Need a little help with a DIY lighting idea...

[endparenthesis]

I've been doing some research trying to find the cheapest way possible to light a 10 gallon tank. I don't care how it looks... I just want to use it as a plant grow tank and not much else.

I've seen the stuff at http/www.ahsupply.com and all, but I'm going for something even cheaper. Unfortunately I don't understand ballasts and such to just build my own lighting setup without being coached on what to buy and how to put it together. Ballasts don't sound very cheap anyway.

But I think I might have an idea that would be even cheaper. I just need help with one problem.

I've seen a cheap hood that has two sockets for incandescent bulbs (view it here).

I read on another forum that someone simply screwed two compact fluorescent bulbs into this fixture instead and that did the trick. The problem is, I believe incandescent bulbs have smaller bases, right? The average bulb would be too big to fit in the socket, right? Is there a name for the standard size the incandescents use? I doubt it's the same as the "Candelabra Base" (would be great if it was).

Does anyone know how/where I can:
A. Order some full-spectrum CF bulbs with these smaller bases...
B. Buy adapters to fit larger bulbs into the sockets... or
C. Simply cut out the sockets and wire bigger ones in?

If so I should be able to put 50W of fluorescent full-spectrum light over this tank for around $25. The bulbs listed here should be small enough to fit in the hood (I hope), but the base sizes are wrong.

Another concern would be heat. I could make it so the hood doesn't sit on the tank but is propped above it so it can breathe. Or I may have to settle for just one 26W bulb... which should still do ok for the plants.

Any input? Suggestions? Warnings? If this is possible it could save myself and others reading this some money. Thanks.

 

[Lateral Line]

If the hood was designed to take incandescents, then heat shouldn't be a problem, CF's run cooler then incandescents.

The problem I can see you running into is the CF's tend to physically be larger then a regular GLS incandescent, they may not physically fit.

As for the screw end, here CF's come with a choiuce of screw so both are readily available, that may not be the case thre however. It would suprise me though, the CF's are sold as direct energy saving replacements for GLS lamps.

A couple of the lamps on that list are 5000K which although not ideal, is not far away and "hotter" then an incandescent would be.

As a total aside, those lamps are very cheap.

 

[endparenthesis]

You're probably right... looking at the high-wattage bulb pictures again there's a good chance they wouldn't fit in the fixture. Just don't know for sure. Hmm.

And unfortunately that "candelabra" base is the only smaller base I've seen anywhere so far. But it does seem like it should be easy to wire new sockets in there if they fit. Even new candelabra sockets. I just don't know if there are electrical consequences I'd want to avoid.

At this point I'm considering taking one of those light fixtures that holds two lights going in opposite directions and mounting it into a rain gutter or something.

 

[Lateral Line]

Certainly with reagrds to mains electrical wiring in Europe, the size of the base has no electrical difference whatsoever. The fact that we have 2 sizes is more historical. Both sizes are available in CF's in my local supermarket in a variety of Wattages, however, they are "house lights" and so are low temperature spectrum.

I'd look at the DIY centre for you, but even if they have them here, it is of no help to you saying yes, they have them in Helsingør, Nord Sjælland, Denmark!!!!!

I would be confident your 110 Volt 60Hz system works the same way as ours.

 

[Colin_BC]

If going the DIY route have a look at this link for the DIY ligting system I just built. I aim for insanely high light levels, but it could easily be scaled down. Hmmm.... If your 10G is the same dimensions as mine (10"x20") it can easily be done. I've only done my 30G so far and it cost me about $100 CAD. I figure to build one for my 10G with 3x 13W CPF's for around $25-$35 CAD. If this is something that may interest you (to DIY), feel free to message me and I'd be glad to help any way I could.

Colin