[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: lighting for 20L




> (but I'll probably get rid of it)  Any suggestions on what kind of lighting I
> should have?  I'm open-minded and have a little bit of DIY-er in me (i.e. I'm
> not afraid to get my hands dirty to save a few bucks).  I want to have a
> setup that is low cost (short and long run).  I'm thinking twin tube 30"
> flourescent hood as the easiest option.  Also, I know that for a 4' long tube
> (40w) it is the most cost-effective flourescent tube for the wattage you get
> - -- any way to rig up something to look nice with a shop light or something?

   Go to Walmart.  Buy a "Lights of America" shop light.  Take a look at 
it and you'll see the construction is pretty much just plastic end caps 
containing the ballasts and whatnot with a piece of tin making up the 
body of the lamp in between.  With a screwdriver you can pry off one end, 
then use a hack saw or tin snips to cut down the length of the tin (so 
when the end cap is put back on the fixture fits 36" or 24" bulbs.)  
Really, it's easy to do. :-)  I've done it to fit 24" 20W tubes and 
another guy wrote to me that he'd even gone to 15" tubes without anything 
worse than a bit of excess heat.  Unlike many shop lights, the Lights of 
America brand is actually a reasnably attractive fixture as well, or you 
could just build a canopy to house them.

> Oh, and about the bulbs.  What should I use that would be the best for the
> plants?  Two vita-lites maybe?

  My first priority in plant bulbs is cost, but you should be able to get 
Vita-Lites from hardware stores and lighting supply stores for a fraction 
of the price a pet store would charge.

Nathan H.