# semi-DIY Lighting taking apart a light - Started project post #43~! (56k)



## Indignation (Mar 9, 2008)

Yep. Lots of T5HO fixtures aren't vented. I.E., coralife, Current, Sunlight Supply Tek. 

I built a fixture using the old, non vented Catalina shell, and it does fine. One caveat, I don't use a splash guard. Does your fixture have one, or do you plan to use one? If so, you might need vents. 
I would add some kind of standoff between the ballast and the wood. While I doubt it could put out enough heat to combust, it definitely has enough heat to discolor the wood/treatment.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

With a little more effort you can mount the ballast under the aquarium, in the stand, and have just the lights in the fixture. I'm doing that with my 15H tank, with a AH Supply light. It is working fine, and now that I can actually feel the ballast when I'm curious, I'm amazed at how hot the ballast gets. This way cooling the lights is very easy.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Nope, no splash guard on this light, either. I am glad you brought this to my attention because I was wondering about whether or not to add one. 

I saw that Wasser is mounting his ballasts away from the lighting as well. Would you care to take a picture of how you mounted the ballast? Also, I like your light tube stand on this tank. How is it mounted to the light? It is less intrusive than the ones I normally see.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Here is how my light hanger attaches to the light fixture:








That is a conduit coupling, that is held onto the end of the conduits with set screws. One of the set screw holes I used for a screw through the top of the fixture to anchor the coupling in place.








The elbow is a conduit elbow, a pre-bent 90 degree elbow made of conduit. It enters the fixture through a close fitting hole to mate with the coupling inside the fixture. You can see the screw that holds that coupling on top of the fixture, and the other hole there is access to the setscrew that attaches the elbow to the coupling.








This shows the ballast attached to the rear wall of the stand, with the wires going out to go up the conduit.

This will only work with light weight light fixtures, but it works very well with them. To adjust the height you have to get access to the back of the stand and loosen the clamps attaching the conduit to the back of the stand. That is the weakest part of the design, and the reason why I won't do this again. Hanging the fixture on chains is much better.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

I would not entirely encase the ballast, it would possibly overheat. But like Hoppy mentioned, you could mount it remotely, either in the stand, or even outside onto the back of the canopy. Could be covered up a bit to make it look nice, as long as the heat can escape.

Keep in mind that T5 bulbs work best in a ~95F environment, so if it gets much hotter in there they will lose some efficiency and lifespan. But it might be worth the looks. :icon_mrgr


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

*Just had to use the light bulb icon.....lol*

Thanks for all the detailed pictures, Hoppy. I like the idea of the mounting, but I agree it looks like it wouldn't be heavy-duty enough for the weight of this idea I'm brewing. What if I put on on each side, attached them to the top of the canopy and extended them 3/4 of the depth of the design? Would this be strong enough? I am really not fond of the chains on the lights. I am looking for a more mission type light fixture/stand. I am including rudimentary mock ups, so bare with me.

I really like the idea of the ballast being mounted on the back. I just realized there are two ballasts. Can they be mounted close together and stay cool enough since they'll not be enclosed?



















I was wondering which lights to wire together. The very front and very back, the two middle, or alternate? I only want two lights on at a given time with the option to turn on the second set for an hour or so. These are T5HO and four is way too much. Or should I have one set of two come on for a few hours, then turn off and turn on the other set for the rest of the cycle for even coverage?


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Also, I am looking for SLR and can only find t5, not t5ho. Are they interchangeable? My guess is they are, but the t5 bulbs look square. Here is a picture of some SLRs I am considering this pictured. Looks like this is going to be a long term project, since I am broke at the moment.


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## Indignation (Mar 9, 2008)

SLRs are interchangable for T5 and T5HO. The aquatinics are good reflectors, and are much narrower than most. I used Icecap reflectors on my light. While nice, they are much wider than I would have imagined. 

If these are going on a standard width 55 gal. tank, you could easily get away with 2 or 3 bulbs/reflectors. I'd try 2 bulbs on most of the day, with the third on a second ballast as a burst. From what I've experienced and seen from others who have T5HO SLRs, after a few months you might find you don't need the third bulb, let alone a fourth.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Yep, T5 NO and HO bulbs are exactly the same, except HO can handle higher currents better. Matter of fact, I am using Coralife T5 NO bulbs with HO ballasts, and they hold up pretty well.

