# how can I make screw-in cf fixture for 29 gallon?



## kakkoii (Jan 18, 2008)

How can I make a 100W(with reflector) or 120W(with no reflector) screw-in cf fixture for under $30?

pics. would help...

TIA!


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...ects/45208-diy-mod-perfecto-10-gal-light.html should give you enough information to do it. Making the reflectors is easy, and they work great with the aluminized mylar on them. I'm not sure about meeting your cost limit, but it should be possible.


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## kakkoii (Jan 18, 2008)

This is good information, but i want to use 4 30W bulbs, using my Perfecto strip light(as you have done) but I am not sure how to get 2 bulbs in the middle. does someone know how to do this?


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## newbie314 (Mar 2, 2007)

So what did you do with the ballast and T-8 connectors.
I'm very tempted to add a third tube to my hood...


hoppycalif said:


> http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...ects/45208-diy-mod-perfecto-10-gal-light.html should give you enough information to do it. Making the reflectors is easy, and they work great with the aluminized mylar on them. I'm not sure about meeting your cost limit, but it should be possible.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

My ballast was magnetic, and the bulb was a kitchen counter type T5 (as I recall) bulb. I scrapped both, along with the connectors and most of the wiring.

You can buy from a hardware store a fitting which is a "U" shaped bracket with an attached nut that fits an 1/8" NPT nipple on each end. If you attach this to a small steel angle and attach the angle to the underside of the hood in the middle, you can attach two of those sockets in the middle. Just wire the sockets all in parallel.


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## newbie314 (Mar 2, 2007)

hoppycalif said:


> , you can attach two of those sockets in the middle. Just wire the sockets all in parallel.


Sorry two sockets?


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## Adragontattoo (Jun 3, 2007)

older picture of the tank it sits on.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

This is what I meant, for adding two more light sockets in the middle of that Perfecto hood:


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## evilc66 (Mar 5, 2008)

Why not just use a double lamp fixture? Ace hardware sells them. Two bulbs end-to-end with only one pair of wires. This is how I ended up doing by retro.


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## newbie314 (Mar 2, 2007)

What is the efficiency of the CFLs. They seem to get a lot hotter than say a t8 with electronic ballast.

Might just be the compactness of the setup but I have a feeling they are ineffieceint due to the cost being cheaper (cheaper than a ballast)


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## kakkoii (Jan 18, 2008)

hoppycalif said:


> This is what I meant, for adding two more light sockets in the middle of that Perfecto hood:


thanks Hoppy!


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## Sandman333 (Jan 25, 2008)

They make multiple lamp sockets. Here is one at Ace Hardware:
http://www.acehardware.com/product/...socket&parentPage=search&searchId=24229528674


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## neilfishguy (Mar 10, 2008)

you can also get a 7 buck glass cutter at home depot and make good reflectors for them...because of their shape, a good reflector goes a long way in efficency


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

i actually just read all this (ha ha:mrgreen:ha ha)and im very interested in doing this in my 20 long...but im really confused myself...did anyone acutally get the four bulbs in there or did you just go with higher watts for the tank? im going to try the 4 thing with a 2 way bulb in the middle and one on each side


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

There is no physical reason why you can't get four bulbs in a 30 inch long light fixture, but the heat would probably require a cooling fan. A problem with trying to just use higher wattage bulbs is that they get bigger and bigger as the wattage goes up, and that can become a problem trying to find room for them.


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## grim (Mar 13, 2008)

can someone post a wiring diagram for this i seem to have goten a lil slow in the head when it comes to wiring


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

The sockets come with a white wire and a black wire already on them. You just connect all of the white wires together with the white wire from the power line, and the black wires together with the black wire from the power switch. If the power line has a green wire, you connect it to all of the metal pieces to ground them - you can get by by connecting just to the reflectors if they are metal.


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

grim it is quit easy i even managed to do a lamp kit one it still works a year later and im pretty dumb with the regular stuf lol but i think i got my ideas down for the 20 long lol


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## dansbdk (Mar 16, 2008)

i'm creating my own DIY hood. 
I'm about to wire up a top for my 55 gallon today, using 4 double socket ceiling fixtures, (Lowes - $3.99 each & comes with wire nuts, attachment screws, and instructions needed for installation.) 
The four double sockets will hold 8 screw-in 26 watt CLF "daylight" bulbs (6500k)(Walmart 2 bulb pack for $6.98) the 26watt bulbs are equivillent to 100 watt output each, & put out 1700 lumins each. 
I'm wiring 2 fixtures together on each extention cord (female plug end of cord cut off (Dollar tree $1.oo each) (since the fixtures are rated up to 60 watt total bulb wattage, my hood will have 2 plug-in cords instead of one, big deal!). Remember, wire nuts, screws, & instructions, come with the ceiling fixture kit.
i'm using the reflective back side of a Mylar "CONGRATULAIONS!" BANNER (factory cards & party outlet 12"X60"-$6.99) cut to length, with just enough left over to make a reflector for my 10 gallon tank also! & the printed side is invisible inside the hood. (So who'll know if I don't tell! Sssshhhhh!)
I'm cutting a sheet of 4'x2' peg board cut to size to make a plain "U" shaped hood to attach everything ($2.99). The pegboard will allow heat to vent perfectly, & can be painted or laminated for any decor later. 
My total project cost = $55.90+tax,
8 "daylight" 6500K CFL screw in bulbs (cheap replacements) = 800 watt total output, 13,600 total lumens. (high light)


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

Actually 8 - 26 watt CFL bulbs equal 208 watts, or about 150 usable watts or less, considering the restrike that those bulbs have. That is plenty of light for a 55 gallon tank, and if you did some more work making simple curved aluminum reflectors for each bulb, faced with mylar, you could make those watts even more effective. It is easy to make those reflectors.


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