DIY Compact Fluorescent (CFL) Strip Light Retrofit
- Thread starter BoredAgain
- Start date
I finally got around to taking a few pictures of my setup. I forgot to do it while I was in the process but something is better than nothing. Once again I had to do 4 single bulb sockets instead of the doubles that other people found. I'm not using a fan because my recycled top had vents in it. Hope these are useful/entertaining. I wasn't planted before so I don't know if its even worth it to show a before picture because the tank looks completely different. If interested I can do so.
DAVIDFBT
Extinct? Since when?
Nice setup fishdaze, your tank looks really bright now.
Here's my DIY hood I made based on BoredAgain's original instructions:
Here's my DIY hood I made based on BoredAgain's original instructions:
DAVIDFBT
Extinct? Since when?
Or in my case... you substitute a wire stripper with a pocket knife lol Its really not that bad if you just follow the directions on the wiring from the original instructions, the diagram was fairly helpful to me. I had to cut 2 pieces of extra wire to help connect all of mine though because I had 4 pairs of wires instead of 2 and they all didn't reach eachother.
i also got to say thanks. i did my old hood in about an hour and a half worth of work. from the sound of it fishdaze and my setup is about the same. if anyone out there reading is on the fence about trying it i say give it a go. i had almost no wiring experience at all and little to no handy skills but mine works like a dream and it even looks pretty good. oh i should mention too i was able to do mine for about $30 Canadian not counting the bulbs. i got all the stuff i needed from home hardware. thanks boredagain. big ups
Nice work mates.
I'm running the same set up on a 29 and I was wondering what everyone's results have been with plants.
Hows the plant growth been for everyone with this setup?
Is anyone adding CO2 or Ferts?
What type filtration or more specifically hows your surface agitation?
My results have been lack luster with plants. I have a wisteria, some java fern and java moss that are hanging in there. Everything else died out. However I have no ferts or CO2 and I have quite a bit of surface turbulence from my HOB's.
I can grow the heck out of some algae with em.
I'm running the same set up on a 29 and I was wondering what everyone's results have been with plants.
Hows the plant growth been for everyone with this setup?
Is anyone adding CO2 or Ferts?
What type filtration or more specifically hows your surface agitation?
My results have been lack luster with plants. I have a wisteria, some java fern and java moss that are hanging in there. Everything else died out. However I have no ferts or CO2 and I have quite a bit of surface turbulence from my HOB's.
I can grow the heck out of some algae with em.
Stlsoldier,
I honestly just started the whole plant thing. I don't think I have had mine long enough to tell if they're gonna die on me or not haha but I will say that my radican sword has had one of its small newly unfolding leaves already shoot up and flatten out to be just like the rest in only 2 days. I got my cabomba a little before that and it was flowering when I got it but has now doubled the number of little white flowers coming off of it. My crypt kinda changed colors on me but I just noticed a new leaf coming up from the middle so I assume its doing well too, perhaps just "crypt rot" as I've read that's common when newly introducing them. I have 4x14watt bulbs on a 29 with a HOB that gives a decent amount of surface turbulance. I use a cheap fertilizer/growth enhancer that I got at my lfs but no CO2 and no substrate.
I honestly just started the whole plant thing. I don't think I have had mine long enough to tell if they're gonna die on me or not haha but I will say that my radican sword has had one of its small newly unfolding leaves already shoot up and flatten out to be just like the rest in only 2 days. I got my cabomba a little before that and it was flowering when I got it but has now doubled the number of little white flowers coming off of it. My crypt kinda changed colors on me but I just noticed a new leaf coming up from the middle so I assume its doing well too, perhaps just "crypt rot" as I've read that's common when newly introducing them. I have 4x14watt bulbs on a 29 with a HOB that gives a decent amount of surface turbulance. I use a cheap fertilizer/growth enhancer that I got at my lfs but no CO2 and no substrate.