Just got some SLR's from this guy: http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_Fluorescent/AquaIllumination/Miro-4_Reflectors/

They are very similar to the Icecap ones. And probably fairly similar to the Aquatinics as well, maybe a tad wider. Tek 2 reflectors are good too. I just went with the cheapest ones, since they all seem to be made out of the same stuff nowadays, and the exact width and angles are a bit secondary for our purposes.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Yeah, you really don't need more than two of these fellows for a 55. Any more and you are asking for trouble. However, I already have sunk cost into the fixture, so why not utilize all four bulbs? It will eventually be placed on a 75, and it would be nice to have the extra light if I want it. 

So T5NO are safe in this fixture? Good to know for future purchases. I have 18 inches of room to play with, so all these widths will work.

Here is my next question. I've been reading some crazy stuff on Kelvins lately and would like to know a basic answer. Does it make which kelvin is used for olants or not? The one time I had actinics, BBA showed up in a week. To be fair, I also went from PCs to T5HOs, so I cannot confirm or deny a coorelation.

I ask because I like the look of this bulb: http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsUS/ctl3684/cp18371/si1379088/cl0/coralifet5colormaxlamp24


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## Indignation (Mar 9, 2008)

Wasserpest said:


> Yep, T5 NO and HO bulbs are exactly the same, except HO can handle higher currents better. Matter of fact, I am using Coralife T5 NO bulbs with HO ballasts, and they hold up pretty well.
> 
> Just got some SLR's from this guy: http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_Fluorescent/AquaIllumination/Miro-4_Reflectors/
> 
> They are very similar to the Icecap ones. And probably fairly similar to the Aquatinics as well, maybe a tad wider. Tek 2 reflectors are good too. I just went with the cheapest ones, since they all seem to be made out of the same stuff nowadays, and the exact width and angles are a bit secondary for our purposes.


Interestingly enough, visibly identical reflectors from different manufacturers have huge differences in light output. Check out the Reef Central forums, a couple of the users there have compiled PAR data on almost every after-market SLR. The materials also differ from company to company - I.E., tek 2 reflectors work great, unless they get water spray on them, which can permanently stain the metal they use. 

Sewingalot - I've yet to see a clear answer with any proof of whether actinics can cause algae. I think it's of general consensus that they won't do much for plant growth, but that they can be used for asthetic purposes without harm. Personally, I think they look weird.  But if you like them, I'd toss one in... the price looks reasonable enough to try.


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## wondabread (Apr 23, 2009)

I seem to remember reading a post from one of the more guru-ish posters on this forum that the same bulbs from different manufacturers can have the same kelvin rating but different spectral outputs (that phrase is too smart for me...).

I think I remember the person saying kelvin will get you in the ballpark, but you should look at the actual color charts of the bulbs to see where/what it's output will be.

I hope that helps answer your question. I've not read anything that says xxxx kelvin is THE plant growing number. Bulbs that look good to your eye (#1) and have enough output in the red/blue areas are whats best (#2).


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

It is tempting to look at the charts of spectra for different bulbs and use those to pick the "best" bulbs. However, today we have way more light available easily than the plants can use. So it really doesn't matter that bulb "A" is 20% better than bulb "B". We will probably have 100% more light going into the tank than the plants need anyway. So, it makes good common sense to just pick the bulbs that make the tank look like we want it to. The problem for most of us is that we can't afford to buy bulbs "A", "B", "C", "D", "E", etc., try them all in all combinations, then use the "best" set. I'm not sure how to get around that, other than to try bulbs or combinations that others have liked. And, I really like the 10000K, generic PC bulb I now have. Who knows if a 10000K T5HO bulb from some other manufacturer would look the same.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Thanks for the links to Reef Central forums on the SLR. It is really helpful

Could I simply cut the four SLRs apart that is already present on the fixture? I know that I would have to deal with the sharp edges, but is there any reason it wouldn't work? After all, at this point - that would be free. :icon_smil

As far as actinics go, I am not interested in them. Just using them as a past experience. I am interested in the pinkish bulbs that bring out the fish but have either really low 3500 K rating or something really high like 18000 K. I know Wasser is using some in his tank, but I would be using one with a 10000 K daylight bulb bring out a totally different hue?

I suppose Hoppy has a point, with limitless money, I would just buy a bunch of bulbs to I found the perfect fit for me.


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## Indignation (Mar 9, 2008)

I don't know the spectrum, but I've used the giesemann aqua flora (pink) and current freshwater (also pink) bulbs with good results. I took a look at the hagen bulb in petsmart today, and it has planted tanks listed on the front. I think it will be fine. 

