help

[socalracer]

need to gets some lights for my 100g(60lx18w). just need some lights quicly for FOWLR can i make 1 to get me buy for a couple months. where to get and what materials? anyone have an old thread with instructions? thanks

 

[saltfan]

For the time being, go down to Home Depot or Lowes and buy a light fixture to your liking. Then the LFS and get some lights to put in. Done.

 

[sleasia]

I have a fowlr and am just using track light with 40watt daylight bulbs...you can see on my avitar. I got them on sale at home depot for $9 for a two light one track set....have been using them now for a year with no problem. Seems to work fine for fowlr and inverts.

 

[sleasia]

I used to have flourescents in a hood which I wired and set up. but one day I smelled something burning in the house...and it turned out that the lights had began to burn the hood in one spot... I think they got wet. I don't really know why this all happened.

In any event, from then on I suspended my lighting from above the tank

 

[saltfan]

Very cool.

 

[socalracer]

sleasia, do u have any better pics of how u have the lights above the tank or is there a way to make your avatar bigger, are the light su have like flood lights or the long lights u put in a garage?

 

[socalracer]

sleasia......

 

[my way]

He said they were track lights, probably halogens I would think. You can get them at HD or Lowes.

 

[sleasia]

Ok now you caught me...my avatar is bad because I can't figure out again how to get the better shots I took that small...so big ones are all I can manage I ran track light across the ceiling and the cord down the wall with inconspicuous cord covers to a plug which has a dedicated wall switch...very easy, and now I can switch my lights on and off from the wall switch...the bulbs are only daylight globe bulbs, and with the sky lights above, and the fact that I have FOWLR and inverts this lighting is enough...if you are doing reef, you probably can't do this because most standard track lighting cannot support the wattage you need for the much more powerful metal halides....here's some pics sorry for the delay, i was at work and could not access my photos.

 

[sleasia]

by the way sleasia is a girl...an old one...with three kids, two dogs, ten birds, and a 200 gall saltwater tank. I did all this work myself, built the molding, built my own filter, hung the track lighting, and next will (as soon as I stop being chicken) plumb my filter etc to the basement all by myself. So...if I can do it anyone can!!! And I beleive this is really part of the fun, figuring it all out.

 

[sleasia]

well, we also have to keep in mind that this is also probably why my tank caught on fire previously.....

 

[sleasia]

and well, if we are confessing, I guess I also have to say I had the bright idea of using plastic hose clamps one time to avoid them rusting out...and well they popped off once and since I have a powerful panworld pump, I did end up with a 15 foot geiser right in the middle of my family room, and then on top of it I electrcuted myself trying to turn it all off...

 

[socalracer]

thanks for the pics.....i'm glad ur days of being electricuted r over