# DIY Spiral Fluorescent Fixture for 46 Bowfront



## medicineman (Sep 28, 2005)

I saw something like that on a visit to the LFS center last week. Instead of mirror, the guy use a shaped reflective mettaloid sheet (similar to the reflector inside light fixture) he got from aluminium workshop. The box looks quite similar, but he is using PC. All the ballast etc are inside the box, and it looks quite tidy. Perhaps I'll be making myself one set of that box for my 25 gallon tank. The regular fluoro fixtures I have are too bulky and jammed at the top.


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## DarkCobra (Jun 22, 2004)

That is way cool! :thumbsup: 

Yeah, spirals are not as efficient as CF - the bulb shape causes lots of lost light due to restrike. But they win out on convenience, flexibility, and price.

One small suggestion - remove the mirror and simply paint the wood with a flat white paint. You'll get more light into your tank that way.


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## Rex Grigg (Dec 10, 2002)

I figure more like a 2 wpg tank compared to something with a good reflector. The mirror eats light and there is a lot of restrike in those bulbs.

The spiral bulbs on their best day might approach 50% efficiency.


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## akos (Oct 20, 2005)

Very cool, thank you for posting this.


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## TheOtherGeoff (Feb 11, 2003)

any pics of the tank being lit by it?


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## guaiac_boy (Nov 5, 2005)

Here's a recent shot. Not the best it's ever looked & I'm still experimenting/playing with many different species. I'm also just getting over a recent green dust outbreak.


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## JimmyYahoo (Aug 14, 2005)

Looks awfuly good for a tank lit with spiral CF's.

And if you ever find yourself a free Sunday, a couple coats of primer, some wood filler, and several sandings could have that canopy looking tip-top.


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## guaiac_boy (Nov 5, 2005)

I know, I know..... If I ever move it to a room with more light it will absolutely need to be redone. As it is, the tank is in a real dark area and the poor finish isn't noticable at all.

What do the rest of you think about the light level? Actual light levels are very hard to compare between different setups. My plants pearl about 4 or 5 hours after lights on. Even the java fern and anubias pearl on occasion. The other stem plants put out steady streams. My rotala rotundifola has pink tops and the didiplis tops are very faint pink/orange. R. wallachi had nice color and grew just fine until algae from runaway nitrates did it in. I cut my cabomba, hygro, and H. leukocephala stems in half weekly. For all of the above reasons I was estimating 3 wpg equivalent. I run CO2 at about 30ppm. Maybe the total output is closer to 2 wpg, but to this inexperienced newbie it seems like there's enough light for what I'm trying to do.


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## frloplady (Jan 7, 2006)

Rex Grigg said:


> I figure more like a 2 wpg tank compared to something with a good reflector. The mirror eats light and there is a lot of restrike in those bulbs.
> 
> The spiral bulbs on their best day might approach 50% efficiency.


Ok... I'm not understanding how a mirror eats light when it reflects it?


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## fhqwhgads (Jan 18, 2005)

where did you get the light bases, and how would i wire it up for only one light, i want to try this on a nano with a screw in. thanks


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## guaiac_boy (Nov 5, 2005)

I got my bases from the lighting section at Home Depot. They have a little area where you can buy parts for DIY lamps and stuff. I also found some at a local electronics store through one of their catalogs, but Home Despot was much cheaper.

If you're going to wire just one bulb, it's easy. If you are in the US and your house has the usual 120 or 110 V wiring you will have one black, one white, and one bare copper wire. If you have old wiring or a cheap cord you might only have white and black. On the lighting base there are 2 posts. The black wire goes to one and the white wire goes to the other. Simple huh? Be very careful to keep the bare areas of the wire away from anything that could conduct electricity. Of all the DIY projects 'out there' the lighting ones have the fringe benefit of being able to kill you or burn your house down. If you don't have any experience with electrical wiring find someone who does just to look things over. If your lighting fixture has any metal bracing or other structural components, hook up the bare ground wire to that to provide an extra level of safety. This will keep the chasis from becoming inadvertently electrified.