As for cutting the reflectors, I don't see why it wouldn't work. It might not give you the same output as the high end SLRs, but if you use all 4 it should be okay.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Considering the light is etched and one of the clips are broken from day one, I went ahead and decided to order the SLRs. Now just to come up with the funds to do so.  I have enough wood to make the frame from a canopy I decided not to make. So perhaps the best thing would be to start there.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Why didn't anyone tell me 1 x 3 aren't really 1" x 3"? Why do they do this? I didn't know it could be off by 1/4 of an inch or more. I have to get more boards now......


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## [email protected] (Jul 17, 2008)

Because "everyone" knows wood is sold in nominal dimensions. 

That really is the reason and it stinks as you can't depend on 1 by what ever being consistent even from the same big box store. They purchase from all over the world and take what ever they can get at the lowest price for the particular description. We used to be able to depend on specific lumber yards to be consistent, but the big box stores have put a lot of smaller lumber dealers out of business. I have to drive thirty miles one way to purchase half butt cabinet grade wood.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

[email protected] said:


> Because "everyone" *but you* knows wood is sold in nominal dimensions.


I corrected your quote for you.  What's really sad is my dear husband stood there, trying to explain this to me and I didn't listen. I guess I am used to buying a yard of fabric and actually getting a few inches more, not less. 

Anyway, I purchased the SLRs, the right dimension of wood, and now I am ready to start.


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## Strick (Apr 6, 2009)

sewingalot said:


> I corrected your quote for you.  What's really sad is my dear husband stood there, trying to explain this to me and I didn't listen. I guess I am used to buying a yard of fabric and actually getting a few inches more, not less.
> 
> Anyway, I purchased the SLRs, the right dimension of wood, and now I am ready to start.


The reason a 2x4 (for example) is called a 2x4 is that it's cut to exactly 2 inches x 4 inches _before_ it's kiln-dried, which causes it to shrink to about 1.75" x 3.5".

A stupid way to do it, I'll agree.

Keep us posted!


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Strick said:


> The reason a 2x4 (for example) is called a 2x4 is that it's cut to exactly 2 inches x 4 inches _before_ it's kiln-dried, which causes it to shrink to about 1.75" x 3.5".
> 
> A stupid way to do it, I'll agree.
> 
> Keep us posted!


Not quite correct. Years ago a 2 x 4 was 2" x 4", whether rough or planed. Then they began planing the rough 2 x 4 and it became about 1 7/8 x 3 7/8. But, the building trades researchers discovered that a house was strong enough when those were only 1 1/2 x 3 1/2, which is currently what they aim at when making them. Look for that to become 1 1/4 x 3 1/4 before long. But, that won't bother you because those boards will be all knots, bark inclusions, cracks, and sap, so you wouldn't want them anyway. When you finally give in and decide to get some, there will be no more usable trees left, so they will cost you $10 for an 8 footer. Welcome to the future!


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Wow. I never knew I would learn so much on this project. It's amazing how much a piece of wood can differ from store to store. Home Depot was worse, so I gave up and bought some plywood and decided to paint it black. I wanted pretty, stainable wood, but the sizing would not co-operate with my budget. I got the top painted and it looks pretty snazzy. 

I came home to find out I have a present! :redface: Look what my husband bought me:









Here's my issue, there are holes in each end of the lighting for the clips, but the screws are small and have a nut on the bottom. How do I mount this to the board? Am I missing something, or do I simply drill a hole? And if so, where and how many do I need? They are pretty light weight. Help!

By the way, he bought the TEK2 here: http://www.aquacave.com/tek2-t5-reflectorsbr-with-clips-by-brsunlight-supply-1852.html# Are they decent? Look shiny to me.


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## airborne_r6 (May 2, 2008)

sewingalot said:


> Wow. I never knew I would learn so much on this project. It's amazing how much a piece of wood can differ from store to store. Home Depot was worse, so I gave up and bought some plywood and decided to paint it black. I wanted pretty, stainable wood, but the sizing would not co-operate with my budget. I got the top painted and it looks pretty snazzy.
> 
> I came home to find out I have a present! :redface: Look what my husband bought me:
> 
> ...


Awesome present!! I am not totally sure if I understand your question though, what clips are you trying to attach to the board. You should be able to just buy some small screws that will hold the clip to the board. If you are not sure what to buy, take the clips and whatever else you need to attach to the board to a local hardware store, not Home Depot or Lowes, but something like Ace, and ask for some help. Explain to them what you are doing, show them the clips and whatever else you can, and ask what they recommend.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Hmmm.  Let me try this again. I suck at this wood working terminology, lol.

There are holes on each side that will hold the clip in place. The machine screw provided also has a nut and is only 1/4" long, so there isn't much left (really nothing) to put into the board.

