Come Up Trumps Again

[SuperColey1]

Following my recent cheapskate searching and searching for the right amount of lighting at the right price, I have discovered yet another bargain for you all to have a look at.

Originally I was looking at getting a 2x55W T5 PC starter for above my 29G tank (26G water so I calculate on 26G)
which sounded really good 4.2WPG Get in there

Following a fair bit of advice (and may I say nagging, lol) about my refusal to do EI with this amount of light and refusal to go pressurised CO2 I gave in and started to search for a slightly lower lighting option.

My Fluval tank's current lighting is 2x18W (1.4WPG), or so I thought until during a ideas bouncing session with SmithRC about wiring and ballasts I discovered that my tubes were actually being powered by a 30W ballast therefore they were being underpowered by 6W making only 1.15WPG

Upon SmithRC opening one of his Fluvals he discovered that his 2x39W were being powered by 2 of the same ballasts as mine, meaning instead of having 78W of light he had 60W!!!!!!!! This may be a common thing in the cheaper tanks (I don't know)

Therefore my solution for the last 2-3 weeks has been to get one of the existing T8 18W tubes to work on its own and then fit a 1x55W T5 PC in the vacant tube spot. 73W = 2.8WPG (A lot more sensible)

Last week, I bought a single T8 18W electronic ballast (doesn't need a starter) off ebay for £7 or so. It is a simple case of plug your live and neutral wires in one end, and then replace the ballasts non waterproof end caps with the hoods end caps (A simple case of snip and twist as the ballast section of the Fluval hood is a water tight recess, accessible from the outside of the tank.) This unit makes the SunGlo lamp that I thought was rank, look like a lighthouse lamp.

So with the first light sorted I was on the lookout for the single T5 unit £33 on AE not bad price, £33 everywhere else, quite a few twins on ebay 36W and 55W not many singles (The twins are selling for £50+ on ebay. inc second hand ones more than brand new. lol)

My search is over, after all that reading I'll finally tell you what I got:

Brand New 1 x 55W T5 TwinCompact Single Starter for..................................................£20.00 + £5.95 Delivery from..........

http/www.tamaraquatics.co.uk/ShowDetails.asp?id=280

So long to watching ebay like a hawk because I think I'm nearly ready to run now, just gotta get my DaylightPlus bulb from SurreyPetSupplies and after the house move I will be up and running big stylee.

Sorry for boring you all with my tales here, but just though you might be interested in my month long search of the internet to save a few quid, to get me the right combination.

Andy

 

[lljdma06]

Glad you found what you were looking for. Of course, when I was reading you post, however, a lot of it was "blah, blah, blah, blach" as I don't like reading technical things about wires and such so early in the morning. But, I am glad for you.

llj

 

[Dave Spencer]

Nice one........you bloody cheapskate!

Dave.

 

[Themuleous]

Whats a

TwinCompact Single Starter

 

[SuperColey1]

Whats a

TwinCompact Single Starter

Do your research mate. lol

Twin Compact as you know are 1 tube folded in half or in the case of the interpets are 2 tubes joined before the end.

Interpet sell starters that will run either 1 tube, or 2 tubes hence, single starter or twin starter (1x55W or 2x55W) from the same starter.

Where my hood has 36W (2 x 24" T8 18W) I can actually fit in 110W (2 x 22" T5 TC 55W)

My choice has been to keep one T8 (although now will be on an electronic ballast using the full 18W) and use a single starter unit (to run 1xT5 TC Tube)rather than a twin starter unit (to run 2xT5 TC Tube).

This will increase my light to 73W rather than a disaster waiting to happen 110W

Its the same principle as glomat single tube starter, or a glomat twin/dual tube starter

LLj - I'm no electrician either and not at all techy, but its just cut the wires before the existing end caps. Unscrew Live and Neutral wires, Rip out all the old ballast and cables, insert new ballast, screw in Live and Neutral, 'twist old end caps to new wires, turn on and %&%&%&%&&&&aaaaaaaaaaaaah spikey hair. lol

Dave - I might buy all their stock and resell them on ebay, profit of £5 per unit at least. lol (can i be bothered)

Andy

 

[Themuleous]

Oh I knew what you meant and what they are just that generally 'twin' as you put it compacts are normally called power compacts. If its standard shape its a T5. For both of which you can gettwin or single starters.

Sam

 

[SuperColey1]

Sorry I doubted your knowledge mate, should've known you knew that.

These are normally advertised as follows (from AE)

Interpet T5 Compact Starter Unit - 55W
Interpet T5 Compact Twin Starter Unit - 55W

I just call them single and twin, because that seems to be what everybody on ebay and the forums seem to call them. It is defo the Interpet starter unit for a single power compact T5 tube that I bought though, and at that price, thought I may as well give the link out as it is a tenner cheaper than anywhere I have seen.

Andy

 

[Themuleous]

Hell you question my knowledge all you want Andy I might post a lot but that doesn't mean I know everything! Llj will testify to that!

Tis a good price all the same and cheers for letting us know

Sam

 

[SuperColey1]

No Probs mate, I'd never question your knowledge at all. Thought it was a bit funny when you asked the question, must just've been the way you phrased it. They are called T5 twin compacts though (I think, I'm not so sure now so many questions being asked)