fixture and put it back together as a
3', or take all the guts out of it and just use the ballast, endcaps, etc. to
build your own 3' light.
Another possibility would be to build a hood and use three F25T8 lamps on a
high light output ballast. If I remember right, Advance Transformer makes a
4 lamp electronic instant start ballast for four 3, 4, or 5 foot T8 lamps.
If you operate the ballast with only 3 lamps installed, you get a ballast
factor of 1.1 (10% more light output than the ballasts are rated).
You could also use two F36BX (or equivalent) 16" compact fluorescents. Two
of these lamps end-to-end would work really well on a 36" tank. You can
operate two of these lamps on a ballast intended for two F40T12 lamps (like
the one in your shoplite), but you may have trouble getting the lamps to
start. And the lampholders for these are *very* hard to find.
I think I would contact http://www.ahsupply.com and talk to them about a
2x36W kit with an electronic ballast. I have heard nothing but good things
about their products.
best regards,
bob