Other than that, there is no other holes on the SLR. So how do I mount this to the wood? I don't want to drill holes in it if I am not supposed to. Won't drilling and attaching screws in random place hurt the reflection?

What if I skip the screws provided and buy longer screws to go into the clip through the hole in the reflector and the nut into the board. 

Boy, now I am confused.....


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## airborne_r6 (May 2, 2008)

Before I explain this have you thought about how you are going to attach the electrical connections at each end of the bulb to the board. You may want to figure that out before you attach the reflectors to the board. I know with the top that I have designed (and no time to build) I have to adjust the reflector to match the electrical and cannot adjust the electrical to the reflector. In fact you may find that you can attach the electrical ends to the board and then simply clip the reflector to the bulb and do not need to attach the reflector to the board.



sewingalot said:


> Hmmm.  Let me try this again. I suck at this wood working terminology, lol.
> 
> There are holes on each side that will hold the clip in place. The machine screw provided also has a nut and is only 1/4" long, so there isn't much left (really nothing) to put into the board.


The machine screws will not hold in the wood. 



sewingalot said:


> Other than that, there is no other holes on the SLR. So how do I mount this to the wood? I don't want to drill holes in it if I am not supposed to.


What you want to do is find small wood screws that will go through the holes in the clip, through the corresponding holes in the SLR and then into the wood. This will hold the clip to the SLR and the SLR/clip combination to the wood with no nut.



sewingalot said:


> Won't drilling and attaching screws in random place hurt the reflection?


If you find that what I suggested above does not provide enough strength to hold the SLR to the wood you will not lose much reflected light by adding one or two more of the same screws out in middle of the SLR (I would guess at most two, each one third of the way from an end) directly above where the bulb will sit. 



sewingalot said:


> What if I skip the screws provided and buy longer screws to go into the clip through the hole in the reflector and the nut into the board.


Exactly but change the screws to wood screws and eliminate the nut. 



sewingalot said:


> Boy, now I am confused.....


If this is not clear let me know and I will try to draw a picture and post it tomorrow. The most important thing with DIY is to not get frustrated, trust me.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Thanks! I understand now. I found some wood screws downstairs that will fit perfectly into the clip and board. 

I took the light apart temporarily this morning. There is not much to the lighting itself. The wiring is just kind of bunched up in the hood and I am trying to find a way to hold it in place on both sides. So I see what you mean by figuring out this part first before worrying about attaching the SLRs. There isn't any endcaps, just female plugs that push into the light sockets. I am not sure how to hold them in place at the moment.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

This is what (non-water-proof) endcaps look like. They have little holes where the wires can be pushed in, and then they are locked.

You can attach these endcaps to the wood canopy via little wood screws. The wires plug right in, and the bulbs can be easily twist locked in there.

If your tank doesn't have covers, moisture could be an issue and moisture proof (expensive) endcaps could be the better choice.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

So as long as the light is high enough and I cover the top with glass, those will be fine?


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## airborne_r6 (May 2, 2008)

They should be.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Cool. Now to wait for the paint to cure in order to start the actual construction. It is still tacky.


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

Lets see some pics. I love em'!


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

I think T5HO bulbs are always held up by the endcaps (sockets) which are attached to the fixture. Then the reflector just clips to the bulb(s) so it is the bulb(s) holding up the reflector, not vice versa. By contrast, PC bulbs only have a connector at one end, so they have to fit into clips at the other end, if not at both ends, to hold the bulb up, and the reflector is attached to the fixture to hold it up.

Because you have to twist the T5 bulb to lock it into place, you can't easily mount it like a PC fixture/reflector/bulb is mounted. The end caps (connectors) need to be held so they don't twist when you twist the bulb to lock it into place.

Have I succeeded in utterly confusing you?


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

Here are a some pics of my catalina t5ho fixture. The reflector is held in by pop rivets, the bulb is held in by clips that are held in by pop rivets into the reflector and the electrical wiring is behind all that. HTH.


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## airborne_r6 (May 2, 2008)

Sewingalot - If your fixture is like bsmith's above then the easiest thing to do will be to attach the reflector and clip to the board with screws as I said on page 2. Then simply leave the wires and end caps coming out of the ballast intact and push them onto the ends of the bulbs. I wouldn't bother with the endcaps like wasserpest showed you unless you were planning on changing the wiring coming out of the ballast.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Bsmith, those are very good photos, and I now finally understand more about T5 mounting. (At least this version of it.)


