Lighting from Home Depot!?!?

[misty927]

Would flourescent lighting fixtures from Home Depot be just as effective as flourescent lighting fixtures in a light strip? We're thinking about making our own hood and don't want to spend $70 on a 48" light strip. The ones at Home Depot you can put two 48" bulbs in an $8 fixture. Any comments...yes or no!?! Note I didn't say bulbs, but fixtures. We're still buying aquarium lighting bulbs, just using our own fixtures.

 

[fixitdude2001]

Hi misty, I think the ballists might be a problem , check to see what watt the are rated at, is this for a fish only setup?? cya

 

[totalxtreme1]

I AGREE WITH FIXIT. tHE BALLAST ARE PROBABLY GONNA BE DIFFERENT SO THEY WONT BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE WATTAGE OF THE BULBS. gOOD LUCK.

 

[neko]

I have 2 of these cheapO's (4 40watt bulbs)sitting on top of my tank till I get my VHO's.Don't use anything more than 40 watts with these.These cheap light fixtures use TAR ballast which create to much heat for use under a canopy.
If you build a hood using these you will probably run into trouble with corrosion,if your planning on mounting the strip lights directly under your canopy.These ballast weren't built for these salty conditions plus no moisture proof end caps.You could go to the hardware store and get a ballast(electronic) that could be mounted away from the water.Then puchase moisture proof end caps seperate.
[ April 21, 2001: Message edited by: neko ]

 

[misty927]

These responses here are why i love this board. Your' responses kept us from making a mistake, thanks.

 

[neko]

Misty,if you want to get away pretty cheap.Go to the hardware get an electronic ballast(1500 milliamps)for around $50.Order 2 pair of moist. proof end caps for about $25.This will run 2 48" VHO's (220 watts).

 

[rlv695]

i run the chep light fixture from Home Depot... two of them.. yes they work on the 48"tubes... 40 watts..they work fine.. heat yes but not o bad..will workk for a while while i build a new light hood for vho's
was also looking at there MH's bulbs..dot some 100watts ans 175 watts...need to find the ballest for them and the scokets for them too...

 

[mr . salty]

I also agree that these fixures will work.I have a couple of them over my 130.And have put them in a number of tanks.I havn't ever had any problems with them.