# [Wet Thumb Forum]-DIY light hood



## Tony B (May 13, 2003)

Hi all:

I just wanted to share what I did for my 15 gal low tank (50 in lenghtx8 in high). I was looking for a light hood but they are really expensive. So I found a metallic rain gutter in a store. Bought some electric cord, a plug, sockets, 4 screw in fluorescent bulbs (2x 13w and 2x20 w, all 6400 º K) and cut 3 pieces of wood to fit inside the rain gutter. The total cost is the following:

4 bulbs: approx 16 USD
Rain gutter: 6 USD for an 8 ft piece
electric wire: 3 USD
electric plug: 0.5 USD
wood: 0 USD (had a small piece)

Total cost was less than 30 USD and I got a lot of light for my future plants.

you can see some pictures:




























Any comments or suggestions?


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## Tony B (May 13, 2003)

Hi all:

I just wanted to share what I did for my 15 gal low tank (50 in lenghtx8 in high). I was looking for a light hood but they are really expensive. So I found a metallic rain gutter in a store. Bought some electric cord, a plug, sockets, 4 screw in fluorescent bulbs (2x 13w and 2x20 w, all 6400 º K) and cut 3 pieces of wood to fit inside the rain gutter. The total cost is the following:

4 bulbs: approx 16 USD
Rain gutter: 6 USD for an 8 ft piece
electric wire: 3 USD
electric plug: 0.5 USD
wood: 0 USD (had a small piece)

Total cost was less than 30 USD and I got a lot of light for my future plants.

you can see some pictures:




























Any comments or suggestions?


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## Bremer (Feb 3, 2003)

Did I read that right? Your tank is 50 inches long and only 8 inches high?

I would like to see a picture of that!


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## Tony B (May 13, 2003)

Yes, we use it to keep heated some jars while agitating them but we no longer use it for that and I did not want to throw it away. I will try to post a pic (although it is not finished). I had to fill it with water and put my betas in there to save the fry. I hope to post the pic later today or tomorrow.

Tony


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## Tony B (May 13, 2003)

OK, here you have a picture of the tank. Remember, the aquascape is all crapy since I had to transfer my betas in an emergency to avoid them eating the fry. Also, this will not be the final location. There is much left to do (gravel, background, plants, taking out all those cristal gems that my wife loves, etc.).

REgards

Tony


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## walpurgis999 (Feb 6, 2003)

Something disappoints me here: your tank is 50 inches long and 8 inches deep and you used those screw in bulbs. You could have ran one, mark you, one, 40w or 32w T12 or T8 bulb over that tank. Nonetheless, if you ODNO (Overdriving Normal Output) the flourescent bulb you could have had up to 120w over that tank. Look at the output from the bulbs you used, they are centralized in the corners of the hood. Not much light hits the middle of the hood sections. For about 10 dollars more you could have had alot more light--and plants. 
However, I think your tank is great because of its unique design and length. Also, you did a nice job on the hood all and all, but I would consider returning the bulbs and sockets and ODNO the hood with flourescent lights.

If Gollum were into aquariums, he would say, "We hates them algae--tricksy' they are. Pokes their eyeses' out we wills".


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## Tony B (May 13, 2003)

Walpurgis999:

Thank you for your comment. I did not use one T12 or T8 bulb because the rain gutter is somewhat thin. Actually the wood gives some strenght to it because without it the gutter would bend very easily. For that reason I did not want to put a ballast on it and prefered the screw-in bulbs. About the light output, I recently used some aluminum foil (thicker than the common one) to improve the output and you can not see a lot of difference in the light that hits the tank below the middle sections of the hood. Maybe it is difficult to see it in the picture but believe me, my betta needs to rest below a leave of (I believe) Nomaphila stricta (sp?) to cover from the light, almost below the "dark" portion of the hood.

I really appreciate your comments. Hope to finish the tank soon (if money keeps coming...) and will post a picture when it is in better shape.

Tony


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## walpurgis999 (Feb 6, 2003)

One of the reasons I tell you to do this is because I have already done the same thing you have, but with 40w or 32w bulbs. You can easily screw a ballast (even a big one designed for 4 bulbs) into the top of the rain gutter (I mean underneath--you dont see it when the hood is down): all you have to do is screw in several wood supports along the rain gutter. Ironically, your rain gutter looks more sturdy than mine, because of the material it is made of. You should have no problem doing this. Also, since your going to eventually want to add plants, lights with a better spectrum can be found in florescent lights. Plant and Aquarium bulbs are great for plants, and seem to grow less algae than daylight or sunlight bulbs. However, too much light grows algae anywho.

If Gollum were into aquariums, he would say, "We hates them algae--tricksy' they are. Pokes their eyeses' out we wills".


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## Tony B (May 13, 2003)

I was reading that in your other post and I don't see a cheaper way to light a long aquarium than this. I don't know how to connect a ballast and the corresponding fluorescent(s) but think that it is not that hard. The idea of using the wood supports is a good one and I may try it but now I am stuck with the screw in bulbs since I can't return them and need to buy the gravel and some other stuff before changing the bulbs. I will keep an eye on algae and will let you know. So far, after 3 weeks none has appeared in the tank and I have 2 ottos and 2 snails that may take care of them.

Thanks again for the info, will keep you updated.

Tony

PS. I thought that using 6500ºK bulbs is enough for the plants, am I wrong or is the spectrum more important than the temperature?