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Thanks bsmith! This is exactly like my fixture and I couldn't explain it. Pictures are worth a lot of words, aren't they? So a few little screws won't hurt anything in the middle. The only thing that worries me at the moment is having another clip break and nothing holding the fixture in place but those clips. Right now as it is, one of the bulbs is hanging down below the fixture around 1/8" because of a broken clip. I am thinking something like a plastic tie stapled to the board.


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## airborne_r6 (May 2, 2008)

sewingalot said:


> Thanks bsmith! This is exactly like my fixture and I couldn't explain it. Pictures are worth a lot of words, aren't they? So a few little screws won't hurt anything in the middle. The only thing that worries me at the moment is having another clip break and nothing holding the fixture in place but those clips. Right now as it is, one of the bulbs is hanging down below the fixture around 1/8" because of a broken clip. I am thinking something like a plastic tie stapled to the board.


Can you replace the clips?


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

Can you glue the reflector to the wood, then mount the hardware to hang the bulbs in it? I would bet some gorilla glue would work wonders for that.

p.s. looks like its about time to polish those reflectors again.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

airborne_r6 said:


> Sewingalot - If your fixture is like bsmith's above then the easiest thing to do will be to attach the reflector and clip to the board with screws as I said on page 2. Then simply leave the wires and end caps coming out of the ballast intact and push them onto the ends of the bulbs. I wouldn't bother with the endcaps like wasserpest showed you unless you were planning on changing the wiring coming out of the ballast.





airborne_r6 said:


> Can you replace the clips?


On the current light fixture, the clips were riveted in place. I called them, they sent a replacement and said I could superglue it in place. Long story short, it etched the reflector. That's what led the idea for the diy.



bsmith said:


> Can you glue the reflector to the wood, then mount the hardware to hang the bulbs in it? I would bet some gorilla glue would work wonders for that.
> 
> p.s. looks like its about time to polish those reflectors again.


Gorilla glue, huh? I have some, but would it be heat resistant enough once it dried? Polish - I actually went and looked at them. :help:


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

Gorilla glue is almost magma resistant aslong as you follow the directions when applying it. 

I was talking about me polishing my reflectors, after looking at the pics they look spotted with water. Thats the one thing I don't like about the Cat fixture. No splash guard.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

bsmith said:


> Gorilla glue is almost magma resistant aslong as you follow the directions when applying it.
> 
> I was talking about me polishing my reflectors, after looking at the pics they look spotted with water. Thats the one thing I don't like about the Cat fixture. No splash guard.


LOL. Yeah, the lack of splash guard sucks when you have hard water. Etching quickly sets in. I am going to put together the pieces tomorrow and paint, so I'll get some pictures up soon.  Will do a fitting before gluing or screwing anything in place.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

This is going to take a LOT longer than I thought. Also, I just realized my drawing looks better than the box I just built. :icon_redf 

Kafka, the wood worker helper with the pieces of painted wood. And boy, do I need to clean off that table! :icon_eek:









The Good









The Bad









The U-G-L-Y









I think I used too much glue; notice the fingerprints where I glued my hand to the top. :confused1: So now I wait 24 hours before I can sand and reapply another coat of paint. But I am wondering where to drill the holes in the back for the light switch and the cords. I am both really excited and nervous about this project. This will be my first wood working project without a lot of help from my husband. So far, I don't think it is terrible.


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## airborne_r6 (May 2, 2008)

It looks good so far.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Look at the good side of things: if ever you need to be found, the cops have a nice set of fingerprints to use.

It doesn't look bad at all to me. The first coat of paint or almost any finish is always a disappointing sight. Another couple of coats and it will look great.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Lol, from the fingerprints and DNA from the parts I bled on, I have some serious incidental evidence left behind.

I sanded down the first coat and reapplied another. I went out to check on it and my dog had rubbed up against one side. There is brown hair on the board and black paint on the dog. But still. It looks better already.


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## airborne_r6 (May 2, 2008)

Ah animals, natures favorite DIY helpers.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

So I have been thinking. I know, dangerous.  I have four total lights but was thinking can you only hook up three instead of all four. Four is WAY too many for my tank. And currently, I am just using two anyway. The ballast hooks up to two lights each, so would leaving one off entirely cause an overdrive issue on the remaining light?


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

You found an interesting way to texture the paint...or, does the dog do his own designing?

Seriously, I think most T5HO ballasts will only work if both tubes are installed. Just recently someone here commented that it is that way because those ballasts put the two bulbs in series, so omitting one leaves an open circuit. But, this implies that you could find a ballast that would let you leave out a bulb.


