Lighting Issue for 150-gallon, 30" deep, glass flip-lids...

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BrownBullhead

AC Members
May 16, 2005
97
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[Canada] Ile-des-Chenes, Manitoba
Lighting Issue for 150-gallon, 30" deep, glass flip-lids...

I need some help from the readers out there in terms of how to better light my 150-gallon, 30" deep (surface to substrate) tank. The tank is 48" x 24" footprint. The lids are the "flip-lid" style, glass. The tank and stand are nestled into what would have been a clothes-closet with the sliding doors.

I need to find a solution to use 24", 20-watt, T-12 Phillips "Daylight Deluxe" fluorescent tubes. I chose this model because I want something with a high light output and high color temperature to show off the yellow in my Tropheus.

I can NOT mount any lighting ballast or housing to the bulkhead above the tank as ventilation equipment runs through there... essentially I need something to basically "sit" on the glass lids, much like the makeshift lighting I have now which are two light hoods from a 55-gallon setup.

I was wondering if I could use a "2 Ft. 2-Light Residental Fluorescent Wrap" on each side of the lids, or even a "4 Ft. 2-Light Residential Fluorescent Wrap" across the entire span of the lids? I would have to buy models with AC electrical cord as again, I cannot hard-wire anything into the bulkhead above the tank.

What do you guys think? SEE IMAGES BELOW. Click thumbnail to see full size 1600 x 1200 images. Images hosted by PhotoBucket.

 

ghinksmon

AC Members
Aug 30, 2005
432
0
16
Northern NJ
I assume you are looking for more light than what you currently have, otherwise you appear to already have a good set up. The cheapest would be a two tube 48" "shop light" which you could make simple legs for if you wish to keep it off of the glass. As for the power; I would wire an extension cord (with the female end cut off) into the shop light as per their instructions for hardwiring. Even with heating ducts above there should be some framing supporting the gypsum. You could attach hooks at these points and suspend the light as well.
 

carpediem

Registered Loser
I wired all of the 48" fluorescent strips in my fish room with extension chords. $2.24 at home depot. Just make sure you connect the hot on the chord to the hot on the light. I used those little clamp connectors (not sure what they're called) that screw into the punchouts on the lights and clamp the chord down tight.
 

BrownBullhead

AC Members
May 16, 2005
97
0
6
48
[Canada] Ile-des-Chenes, Manitoba
I ended up going with the "Lithonia Lighting, 4 ft., 2 lt." model shop light, using 2 x 48", 40-watt, Philips "DayLight Deluxe" tubes. It uses T-12 bulbs which is going to set off bells and whistles for those who told me to go with T-8, but oh well. When I left the message for my girlfriend at her work for what to pick-up, I hadn't known about the T-8 at that time. Anyway, I am VERY satisfied!

TALK ABOUT LIGHT! HOLY COW! I can actually see my fish and details in my rocks and my fish and everything I could not see before! This was the best $50 I've spent on fish equipment in a long time!

I've seen the light! :)
 

BrownBullhead

AC Members
May 16, 2005
97
0
6
48
[Canada] Ile-des-Chenes, Manitoba
Well I am not sure how much difference would show in my digital photographs because prior to this new lamp, I would edit all my photos in ACDSee 6.0 using "auto-exposure" filter to increase background white values, contrast and colour balance. I'm not going to take pictures tonight as I have to get ready for work shortly, but trust me... the previous light maybe lit the upper 1/2 of the tank satsifactorily but now, white glow light surface to substrate. :)
 
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