Moonlight DIY

[barbuto]

I am planning on making two new wood canopies for my 2.5g and 10g tanks. I want to retrofit them with Cold Cathode lights.

I was wondering if I should use 4" ones or 12" ones, what do you guys think? And would I be able to keep these on whenever my regular Fluorescent lights are off?

for reference:

4 inch:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16800888031

12 inch:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811994001

 

[DoN_WoN]

i say for the 2.5 do the 4 inch and for the 10 do the 12 inch, please post pics of the canopy!! i built a canopy for my 2.5 and i dont see many 2.5 gallon canopys!

 

[barbuto]

Will do, I'm running out to buy the wood for both of them today.

Does heat from the lights pose a problem with wood canopies? I'm going to be using screw in CFL's.

 

[DoN_WoN]

Will do, I'm running out to buy the wood for both of them today.

Does heat from the lights pose a problem with wood canopies? I'm going to be using screw in CFL's.

nope, heat shouldn't be a problem with those lights, i recommend painting the inside of the hood white or silver, it reflects more light, and always put a sealant on the wood after painting, i use polyurethane. heres a pic of my 2.5

 

[DoN_WoN]

nope, heat shouldn't be a problem with those lights, i recommend painting the inside of the hood white or silver, it reflects more light, and always put a sealant on the wood after painting, i use polyurethane. heres a pic of my 2.5

my light didn't fit inside the hood so i had to take off the front door and the light fit perfect

 

[DoN_WoN]

my light didn't fit inside the hood so i had to take off the front door and the light fit perfect

the only thing i regret is not doing a 45 degree on the corners. i might redo it eventually

 

[austinpetemo]

holy crap. your canopy is tall!

the cathodes seem a little bright for such a small tank. it looks more like blue lights than moon lights. and could you use plain white cathodes to light your tank rather than CFLs? and how do you plug them in?

 

[RodInCALIFORNIA]

that canopy looks bigger then the tank

 

[DoN_WoN]

that canopy looks bigger then the tank

Lol ya, it looks bigger cause there's nothing but trim for the base if the base was bigger it would look better, I just didn't know how to make a bigger base

 

[DoN_WoN]

yea the base as i said, heres an example of one with a better base and it makes it look better