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## airborne_r6 (May 2, 2008)

It is possible to do it with some ballasts by wiring them a little differently, but generally they have to be designed to do that. I hear good things about Catalina's customer service, you may try asking them if it can be done. I just wouldnt tell them you have completely taken their light apart.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

I was afraid there would be a reason not to install both. I'll have my husband call Catalina so that I don't sound like a total idiot. :hihi: In the meantime, I finally sanded out all the dog hair (which is his own design to answer your question, Hoppy) and applied yet another coat of paint. 

Now I don't know the truth in this statement, but I was told that once a paint no longer smells, it is cured enough to apply another coat. This could be one of those old farmer's tells, but that's what I have been doing. I figured it couldn't hurt to make sure the fumes are gone before installing it.

Yeah, you guys are really seeing my handy abilities!


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

You need both bulbs hooked up to complete the circut. So unless you can do some fancy schmancy wiring you will need to have all 4 lights on. Why dont you just run them both on a timer and run a shorter photoperiod? The Photoperiod in my 37g with 4x24w thho (the ones from the pics) runs a 6.5h light cycle and I couldnt imagine the plants or tank as a whole looking any better.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

I don't even know why I need the other two, I just want the option to use the lighting. The plants are red and purple when they are supposed to be. When I turn on all four, it is algae city. I also want at least an eight hour cycle to enjoy the fish more than anything. At this point, I am thinking it is a matter of being greedy on my part to tell the truth.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

I have a couple questions. How much weight can a tank withstand canopy wise? I am not able to use conduit or string the lights, so I am looking for alternatives.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

A plastic framed tank can hold a lot of weight on the plastic rim. I once had a big heavy light, made of 3/4 plywood, plus other stuff, on top of a 125 gallon tank. It was heavy enough that it took two people to carry it. I think any light made of 3/4 thick wood or plywood can be rested on top of the tank without problems.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

sewingalot said:


> Why didn't anyone tell me 1 x 3 aren't really 1" x 3"? Why do they do this? I didn't know it could be off by 1/4 of an inch or more. I have to get more boards now......





sewingalot said:


> This is going to take a LOT longer than I thought.


Boy, I wasn't kidding on this taking a lot longer than I had thought. Over a year later and all I have is a nice black box in the basement. Actually, if you turn it the right way, it makes a pretty nice shelf. 

I put the pieces together and went to place it on the tank for a test fit before taking apart the Catalina and moving over the lights but it was just plain ugly. So it’s now back to the drawing board for me. This will be a long process. 

So far, I've come up with this: start over.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Okay, here is the update. I went around the house and found a bunch of unopened odds and ends and returned them to the store. With that money, I bought a 1/2 thick 4x8 blond-wood plywood, a can of stain, some satin poly, 3 1x2's and some hinges. I've come up with this:










Measurements are so far looking like the following: 48.5" x 9" (1), 48.5 x 14 (1), 48.5 x 2 (1), 14 x 9 (2) for the box. May have to adjust as needed, but I think that is pretty close. The plan is to put together a frame of 1 x 2s and build a box around it.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

I really enjoy making light fixtures. I see you are picking up that hobby too.:hihi:

Now that you are a more experienced wood worker, this one will go a lot better.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Let's hope so, Hoppy. 

Last time I didn't think through the measurements well. I got a little too impatient and failed miserably. This time, I am measuring like six times before I cut! Based on your graph, I am thinking 9" above the tank will give me high light with all four bulbs and medium with the two bulbs.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Okay, so I measured a bunch of times again and decided to change some of the original measurements. My tank is 48"1/4 x 12 3/4" However, it bows out to 12 7/8 in the center. I didn't think there would be that much of a difference, but that made me decide to cut the side pieces a hair under 13." I figured it is easier to cut a lit more than to cut too much. Also, the piece is going to be 9 1/2 tall minus the 1 1/8" to cover the ugly oak trim.

So pretty much, all the pieces need adjustment now. Since I am intimidated by the table saw, my husband has graciously agreed to cut the pieces for me so that they will be straight and accurate this time around. This is more than fine by me, especially since I screwed up the last attempt and actually would like to get this to work.

He also pointed out something that I didn't think of: count the edges in the the length of the front, not the side pieces. This will make the front look nicer since the edges will be covered up.

