dave1234 dave1234
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  • Posted on: 28/4/2009 8:37
DIY LIGHTING #1
Hi

Im looking for a but of advice as to any good sites or guides to putting together your own individual lighting setup. Does anyone know of any good sites available to pick up the individual components such as the ballast unit, leads, lamp holders and bulb clips etc.

Thanks

Dave
lr85ninety lr85ninety
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  • Posted on: 29/4/2009 20:23
Re: DIY LIGHTING #2
national lamps and components are excellent just a word of caution if your not electrically minded i would not bother building your own lights HTH
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cmw328i cmw328i
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  • Posted on: 30/4/2009 0:30
Re: DIY LIGHTING #3
i looked into building my own halide system for a while, but i quickly realized that for the cost of getting all the parts together, i was able to just buy a blau halide pendant 2 x 150w with double actinic blue flourescents.
Safety tip 1: Water + Electricty = ZAP
lr85ninety lr85ninety
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  • Posted on: 30/4/2009 22:13
Re: DIY LIGHTING #4
ive built my own t5 set up 8 x 54w but im an electrician so get good discounts on stuff yet the fitting still cost ?400 to make
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EagleC EagleC
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  • Posted on: 4/5/2009 23:44
Re: DIY LIGHTING #5
Jut out of interest I recently bought Hagen Glo 2x54W hanging units from Maidenheads for ?100 each. (plus tubes)
dave1234 dave1234
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  • Posted on: 5/5/2009 15:29
Re: DIY LIGHTING #6
Hi Guys

Thanks for the advise and sorry for the slow reply. Having looked into it a bit closer and taking onboard your advice I think my original idea is a bit beyond me. I have been looking at T5 lighting kits and wondered what you thought of these two.


Hagen GLO high output electronic T5 light system
http://www.aquatics-warehouse.co.uk/acatalog/Hagen_GLO2.html

or

Arcadia lighting controller
http://www.arcadia-uk.info/product.ph ... 7&mid=11&lan=en&sub=&id=4

Any opinions? The hagen unit is alot cheaper, but it doesn't always pay in the long run. But on the other hand the Arcadia contoller product is alot more expensive but i can't see what extra your getting for your money?

Thanks

Dave
Quinny Quinny
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  • Posted on: 5/5/2009 15:56
Re: DIY LIGHTING #7
I've got an arcadia light unit for my freshwater setup, it's just a ballast and starter with two cables with end caps.

The end caps can be mounted anywhere, they can be screwed, bolted or stuck in place and can be used with varying different bulbs and sizes.

Mine is called an Ultra Seal Controller but of what I don't know, as far as I'm aware, the power output isn't adjustable.

The lighting is very good and the bulbs are fairly cheap at ?10 for a 15inch bulb.

The lighting set up cost me ?13 for the bulb and ?30 for the controller.
EagleC EagleC
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  • Posted on: 5/5/2009 18:45
Re: DIY LIGHTING #8
I've got a hagen twin 24W on the turtle tank and its very nice quality feel to it. Essentially the same as the arcadia and hagen units you link to.
I'm happy with it and also as mentioned have recently bought two of these units for my marine tank :-
https://www.zooroyal.de/de/122cm-2x54w ... /4654/produkt_detail.html
Oddly I couldn't find a UK image.

I'll be buying another identical unit soon for the tropical tank too as an upgrade to the existing 2x39W.