Light question

[tom91970]

I bought a portable fluorescent light normally used for mounting under a cabinet. The package states "60 watt output, uses 15 watts of energy". I would like to figure out a way to mount them over a 10 gallon tank that I might eventually turn into a planted tank. I might even use two of these.

What do you think? Is it possible or waste of time & money?

 

[Orion]

I've used something similar in the past. It looked like crap, but got the job done.

What I did was cut the light right below the endcaps, separating the shell. I put the endcaps inside an old plastic reflector, and the rest of the housing with the ballast on the outside top. The ones I used looked like they were slimmer, so it was easy to stuff two next to each other.

But in my opinion: I've tried about every cheap, DIY way of putting light over a tank and at the end of the day I've figured out that it's really better to just suck it up and spend the money on a PC or T-5 kit from the start. You can get a good kit from AH Supply for not much $$, and it's simple enough to wire up that I've not burnt anything up yet.

 

[skratikans]

60watts seems like a lot for a 10gal..you could also do a 20gal

 

[Orion]

In general when dealing with the 'energy saving' lights, it's better to go by the energy used than the energy output. But over a 10 gallon tank, 60w isn't that much. If your going by the WPG guideline, it breaks down wildly as the tanks get smaller, and larger.

 

[tom91970]

Yeah, I'm wanting to do a 10g planted with only a few fish and was trying to figure out a way to do it cheaply. All of my tanks have plants that do well with low wpg but I'm hoping to branch out (no pun intended).

 

[Orion]

I know exactly where your coming from Tom. Just trying to save you some of the headache that I've went though $41.99 (plus the bulb) for either a 36w or 55w (not sure if the 55w will fit length wise) aint bad, plus the efficiently of the reflector's add to the wattage. Also the 13w kits are pretty cheap too. Took me several years and who knows how many hundereds of dollars wasted before I finally 'saw the light'