MTS=Mineralized Top Soil I have a tendency to move things around a lot so I think it will get messy after awhile.
40g Breeder Journal
- Thread starter myswtsins
- Start date
Just a boring non photo update.
#1 - I am broke! Unexpected costs have put me right back in debt so any thoughts of upgrades before setup have been squashed. No biggie gives me something to tweak later on to keep my interest longer.
I will most likely upgrade to a fishneedit 36" 4x39 fixture, $140 shipped, in the future using only the 2 outside bulbs (for coverage). I will also most likely upgrade to a Sunsun 303, 375gph $83 shipped, at some point. But the first thing I want to upgrade is my water, get a RO system in other words. I want to make things easier on myself, my plants and my fish. Plus I REALLY want green neons and they would not survive in my water.
But lets talk about what is happening now. I started building a light enclosure for my 2-55w AHsupply (22x4x2 ea) lights today. I am making it out of luan to keep it as light as possible. It will be 30"Lx16"Wx4"H. I made it longer for a few reasons, to make it look like it almost fits on the tank & to not limit any light spilling out of the ends. I made it wider to get better coverage front to back. More details as I figure it out.
Pictures to come soon too, I want to try to finish getting it together today.
#1 - I am broke! Unexpected costs have put me right back in debt so any thoughts of upgrades before setup have been squashed. No biggie gives me something to tweak later on to keep my interest longer.
I will most likely upgrade to a fishneedit 36" 4x39 fixture, $140 shipped, in the future using only the 2 outside bulbs (for coverage). I will also most likely upgrade to a Sunsun 303, 375gph $83 shipped, at some point. But the first thing I want to upgrade is my water, get a RO system in other words. I want to make things easier on myself, my plants and my fish. Plus I REALLY want green neons and they would not survive in my water.
But lets talk about what is happening now. I started building a light enclosure for my 2-55w AHsupply (22x4x2 ea) lights today. I am making it out of luan to keep it as light as possible. It will be 30"Lx16"Wx4"H. I made it longer for a few reasons, to make it look like it almost fits on the tank & to not limit any light spilling out of the ends. I made it wider to get better coverage front to back. More details as I figure it out.
Pictures to come soon too, I want to try to finish getting it together today.
Well it's nothing pretty but it will be functional! Of course it needs to be puttied, sanded & painted still too. I am thinking I should have went a little taller to help block the light because I watch TV close by.....oh well, "it is what it is"! I probably won't get to work on it again until Saturday but I am making progress again, yay!
opcorn:
It will be suspended about a foot above the tank with the lights mounted inside. I think I will have 4 eye hooks, 2 in the back 2 in the front about 6" from the ends, that I will loop a cable through to easily keep it level (or not so level if it is in my eyes) then attach that to chains that will run to the ceiling to hooks so I can easily adjust the height. I want to use chains because I like the way they look better then a nearly invisible cable that makes the light look like it is floating, too unnatural. I didn't use chain in the leveling loops because I think the links might give me a hard time with getting it just right but I might try chain first because I really love the chains.
Maybe I will make a diagram....
Maybe I will make a diagram....
It looks like demented wire clothes hangers! :laugh: But maybe it draws a better picture then my description. I will be adding ventilation holes too but not many because the entire bottom IS vented because it is open. (but heat rises and blah blah blah)
(but heat rises and blah blah blah)
As soon as I got to CA I looked up this thread to see if you had any new pictures..I want to see what you do with all those plants! Remember...I'm living vicariously through you right now. :grinyes:
