Can I Use Kitchen Light Unit For Fish Tank Or Not

[seanie112]

hi there
way to have a light unit to save on making a hood with lights inside

or is there a better way!!
mate of mine used the normal fluorescent tubes for hes malawi tanks but thought of used my lights that i have all ready that i used for my other tank moonlight and day light or are these no good when using this kind of light unit any one have any idea's

 

[three-fingers]

Yep it's fine. Not the best for growing plant's due to the diffuser, but perfectly suitable for normal tank and things like java fern/anubias and possibly vallis. If you don't care about plants at all then it's great as the fish will probably prefer it a little dimmer.

 

[Tolak]

Been using them for years. When the fixture dies I buy a new one, they run around $12 on sale.

You won't grow plants with them, as mentioned, but they are a cheap light for fish.

 

[Colin_T]

If you change the globes in them to something more suitable you can grow plants. The light unit is a standard fluorescent light unit and has the same internal components as the ones you buy from the LFS. Get rid of the diffuser and put some globes in it with a 5,000-10,000Kelvin (K) rating and away you go.

4ft fluoro globes are often cheaper than 3ft, and 2ft globes are often cheaper than 18inch globes. Therefore buy a 2ft or 4ft unit so it will be cheaper to replace the globes.
You can buy globes from any lighting store and they are often half the price of the LFS.

The only other difference between the fixture you have in the pic and the ones from the LFS ir a reflector. This helps direct the light down into the tank. You can sometimes buy them as after-market parts, or make one up using polystyrene foam or some thin plyboard. Paint it white or silver and put it above the globes to help direct the light down into the tank.

 

[seanie112]

may try that then my tank is 77x17x18

still got to make a cabinet for it so i can fit my eheim pro 3 external filter on one side and a 3ft tank middle and couple shelfs one side if poss