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The Loach Forum Archives (1)
Re: Tank lighting question
Posted By: Mad Margaret <drandall@bit-net.com> In Response To: Tank lighting question (Cinder)
Date: Monday, 21 September 1998, at 5:02 p.m.
re: trying to keep costs down...
If you want to increase your lighting cheaply, here are some tips: you know that white eggcrate stuff used on overhead fluorescent fixtures? I was told to use it by my LFS for a top instead of glass. It costs about $8US for a HUGE sheet, cuts well with wire cutters, and works best with hanging lights if you have a bubbler running, to prevent the fixture getting wet. I used a couple Stanley brass plant hangers to hang the 2-bulb 48" shop light over my 55 gal. tank, which has a bubbler. If you have no bubbler, like my 29 gal. plant tank, then you can lay the light strips right on top like I do. BTW, I also use the eggcrate for a tank divider in my 55 gal. goldfish tank and for a breathable snail-trap to keep my Apple Snail from chowing my plants.
I get Lights of America 24" single strip lights for my 29 gal, put in GE Chroma 50 bulbs "Sunlight," and lay them right on the egg crate - costs about $1.25 per watt. I'm going to make a cheapo sheet aluminun canopy for them with a computer fan for ventilation soon. I like the mylar idea someone else had, and I think I'm going to incorporate it into my canopy.
In addition to your 2-bulb strip, you could probably _easily_ fit two of these Lights of America under-cabinet thin fixtures (model# 7020) over a 29. At 80 watts, you could keep just about any high-light plant species there is for an additional $40US.
See ya,
Kristen
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