Cheap Diy Lighting

[VickiandKev]

My partner and I are setting up a load of tanks for breeding (well we already have some but they're not artificially lit) ... and I would really like to have live plants and for the fish to have their own lights so we can see a little better what's going on in the tanks.

We will have eventually 6 x 6ft tanks and 3x3ft tanks as well as some others ranging from 18" - 2ft to light and I would be grateful of any ideas about the cheapest way to light these.

I'm not averse to DIY so anything goes really. The tanks will only be 12" deep so the light won't have to penetrate through more than a foot of water to reach the plants.

It would be a bonus if they're not heavy on the electricity too!

I don't know much about the pros and cons of different types of lighting (LEDS, flourescent tubes etc) so am not sure where to start looking in honesty.

 

[OldMan47]

I'm not sure the LED lighting has progressed enough yet to be using it on planted tanks. It would obviously be the best choice in the long term for lighting in general since it goes so easy on the power bill. At this stage of lighting system development, your best bet for cost is a simple shop light as you would use in a garage or work shop. The most energy efficient at this time is probably a T-5 fixture but that has a larger front end cost than T-8 shop lights. It is a mine field right now trying to choose the right fixture, because the technology is changing so quickly, and you never know which of the options will become popular in the future where the costs of things like new bulbs will come down.

 

[atuin]

Energy wise and economically - Fluorescent T5HO tubes are IMO the way to go
When going DIY way T5s are only bit more expensive than T8 but you get it back in your electricity bills as they are much more efficient than T8
1x39W (849mm T5 tube) for 3ft tanks (2x30W T8 would be req for same light output)
2x39W in linear setup or 2x54W diagonaly for 6' tanks depending on light req.
T8 setup to give simmilar light output would have to have almost double amount of tubes.and would use at least twice the electricity.
T5HO lumens/watt = ~90-100
T8 lumens/watt = 55-70

LED's - price wise cost of setup enough for all your planed tanks would be enormous even with full DIY. Latest high power LEDs are starting to break 100 Lumens/watt barrier but at cost of price and complex setups (heat starts to be problematic)
LED's another advantage is their lenght of life and compact size allowing to create light units small in size and yet having impresive outputs.
example - 2W luxeon LED is ~4x5mm and yet it produces ~200 lumens. In theory 1 square inch of those (25 LEDS in 5x5 array) produces as much light as 4ft 54W T5HO fluorescent tube. In practice heat would require increasing spacing between leds and extra cooling but still would give nice output from small area.

But in your situation, still fluorescent light is IMO best way

 

[raptorrex]

My partner and I are setting up a load of tanks for breeding (well we already have some but they're not artificially lit) ... and I would really like to have live plants and for the fish to have their own lights so we can see a little better what's going on in the tanks.

We will have eventually 6 x 6ft tanks and 3x3ft tanks as well as some others ranging from 18" - 2ft to light and I would be grateful of any ideas about the cheapest way to light these.

I'm not averse to DIY so anything goes really. The tanks will only be 12" deep so the light won't have to penetrate through more than a foot of water to reach the plants.

It would be a bonus if they're not heavy on the electricity too!

I don't know much about the pros and cons of different types of lighting (LEDS, flourescent tubes etc) so am not sure where to start looking in honesty.

yes indeed, LED's would be the best solution. though, for the next few years, the most expensive too. but, they will take over, probably sooner than many think.
for the moment, T5, seem to be, the way to go. even now for, running economy, LED's win hands down.

 

[Rooster]

By FAR the cheapest way (at the moment !) is to nip to an electrical retailer who supplies the local electricians etc - every town has a few and ask for some "florry fittings"

Our local one does 4 (and 2, 8 etc) foot fitting WITH a tube for around £10..... a fraction of what the local fish shop would rip... err, charge you !


If needed these fittings WILL happily run "aquarium" tubes.


(well you did say CHEAP - not "pretty" !)

 

[vfg10]

By FAR the cheapest way (at the moment !) is to nip to an electrical retailer who supplies the local electricians etc - every town has a few and ask for some "florry fittings"

Our local one does 4 (and 2, 8 etc) foot fitting WITH a tube for around £10..... a fraction of what the local fish shop would rip... err, charge you !


If needed these fittings WILL happily run "aquarium" tubes.


(well you did say CHEAP - not "pretty" !)

Hi

I have almost that same type of light as you said it's not pretty but it gets the job done. I'm happy with it

good luck

 

[VickiandKev]

Thank you so much for all your replies

I'm not bothered about how pretty the lighting looks - it just needs to be functional, and to be honest, I can box it in if it bothers me *coughmyOhcough* that much lol!

I know there's a retailer just down the road so will nip into there in a bit and see what they're charging for their fittings

I think T5s would be better, going on what you've all posted here, so will look into those firstly and hopefully can get some good deals on them

 

[Defiance]

Google for T5 High Frequency Ballast/splash resistant end caps

Work out the type of lighting required and do a canopy/overhang to suit

Simple wiring really

If you shop online after searching good you'll be amzed at what you can make cheaply

I had seen a kit at a local fs .... http/www.cdaquatics.co.uk/catalog/hagen-54watt-aquarium-light-starting-gearballast-p-1480.html

Something like the above for the novice, but you get the idea

Tony