Diy Lighting

[MoondustBob]

A friend who works in an electrical factors can get certain T5 bulbs (4 pin 2G11 end cap) for pennies, so I was thinking of getting some along with a ballast to upgrade my poor T8 Interpet setup... I'm not sure if they are the same bulbs as aquarium bulbs, but he has a wide selection of colour ranges available and asked which I'd like...

Errr, what colour range do I want for good plant growth? lol

Also, are there any other specific differences between household T5's and aquarium T5's other than colour range?

Finally, is there anything else I need to know before I blow myself up?


Thanks

 

[Colin_T]

Look for globes with a Kelvin (K) rating between 6,000K & 10,000K.

T5s are T5s, the only difference being one is sold at petshops and will probably cost you more than the ones from your lighting store. Look at the temperature or Kelvin rating. Most houses have globes with a 3,000-5,000K rating.

Here's a tip so you don't blow yourself up
don't lick your fingers and touch live power lines

 

[MoondustBob]

Thank you

 

[Cory_Dad]

Look for globes with a Kelvin (K) rating between 6,000K & 10,000K.

T5s are T5s, the only difference being one is sold at petshops and will probably cost you more than the ones from your lighting store. Look at the temperature or Kelvin rating. Most houses have globes with a 3,000-5,000K rating.

Here's a tip so you don't blow yourself up
don't lick your fingers and touch live power lines

But can I use my tongue to see if the wires are live?

 

[MoondustBob]

So apart from the ballast, leads, end caps and bulbs, is there anything else I need? I noticed some threads on other forums where people used ballasts and additional starters. Plus there was talk of different types of ballast that avoided flickering and saves bulb life. Its all gone way over my head... something is simplified english would be nice

 

[Colin_T]

But can I use my tongue to see if the wires are live?

if you want but it will make your hair stand up like in your picture

For MoondustBob
you need to talk to a qualified electrician and get them to make one up. Otherwise buy a complete unit and use the internal components to put in your current housing.

 

[Neo8223]

When it came to the starters, i just went online and bought cheap second hand ones off ebay. I have 2 x 15watt bulbs and starters rated at 45watts and they work fine. The average life span is 1 year per tube which is normal anyway at 10 hours a day. As long as the starters are rated at higher than youe bulba then its fine. And theres no fiddling around with DIY lighting.

Another way which someone suggested is this. Its going back a few years now, but it REALLY impressed me.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showto...p;#entry1588733

 

[MoondustBob]

The reason I'm going the diy route is simply cost. I need to upgrade lighting on 2 tanks, one will have 2 x 55w, the other 2 x 24w. To buy this kind of lighting its going to cost £100+. Whereas if I go the diy route I can get everything at wholesale prices. ie. bulbs at £2 and ballast at £10. It will be wired up by someone who knows what they are doing, but its up to me to get the goods.

 

[pastabake]

Those 2G11 lights are the same that interpet sell. You should be able to get a new style ballast that doesn't require a starter and doesn't suffer from the flickering of the old style ones ... I was going to buy the bits and diy but I couldn't source a waterproof fitting. I'd also be more tempted to go for colour corrected daylight bulbs or ones in the 5500 range ... unless you keep marine fish.

 

[Behold]

My local electric shop sells the ballasts for 30 quid to power 2 t5 54W's im gonna make a third bar soon and have Tropical lighting and day lighting + 2 x t8 moon lights.