strip lights

LMOUTHBASS

LMOUTHBASS

My hypocrisy goes only so far
Jun 17, 2003
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Boston , MA
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Mark
i'm thinking of getting two 24 inch power compact smart lites for my 55g - my tank has two slots in the hood for two seperate lighting fixtures - i heard this one is good - i need more lighting - or i'm thinking of getting the coral compact light stri lights thats 48 inches long but i would have to get a glass top for this -
i'm not sure if a glass top will work tho9ugh as i have a support brace right in the middle of the tank ( it's the way the tank came) - it's a topfin tank -
any suggestions - i heard the first light i was talkin about is awesome
 
The dual (2x55) bright kit is what I retro-fitted my 55 with and am very happy with the results. I had two crappy fixtures that came with the tank that had 15watt tubes in it, and gutted the fixtures(I now use the 15watters on my ten) and installed the 2x55's.
You can go with a 48" fixture, but will have to cross the center brace if you do. I opted for the dual 24" set up.
If you get them, my recommendation is to get the 6700K tubes.

Len
 
As for the glass top....what you do is get two separate glass tops....one for each side. That's what I did for my 55g. I personally have never seen one that went the whole length of a tank like that.

I'm a fan of the lights/kits at www.ahsupply.com :) I've got two of the 36w kits that I retrofitted into the existing fixtures.
 
help!!! - i'm on that AH website now poking around but i'm lost! i have a 55g with two hood slots - so i need two 24 inch lighting fixtures - is this what the kits are? which one do i want ? the 55W ? if your suppose to have 2-3 watts per gallan then i suppose i woul at least want the 96w kit but it seems like they only make it for huge tanks? can someone look at the above link and help me? please?
 
"Each reflector in a 55watt Bright Kitâ„¢ is 22 inches long, 4 inches wide and 2 inches high. With a 2x55w Kit, for instance, the two reflectors can be installed end-to-end on a 48" long aquarium in one 4" wide row, or installed front-to-back on a 24" or 30" long aquarium. 2x36w Bright Kits come with the option of a single reflector that is 34.5"L x 4"W x 2"H or that is 17.5"L x 7"W x 2"H. The 1x36w Bright Kit's reflector is 17.5"L x 4"W x 2"H."


thats from the ah website - but i have two hoods each one is 24 inches - so will this lighting fixture fit into my current hoods? - maybe the slot where i put the lghts in is only 22 inches i'm lost help!!!
 
LMOUTHBAS,

Let me see if I can help you out. You cannot just plug a 55w bulb into your 24" hood, it just will not work. To use one of th AH supply kits, you will need to gut your fixtures and install these where your current bulbs are now. You could also make a hood for your tank, or buy one of AH supplys 48" hoods and install the light kits in one of thier hoods. I have the same 55g tank and if you plan on a custom hood, the glass versa tops do not fit in your openings (they dont fit in mine). You can go to a hardware store and have glass cut for half the cost to keep condensation away from the bulbs.
 
thanks banky -
ok gutting my current lighting fixture is out of the question as i'm not very handy hahaha
i thought the lights from AH were a lighting fixture that coul handle a higher watt bulb and that i could just put the lighting fixture into the current spot where my old lighting fixtures sit?
like a new lighting fixture for each hood
 
also
all those lights they sell at AH are things you have to work on? i just want to buy a new light to put into the slot on my hood of my tank - i don't want to have to re wire things n stuff - i thought the lights at AH were just that - i thoguht you could by the 55 kit and all i have t do is plug itin and put it on top of the spot on my hood where lights go
help thanks
 
No, Bass Guy.......the kits at AH are just that....Kits.
For you I would suggest going to a full service LFS and asking for a Compact Fluorescent Hood. Many companies make them so even if they don't have the 48" or 2 - 24" ones you need, you can probably get them to order one for you. The ready made ones cost a lot more money than the kits though so be prepared for that.
If you want to stay in the moderate range, light-wise, I would say look for something in a 110 watt CF fixture. It sounds like only 2 watts/gal. but CF lighting is much brighter than standard fluorescent lighting.

Len
 
ok my father is an electrician so i think he'll bebable to hook this up for me - unfortuinatly i never aquired the handy skills hahaha
here's what i bought can someone tell me what they think of it and if it wil work well - (got this from AH if you click on the link in one of the above posts you'll see it thanks



2 x 55 watt Bright Kitâ„¢ Item # 30552 $64.99
Includes: one 14 ounce, solid-state electronic ballast that will operate two bulbs; two 22 inch long multi-angle MIRO 4 enhanced, polished aluminum reflectors, two moisture-resistant endcaps with cords; four steel bulb holders; one grounding power cord; wirenuts, screws and other hardware needed for installation; optional-use pop-in vent covers, snap bushing, cord strain relief bushing, UV resistant cord clamp and threaded nylon spacers; and ballast operation information and wiring diagram. Requires two 55 watt compact fluorescent bulbs (not included).


bulbs - Part 15550 - 55 Watt 5000K Compact Bulb
Warm daylight. Full spectrum. Use on a freshwater planted tank when you want to have the effect of sunlight filtered through a forest canopy.



opinions pls!!! thanks
 
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