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## walpurgis999 (Feb 6, 2003)

Your bulbs are the right spectrum; however, they may not be intense enough. Plants that like high light thrive on intense light, but you dont really know how good your let up is until you add some plants.

If Gollum were into aquariums, he would say, "We hates them algae--tricksy' they are. Pokes their eyeses' out we wills".


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## Vicki (Jan 31, 2003)

Tony, what an interesting tank shape--wow, that would be a WONDERFUL tank for growing out fry, especially anabantid fry! I am assuming with such a shallow tank you are not going to attempt to plant it with fast-growing stem plants, you'd drive yourself nuts. Since I doubt any of us have any experience lighting a tank that's only eight inches deep, I'll be interested to see how this works out for you. The color temperature of your bulbs is fine for plants, and in such a shallow tank they should provide plenty of light for what you'll be growing. You'll probably have bright spots and dark spots, but you can certainly work with that by using slower-growing, low to moderate light plants in those spots. What are your plans for the tank? Growing out betta fry?









http://www.wheelpost.com


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## Tony B (May 13, 2003)

Vicki, thank you for the comments. Yes, it is a different tank and I still don't know what to put on it with respect to plants. I am thinking on growing small-leaved plants and some slow growers like anubias nana petit. The problem is I can not always find good plants here in Mexico. There is a Tropica distributor nearby but plants always sell very fast. I need to buy the stand first (maybe this weekend) and then try to setup the tank. About the fish, I was thinking on keeping some glowlight tetras or something similar in size but also colorful. Will use DIY CO2 and maybe will keep my betas in the original 10 gal tank where the fry are growing right now (they will be given to my cousin for selling them). 

Any comments are well received.

Tony


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## walpurgis999 (Feb 6, 2003)

I would load that tank with stem plants and small dwarf swords and vals. I know that most stems, swords, and vals grow big, but imagine the great cover for your fry. Nonetheless, you wouldnt have to have much more lighting that what u have (I didnt mean that your lighting was not good--I just suggested a better way), and your plants, even red ones, would grow great. I still think you did a nice job on your hood, especially if that was your first try.

If Gollum were into aquariums, he would say, "We hates them algae--tricksy' they are. Pokes their eyeses' out we wills".


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## Tony B (May 13, 2003)

Sorry, I think I did not explain myself. The fry are still on my 10 gal tank, eating all sorts of bugs and fry food. The male and female betas, together with a couple of otos and 2 snails are in the weird tank shown on the picture. I don't think I will use it to grow fry, instead I would like to have a nice tank with small fish and nice plants.

Tony


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## Vicki (Jan 31, 2003)

It would certainly be an ideal tank for small schooling tetras; they would love the length to swim in and wouldn't mind the shallow depth at all. Glowlights would be a great choice, cardinals are always beautiful and rummynoses would be great, too. Aquascaping would certainly be an interesting challenge, but one stem plant you might try is hydrocotyle leucocephala, one of the few stem plants that will creep through a tank rather than grow straight up, and once it reaches the surface it looks beautiful and makes a lovely veil of roots. You'd have to be careful to keep it from getting out of hand and shading your whole tank, but it would be particularly good for glowlights, which look much prettier in subdued lighting. You could use low growing anubias and java fern clumps in shaded areas, and low growing, higher light carpet plants in brighter ones, I think almost any of them would work in a tank that shallow. Stargrass (Heteranthera zosterifolia...did I spell that right?) would be beautiful in a tank like that, it would grow horizontally and vertically. TONS of possibilities. Are you planning on adding CO2 to this tank?

http://www.wheelpost.com


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## Tony B (May 13, 2003)

Thanks for the ideas Vicki, I agree with all you said. I plan on adding DIY CO2 and raise the water level almost to the top of the tank, but meanwhile I need to put some oxygen in the water and thus the level is lower so my filtered water (in a Whisper Mini) can get some oxygen. I put some stem plants last Friday (don't know the name) and saturday evening they were pearling and you could see O2 bubling from one of them continously. Righ now I can not make too many changes since my Betas bred again and yesterday there were some fry already in the bubble nest. I don't believe they will survive in the tank but don't want to put another tank so time will tell.

Thanks again for your comments, will keep you updated.

Tony

PS: I believe I can get Stargrass but will wait until I completely set up the tank.


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## Barfly (Nov 2, 2003)

I'm just curious, what kinda bulb did you use? 

Cause i thought that the spectrum was important for plants too. but you only said your bulbs were 13 watt and 20 watt and 6500 deg. kelvin. what bout the light spectrum? are they special for growing plants? or just normal fluorescent bulbs from the electrical store but 13/20 watt and 6500k? does being white mean the colour spectrum is correct?

they look like energy saving bulbs.

May the pearls be with your Riccias'.


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## Tony B (May 13, 2003)

Barfly, yes, they are common energy saver bulbs. They have been running for about a month and the few plants I have (ceratophylum sp., Nomaphila stricta, and green tiger lotus) seem OK. I have some algae growing but my ottos are taking care of it. Besides, it is not yet complete. I need to put the gravel or substrate, inject CO2 and put more plants. But overall they seem to work fine for my tank.

Hope that helps.

Tony


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## Barfly (Nov 2, 2003)

Tony,

Do you mind giving me the exact brand and specs of the bulb? I might like to try them myself. =)

May the pearls be with your Riccias'.


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