I want to get my tank (RIO180) ready as a serious planted aquarium. To do this I must upgrade the lighting as currently it has ~1.3WPG (providing I've got the calc right, someone correct me if I'm wrong!!)? I was planning on adding an Arcadia twin light controller under the flaps of the tanks hood which would of given me 2 x T5 39W + 2 x T8 30W (~2.8WPG) 
. All was good and I was about to order the controller...
...then the juwel hood failed
. In a rush I replaced the hood with an arcadia I-bar, 2 x 39W T5's. The existing juwel flaps where supposed to "fit exactly as they do on the juwel ibar" but, they dont! As far as i can see they simply sit on a rubber edge of the arcadia ibar. Would the weight of a T5 tube and two mounted end caps be too much in this case?
After I fitted the arcadia Ibar I noticed that i *should* be able to sit another ibar side-by-side, giving me 3.3WPG and the only DIY I'd have to do would be to trim the hood flaps to fit the smaller gaps and centre gap created by two ibars. But, I also noticed the arcadia ibar gets reasonably warm and, given that the ibar would be real close (the end caps probably only millimetres away from each other) would it be ok do do this? The extra weight of two ibars on the tank also concerns me. Has anyone had any experience in anything like this
As the units are both near identical in price (from SwellUk) I dont know what to do
. All was good and I was about to order the controller......then the juwel hood failed
. In a rush I replaced the hood with an arcadia I-bar, 2 x 39W T5's. The existing juwel flaps where supposed to "fit exactly as they do on the juwel ibar" but, they dont! As far as i can see they simply sit on a rubber edge of the arcadia ibar. Would the weight of a T5 tube and two mounted end caps be too much in this case?After I fitted the arcadia Ibar I noticed that i *should* be able to sit another ibar side-by-side, giving me 3.3WPG and the only DIY I'd have to do would be to trim the hood flaps to fit the smaller gaps and centre gap created by two ibars. But, I also noticed the arcadia ibar gets reasonably warm and, given that the ibar would be real close (the end caps probably only millimetres away from each other) would it be ok do do this? The extra weight of two ibars on the tank also concerns me. Has anyone had any experience in anything like this
As the units are both near identical in price (from SwellUk) I dont know what to do
