How Would I Attach Lighting To This Hood?

[frogmarch1987]

Hi,

I recently received a 2nd hand tank and hood, which I'm currently setting up. However, the hood does not contain any lighting equipment and I'm not sure whether the hood has the right holes etc already drilled to enable easy installation of a fluorescent light tube.

The 2 images show the hood. The first one shows the view from the top. There are 2 rectangular holes, which I was going to extend to the edge of the hood, to enable the wires to come out of the hood.

The second image shows one of the small holes that is on the side of the raised section (on it's long side, not at the ends). There is another on the other end of this side, in the same position.

Could I fix the 2 tube clips using these 2 small holes (using either screws or silicon) and then run the wires out of the tank to the starter unit, or would it be a lot more complicated than this?

Thanks for the help



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[BigIan]

the clips for the tubes usually are mounted at right angles to the tube, but i think it would simply mean drilling 2 holes in the top of the hood and then attaching the light clips and voila lighted hood.

PS arcadia do sell plastic bolts for such things they do make life a little easier and don`t rust, and cost pittance so worth while using in my humble opinion,
although you can do a perfectly acceptable job with other fixings.

 

[frogmarch1987]

thanks for the reply.

The pre-existing holes are at the back of the hood, so using those holes the clips would be perpendicular to the orientation of the tube. Good to know that it's simple.

If you use an aquarium-specific starter unit and tube, do you still need a condensation screen between the light and the water?

 

[SuperColey1]

No condensation 'screen' needed. You can of course use one if you want.

Also yes get an aquarium specific starter but you don't have to get aquarium specific tubes. It is the end caps of the starter unit that make the system water tight not the tubes.

You can get the ballast unit and then just fit a normal tube in there that matches the wattage of the starter.

AC

 

[frogmarch1987]

thanks for the help the both of you