Also, I am thinking about the inside of the hood. Will polyurethane be enough of a moisture resistant barrier or do I need to look into epoxy coating the inside? Time to do some research on this one.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Well, I took a look at my tank tonight and sighed at the lighting situation:









It's pretty *******, even for a WV gal like myself. :biggrin: So, it motivated me enough to beg the husband to finish cutting the boards so I can start staining. Blond wood is pretty without stain:


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Not sure if this is going well.....This was an initial test fit and everything works. However, I am not sure I like the look. It's actually lower in height than the blocks of wood/light fixture is now, but it looks gigantic. I am almost thinking it's the blue background (yes, the flash is on), the fake oak trim and black stand that is making it difficult for me to see the bigger picture. I'm still slowly chugging along, though. Even if it ends up looking horrible at least I can say I finished my project. I have a feeling pyramids didn't take this long to build.

Here's a small update:


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Those big light hoods either look good to you or they don't. I think it is entirely a personal preference thing. I liked the first one I had, as far as looks go, but hated the difficulty taking it off for maintenance, so I quit making them big. Now I'm back to just minimalist lighting - no hood at all. And, now I think the big ones look too big.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

My goal was to eventually build a built in to go dutch, but now I keep wondering if the blocks of wood and light fixture are all that ugly. The other part of me thinks it may be I am used to seeing the minimalist lighting like you mentioned. This is only a fraction under 9" tall, but it looks like Abe Lincoln's stove pipe hat.

Yet, I am enjoying the process of staining and putting everything together. We'll see how it turns out.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

I have a couple questions if anyone has the answers, please help! I used some stainable wood filler for the counter sunk nails and the places the plywood had issues with the saw. Unfortunately, the stain isn't looking the same on these areas. I resanded the entire piece to take off as much of the wood filler as possible, but I need to restain it. Will it eventually start to look better with more coats of stain? Currently, there are three very thin coats. Also, do I need to wait until the stain/poly smell is completely gone before placing on the tank? Last time I worked on a project, the thing had a chemical smell for a few weeks.


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

The wood filler part is never going to look right. But the more coats you have, the contrast will lessen.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Yeah, two coats later and it still looks like crap. Oh, well. Lesson learned. My brother was like: You are supposed to use the saw dust and a little glue as filler. He's very talented at wood working - I should have asked him before buying the wood putty.  I'm still finishing, though. It's the principal at this point.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Sawdust and a little glue doesn't always work either. The glue can make the mix impenetrable by the stain. Stains work primarily by depositing pigment in microscopic "holes" in the wood, so if there are very few such "holes" the stain leaves no pigments behind. This is also why sanding with very fine sandpaper can inhibit the effect of staining. On the other hand, you can use a dye and get much more uniform results, but the dye isn't as stable with time as the pigment is. Some stains we can buy have both dyes and pigments in them, so if you know which ones those are, they would likely work the best. With all of the wood things I have made and stained, I still don't know a foolproof way to make nail holes, cracks, dents, etc. disappear.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

It's comforting to know someone with your experience has faced issues with this. So I guess the key would have been for me to have hammered in less nails, made cleaner cuts. :hihi: Well, I am going to take a break from the forums and actually go and finish this project, flaws and all. I'll be back if I have more questions. LOL!


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

So, I sanded down the wood for the fifth time and removed the majority of the putty on the edges, the nail holes are just going to have to be a little different shade. I'll call it shabby chic. :idea:

If anyone has help in this department, it would be greatly appreciated! How long does it take for the smell of polyurethane to go away? It's been dry for over a week and it still stinks. I am waiting for the smell to go away in order to attach the lights. I'll get pictures up in a few days (hopefully). This is taking FOREVER!!


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

Hoppy said:


> With all of the wood things I have made and stained, I still don't know a foolproof way to make nail holes, cracks, dents, etc. disappear.


heh, there is a way, paint!

The poly will take at least a month for the smell to go away.
I'm sure it'll look great and we won't even notice the filler.. Only the craftsman will notice their work.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

I don't know. My significant other laughed at my handiwork not to long ago. I almost tried paint again. ALMOST. But I am really looking for something to look better in our house (1920's).

Is it safe to use it if there is still a smell of poly? I don't want to hurt my fish.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

I think I would feel safe using it after less than a month, perhaps 2 weeks. Our nose is extremely sensitive to detecting contaminants in the air, I believe far beyond what would be harmful in the air above a tank.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

This is taking FOREVER. Here is the progress:





































You ever look at a picture with a flash on and realize one you have 'ghosts' and dusting is needed badly? :confused1: Thinking I actually like it and will go ahead and plan to make a stand to match. Right now, it looks a little piece meal, but all is well. The 10 gallon is getting taken down shortly, so that'll help make things look nicer. It's shorter than the setup I have right now, but it looks larger. Must be because it is closed off and this stand is really short (like only 18 inches high).

I was going to install the lights, when we discovered the doors are rubbing on the lip of the tank. Sure enough, there is an uneven part on the inside trim where I measured incorrectly. So, it is back down stairs waiting for another time to work on it.

