Light Unit For An Open Top Tank.

[Graeme Edwards]

Hi guys!

Im in the process of building a new tank set up. The stand is made from scratch and is going to hold a
*45x30x30 cm * tanks hopfully ADA depending on the cash flow.

The problem i have is lighting. Because of the length of the tank (45cm) im finding it hard to find a light unit for an open top tank that is no longer than 45cm.
The only option if i cant find what i want is to build my own hood with power compacts built in ( done this before) but im after an open top tank.

So idealy im after a T8 or T5 light unit that can be suspened over the tank,OR...
I build my own hood,OR i buy a mercury vapor from Germany.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[George Farmer]

Interpet PC T5 units - 24w at 12" or 36w at 16".

Justin Law uses 4 x 18" 15w T8s in his 45cm.

 

[Graeme Edwards]

I have two of them @24W a piece but they need to be built into a hood so that defeats my open top plan.
If i have to make a hood i will, just wanted to see what was available.

Cheers.

 

[George Farmer]

Ah, open top. Sorry mate, I just skip read the post (so little time!)

I don't know of any commercially available fluorescent overtank luminaires for such a small tank, 60cm is the smallest I've seen.

MV sounds interesting, not too sure about decent colour rendition though. Having said that your 20w halogen on the AquaCube still looks great. I showed the wife and my eldest daughter your photos last night. Very impressed they were too!

 

[Graeme Edwards]

MV sounds interesting, not too sure about decent colour rendition though. Having said that your 20w halogen on the AquaCube still looks great. I showed the wife and my eldest daughter your photos last night. Very impressed they were too!

Cheers for that!

I shall keep looking but it may end up being merury vapor HQL like THIS. Partly because of the styling and power out put.
I need to find a color temp for the HQL bulbs.

 

[BigIan]

if you`ve built a hood why not build a luminare not entirely sure where it would be situated but it wouldn`t be that hard as i`ve already thought about building one...

your other option is something like the arcadia arc pods, two or three of those along the back wall of the tank...

 

[Graeme Edwards]

Yeah thought of that. The idea was originaly to build my own luminare that could hold my existing Interpect PC tubes in an ADA style.Thats fine but getting it right and finding an easy to work with bendy material for the curved shape would be difficult.

 

[George Farmer]

My LFS has a Dennerle display tank lit with MV. It looks fine actually, I'd guess the colour temp at around 4000-5000K with a medium CRI.

 

[Graeme Edwards]

The bulbs that are sold @ aquaristic are these and are 3.200K which is very cool.
What about the wave lenght of the out put ( high blues,greens yellows), thats a mystery too!
Its should work though.

 

[mantis147]

Have you seen these lights moody http/www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.php?...products_id=813