# Show me your DIY CFL fixtures!



## capn_kirkj (Oct 1, 2007)

Calling all DIY folks please, please let me see your diy cfl fixtures... Calling all fans of the curly bulb!


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## Lugnut (Aug 12, 2010)

Ummmm I put them in lip on things from Home Depot. TaDa. Very good results from that.


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## Al G (Aug 1, 2011)

No pics available, but I put two of those double ended sockets (like the ones used in bathroom fixtures or cheap ceiling lights) in an old aquarium strip light (gutted). I love it! I can adjust the wattage of the bulbs as needed and use 1, 2, 3, or 4 bulbs as desired. I used aluminum tape to make a pseudo reflector. The lamp gets warm, but I have not lost a bulb or had any problems in over 6 months of use. The light strip is 30” long and is on my 36” 33 gal tank. It grows everything I have tried.


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## [email protected] (Apr 27, 2011)

My plants were stunted and my Java moss was dying (yes, I almost killed Java, can you believe it?) due to lack of lighting. I put 1 cfl into a clip-on light and noticed a BIG difference. Then, when my kid shattered the side on my 10g, I had a spare hood I could work with. I cut the light section out of the hood from my 10g, put 2 cfl's in it, and that is what I now use on my tank with awesome results. Doesn't look great, but I like the way it looks compared to the way it looked with that clip-light on it. Here it is:


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## blacksheep998 (Jan 16, 2011)

This is a 26 watt CFL fixture that I use in my 10 gallon tank.










Here's a 46 watt CFL fixture I made for a 29 gallon tank that due to an unfortunate die off of tank inhabitants is currently in storage.










As you can see I managed to fit both of these into the standard light bar. There's no switch but they're plugged into a timer so I can control it that way.

And this is the 104 watt fixture I made for my 40 gallon long tank. 










It's in a hood I custom built to give the bulbs 12 inches of clearance from the water's surface. The entire front panel of the hood is hinged at the top to give me full access to the lights and tank without having to move anything. I even took that picture without taking the hood off, just opened it up and took the picture from a low angle.


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## capn_kirkj (Oct 1, 2007)

thanks for the wonderful examples... hopefully in a couple of days I will have an example to show for myself


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## kamikazi (Sep 3, 2010)

capn_kirkj said:


> Calling all DIY folks please, please let me see your diy cfl fixtures... Calling all fans of the curly bulb!


you can see pictures of what i did in my 40 gallon journal


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## jeffvmd (Apr 16, 2010)

Here is what I did with my 20long tank.
I used 3 walmart clip on lamps, 3 9watt CFLs.
The lamps are clamped to a square towel rod affixed to a metal shelf bracket screwed to the back of the stand.


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## morefirejules08 (Sep 13, 2011)

hi
what kind of pendants are those?

cheers


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Here is a different type:

























See http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/diy/112294-hd-worklight-light-fixture.html for details.


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## jeffvmd (Apr 16, 2010)

morefirejules08 said:


> hi
> what kind of pendants are those?
> 
> cheers


Those are regular gooseneck desk clip on lamps.


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## Storm (Aug 7, 2011)

jeffvmd said:


> Here is what I did with my 20long tank.
> I used 3 walmart clip on lamps, 3 9watt CFLs.
> The lamps are clamped to a square towel rod affixed to a metal shelf bracket screwed to the back of the stand.


Wow, very cool and modern looking setup for such cheap lamps. How much were they at Walmart?


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## capn_kirkj (Oct 1, 2007)

some classy stuff showing up here... keep it coming


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## DarkCobra (Jun 22, 2004)

Part of the appeal of spirals to me is that they fit into standard incandescent hoods, so there's little DIY required.

But I saw a particularly clever DIY setup today, and thought I'd share even though it's not mine. Although it may not be terribly efficient, it gets the job done; and you can put pretty much anything you want in this custom fixture without any wiring at all:










Source thread is here:

http://www.selas.us/portal/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=3884&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0


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## kamikazi (Sep 3, 2010)

morefirejules08 said:


> hi
> what kind of pendants are those?
> 
> cheers


not sure who you are talking to, but since you said pendants I'm guessing it might be me.

My fixtures are http://www.baycoproducts.com/consumer/incandescents.html
I used Model SL-201 and I got them at Lowes.


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## forddna (Sep 12, 2007)

How deep of a tank can CFL work well for? I swapped from AH Supply PCs to T5HOs and a small (70w) HQI, and it's been hell ever since. haha!

I'd like to get back to low tech, low maintenance, since I don't tinker with my tank like I used to. No time. And I have a 220g reef that consumes all of my free fish tank time. 

My tank is 22" tall and I have a tallish hood that I could mount stuff inside of. (the 70w pendant has plenty of room, for example)

I just want to keep crypts and amazons and other easy plants.


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## forddna (Sep 12, 2007)

Also, where do they sell those bulb holders that plug right into an outlet? I looked at the link that was posted and didn't see any info.


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## DarkCobra (Jun 22, 2004)

forddna said:


> Also, where do they sell those bulb holders that plug right into an outlet? I looked at the link that was posted and didn't see any info.


I'll ask the builder and let you know.


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## forddna (Sep 12, 2007)

Thank you! I did notice that's a 56g tank, and that is a pretty tall tank. I had one before. It's at least as tall as mine, if not taller. Hmm..


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## Al G (Aug 1, 2011)

forddna said:


> Also, where do they sell those bulb holders that plug right into an outlet? I looked at the link that was posted and didn't see any info.


You can get those things at homedepot or other hardware stores.


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## forddna (Sep 12, 2007)

Awesome. Thanks!


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## kamikazi (Sep 3, 2010)

forddna said:


> How deep of a tank can CFL work well for? I swapped from AH Supply PCs to T5HOs and a small (70w) HQI, and it's been hell ever since. haha!
> 
> I'd like to get back to low tech, low maintenance, since I don't tinker with my tank like I used to. No time. And I have a 220g reef that consumes all of my free fish tank time.
> 
> ...


22" inches is no problem for CLFs. it's better to mount them vertical inside a cone shaped reflectors rather then horizontal.


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## jeffvmd (Apr 16, 2010)

kamikazi said:


> 22" inches is no problem for CLFs. it's better to mount them vertical inside a cone shaped reflectors rather then horizontal.


Yep they are more efficient that way. Here is a little link to a sticky here on tpt which I used as a rough guide before deciding to put in CFLs on my 20long.
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/lighting/85667-par-data-spiral-power-saver-bulbs-2.html



Storm said:


> Wow, very cool and modern looking setup for such cheap lamps. How much were they at Walmart?


Thanks Storm.
Yep those are walmart lamps alright. I think the were about $8-9 each when I got them.


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## capn_kirkj (Oct 1, 2007)

thanks for all the info this has been an awesome response....
kirk


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