Here is a question. Should I only install two of the lights? I am thinking it would help me from going overboard with the lighting from now on, especially since these reflectors are wonderful. Plus, I could sell the other two.... 

OT - In case you are wondering, the painting is my one of my brothers. I love it, but I still need to get a frame. It's of the mountain ranges at sunset behind my old house. The flash screws up the colors, it's actually a lovely picture.


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## Karackle (Dec 11, 2007)

I like it! I've very impressed with your handy work! :biggrin: And I have to agree with everyone else, the only foolproof way to hide nail holes / imperfections is actually paint. Stain is always going to do sort of funny things, but that's just how it goes and nobody will fault you for it roud: 

Sorry to hear about the miscut trim though, shoot! I hate when I make mistakes like that!

Also, if you have good reflectors in there, then maybe just 2 lights is a good idea :hihi:


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## macclellan (Dec 22, 2006)

Hmm, here's another idea:

I have that same light. You could slide the guts out of the catalina housing and mount the metal guts to a wood "light box" above the tank (I noticed this when I stripped my Catalina to see what was going on inside). Take a 4' - 5' x 12" (for a 55g tank) or so board, mount it to the wall like a shelf with brackets at the height you want, using a 1"x4" wood border on the front and sides to block light bleeding. Maybe put some hanging vine plants on the top-sides to add to the look and take advantage of the light. Or ignore... just an idea.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Thanks, Kara. I am still torn about it. The canopy is still sitting down stairs. I am just not sure about it yet. Perhaps once the 10 gallon is torn down, it won't look so.....???

Mac, that is an excellent idea. I do really like it; unfortunately, we (he) kept finding issues with mounting anything to the wall. And the ceiling, hanging brackets have been declared off limits. And I am not the kind to ask for forgiveness later. LOL


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## Karackle (Dec 11, 2007)

I still say go for it  (using the canopy i mean, not drilling holes in the wall against the hubby's request :tongue


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Finished. For details of the hilarious disaster: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/t...suga-shack-under-construction-eh-55-a-38.html

Long story short, I was able to hook up two lights and the other two aren't working. I probably need a new ballast.

After several attempts, I was smart, read the diagram and all is well with the world again.



















Crappy picture to show the canopy:









Without flash:









Thanks for all the help you guys!!! I'm actually pleased now that it is hooked up and in the room. It looks exactly as I had pictured. Bulbs are now 30 inches from the substrate, two T5HO with German reflectors. I don't know if this is low, medium or high, but I can honestly say with these two bulbs, the tank now looks brighter than it did with all four bulbs. Probably a combination of light spillage and the new reflectors. 

The end.


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## chad320 (Mar 7, 2010)

TA-DAH!!! In just 1 1/2 short years :hihi: Seriously though, it looks great!


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## Karackle (Dec 11, 2007)

wow it looks great!!!!! and really looks like it spreads the light nice and evenly throughout the tank roud: Glad to see it's finally finished! :biggrin:


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## SkyGrl (Jan 7, 2010)

looking good!  really finishes the tank off nicely!

Amy


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Thanks you all. 



chad320 said:


> TA-DAH!!! In just 1 1/2 short years :hihi: Seriously though, it looks great!


Now you know that the 9 months invested on MTS is actually ahead of my typical schedule. There are a few things I would do different, but I am overall pleased. It's nice to build something with your own hands. Only cost twice the amount it would have for a prefab canopy. :redface:


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## chad320 (Mar 7, 2010)

sewingalot said:


> Thanks you all.
> 
> 
> 
> Now you know that the 9 months invested on MTS is actually ahead of my typical schedule. There are a few things I would do different, but I am overall pleased. It's nice to build something with your own hands. Only cost twice the amount it would have for a prefab canopy. :redface:


I made a funny on you but the truth is...I made my stand and started to go through divorce. So I made my (crooked) hood in two days just so I had one. So mine has officially been "not done" for a little over two years. TA-DAH!! :hihi: Your does look great. I made mine as something made with my own hands like you. It makes it a one of a kind and very personally valuable. Yours is awesome and you'll probably have it forever


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Haha, Chad. I see that we are related, then.  I don't know about forever. I give it six weeks before it falls apart. :hihi: It's not terrible, just the doors are a little crooked. I will tell you it makes a big difference in the room's appearance. At least I don't have my ******* blocks of wood in the living room. And I have a lot more space to work with. Now that I've learned from my mistakes, I want to make a smaller light for the ten gallon. This one won't be stained, lol.


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