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## oceanaqua (Nov 24, 2005)

Spiral bulbs are hard to find, the 6500 k version is not common in a large hardware store like Home depot, Heres a twist: you have to go to walmart and get them! I build something like yours guaiac,but less sophisticated and less bulb.

Clamp Light--$5 each at Walmart









+

Spiral Bulb, Cinnabun Looking kind 35 watt 6500K--$8 each.









=

Total= 10 Clamp Fixture = $130 for a 200 gal tank. Its 24+ inches deep.









-->After One week
Just taken, light just got on, this pics strain my eyes.. There has been many noticable growth.


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## Rex Grigg (Dec 10, 2002)

With all the glass that the light has to pass though in a mirror along with the scatter from the reflecting surface you lose a lot of light.


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## oceanaqua (Nov 24, 2005)

Yep, I agree, thats why I go open top.


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## Fosty (Oct 17, 2003)

oceanaqua said:


> Spiral bulbs are hard to find, the 6500 k version is not common in a large hardware store like Home depot, Heres a twist: you have to go to walmart and get them! I build something like yours guaiac,but less sophisticated and less bulb.
> 
> Clamp Light--$5 each at Walmart
> 
> ...


These links aren't working for me and I'm really interested to see the pictures.

BTW, I get this message:



> Invalid Attachment specified. If you followed a valid link, please notify the administrator


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## oceanaqua (Nov 24, 2005)

Hmm..sorry maybe it will work now...


























I hope this is enough light.


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## Fosty (Oct 17, 2003)

Looks bright! I'm probably going to try something of this nature soon for a 5 gallon tank. How are the lights attached? It looks like they are on some sort of fixture, but would it be possible to just clip them onto the back rim of a tank?


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## oceanaqua (Nov 24, 2005)

It is possible, just clamp it to the back rim. It doesn't work with big tank larger than 20 gal, it doesnt bend far enough. You have to suspend them then.


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## Fosty (Oct 17, 2003)

Sweet. This will be perfect for the 5 gallon. I found something similar online and I'll order it there (I can't stand MallWart anymore). Great thread. I've been looking for a cheap way to light this tank without spending much and without building anything.


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## daFrimpster (Mar 7, 2005)

I have never seen curly bulbs shaped like that. Can you give us more info on them?
Thanks!


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## mydiazclan (Sep 7, 2003)

What can I say I was inspired and made a hood of my own. It will be over a 20g tall tank. 

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=25068

Thanks for Inspiration Man!


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## oceanaqua (Nov 24, 2005)

daFrimpster said:


> I have never seen curly bulbs shaped like that. Can you give us more info on them?
> Thanks!


They are made by Lights of America, it produces more light than the regular long 
version, I suppose because it spread outs so the reflector is able to catch more light and reflect back. Its 35 watt, equvilent to 135 watt incadescent, and so far I can only find them at walmart. You can touch them with no problem, its not hot at all just warm and I don't use any fan at all. I just started a 20 gallon and two bulbs was much more than enough, so don't waste your money on lots of bulbs people, you only need a few. I only use 10 bulb on a 200 gallon. Macranda is growing thats for sure.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

I couldn't find that bulb with google. Do you have a link to a page for them?


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## oceanaqua (Nov 24, 2005)

I coulnt find it on the company that made it also...


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

oceanaqua said:


> I coulnt find it on the company that made it also...


http://store.tabletopstudio-store.com/spiral.html Is that it? They sure are expensive.


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## oceanaqua (Nov 24, 2005)

I got mine for $8 at Wally world(wal-mart).


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## esarkipato (Jul 19, 2005)

*curses* I guess I have to go to wal-mart. Do they also sell the clip-on reflector?


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## zabak80 (Mar 26, 2007)

How far do you keep the bulbs above the top of the aquarium?

Also, what safety precautions do you take in case one of the lights falls into the water? Does the moisture from the tank affect the light at all?


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## jpfelix (Oct 10, 2006)

a little liquid electrical tape could be added to cover your connections.


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## chaznsc (May 1, 2006)

VERY inspring! NICE WORK!


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## zabak80 (Mar 26, 2007)

Any updates on how the plants are doing or how the growth is with these lights?


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