Homebuilt canopy project & odno lighting

[loaches r cool]

Well, I have finally finished my new canopy so I thought I would post up the info on it (pretty much the same as whats on my website too).

Sorry dont have any real good pics of it finished on the tank other than this one:


Here are a few selected constuction shots:

Getting started.

Painted with gloss white. The wiring nightmare has just begun!

Just about everything mounted.

Real DIY moonlighting.

The sylvania ballast I used (2 of them). They are designed for 4 bulbs each but using the odno concept I am 'overdriving' two bulbs each per ballast.

A couple shots of the completed assembly.

With the new hood going I figure I have ~250W towards the wpg rule. With my CO2 now back in commision I have got the plants to pearl for the first time ever!

The only thing so far I need to do is make some kinda latch that will hold the front at half way open since I have to swing it all the way up (its rather large and heavy) plus when all the way open it kinda floods the room with light and spooks the fish - even with the front two bulbs shut off.


Technical details:
-4 48" flourescent bulbs (I use phillips daylight delux T8's)
-6 custom built super bright blue LED moonlights on night timer
-2 Sylvania Quicktronics ballasts #4X32/120 IS (power switch for each)
-2 Ultra quiet Mad Dog PC fans, ran in series so each spins only 1/2 normal speed - completely silent this way.
-all made from pine lumber and stained to match my stand which is colonial maple gel stain.

For more info visit my webpage on the canopy project at http://www.tristan.homelinux.net/fish/tank/canopy/index.htm
Or for more info on what ODNO is and how to build one see my ODNO page at http://www.tristan.homelinux.net/fish/tank/retrofit/index.htm

 

[Sploke]

Nice job. What are you using to power the LEDs, and how big are those resistors?

 

[Jericho]

This is what I did for my LED's for a 60 Gal. The first pic is of the two different typs of led fixtures I was building. The second pic is of one entire set. I did a total of 9 led's. The third pic is of my tank.

 

[loaches r cool]

Nice job. What are you using to power the LEDs, and how big are those resistors?

The LEDs and cooling fans are both powered by thier own 12V wall adapter (I have a box full of 12V adapters). You can sort of see the adapters in the completed assembly pics (they are black and held down with a copper ground strap around them). Resistors, well I would have to check since I dont remember off hand and I am at work. I think the R values were chose to allow about 25mA per diode to flow, but every different diode has different V and I specs.

Jericho... nice job on those lunar lights! I didnt try to mount them on anything nice, right on to a piece of circuit board and a screw into the wood. Hopefully I wont have problems with moisture, we will see. The ones I got were like 6,000 mcd so their pretty bright, I dont have any pic of the new hood with all 6 but here is test setup I did with 3 led's when I first bought the leds:

 

[GregAW]

Where did you get the LEDs and how did you determine how many you wanted to use? Looks great!

 

[Cory Keeper]

hey, pics and page is not loading.

calculating resistor values is not universal. But the formula is simple, E (voltage) = I(amps or current) x R (resistance).

So say I had a 24v adapter and wanted to wire 5 LEDs in series, each with 3.3v per LED, and total current of 25mA, that means I need a resistor that is going to drop 7.5v, and current will be 25mA. Thus 7.5/.025= a 300 Ohm resistor, or which ever is closest. Just remember, E=I*R.

 

[AnDr3w]

Wow nice!

 

[AnDr3w]

Wow this thread is over 2 years old. lol.