# [Wet Thumb Forum]-cheap and effective lighting for smaller aquariums



## zerocoolbeans (Jun 14, 2003)

if you are lucky to have a home depot that carries shoplights with ELECTRONIC ballast($7 each). you can easily used its ballast and end connectors to hold a t15t8 bulbs instead t32t8.

here is a picture of a hood i made for my 10G.










you can use 1 ballast for 2 bulbs and wire it in series for 2x ODNO. which is enough light to grow just about anything in a 10G. I used 2 ballast because i tried to do a ODNO on just 1 bulb and wanted to try 3 bulbs.

Here is the ballast:








Make sure it's electronic.

i'll make a step by step guide on making my hood soon. Hope this helps others trying to light a 10 gallon.


----------



## zerocoolbeans (Jun 14, 2003)

if you are lucky to have a home depot that carries shoplights with ELECTRONIC ballast($7 each). you can easily used its ballast and end connectors to hold a t15t8 bulbs instead t32t8.

here is a picture of a hood i made for my 10G.










you can use 1 ballast for 2 bulbs and wire it in series for 2x ODNO. which is enough light to grow just about anything in a 10G. I used 2 ballast because i tried to do a ODNO on just 1 bulb and wanted to try 3 bulbs.

Here is the ballast:








Make sure it's electronic.

i'll make a step by step guide on making my hood soon. Hope this helps others trying to light a 10 gallon.


----------



## imported_csf (May 8, 2003)

Not bad, but I would probably either put the ballasts on top of the hood, on the back or just remotely locate them. Bulbs and ballasts work much more efficiently when they are cooler.


----------



## Guttboy (Jul 27, 2003)

Zerocoolbeans!

Great! Im anxiously awaiting your plans/instructions....I love hearing everyone's DIY projects!

Mike









100Gallon/Rena Filstar XP3/Icecap660 with 4x4' Ge Aquarays/Flourite Gravel mix/Malaysian driftwood


----------



## walpurgis999 (Feb 6, 2003)

Just a friendly warning to anyone wanting to use shoplight ballasts on bigger tanks. I believe the poster took teh ballasts out of shoplights for 40w size bulbs and ODNO them to run 15w bulbs--which is fine. However, if u try this on larger tanks, u will find that the ballasts seriously underpower lights (according to Ohms Law). It is 29.99 for a good electronic ballast at Home Depot. Dont waste money on shoplights like I did, but a good ballast and 2X ODNO it so that it runs great--not just good. Nice tank.

Im an English teacher in school, not in this forum. Hence, I spell, you spell, we all spell bad.


----------



## Rex Grigg (Jan 22, 2004)

One other note here. The use of tin foil in the hood is a waste. You would get better reflectivity with glossy white paint.

Moderator










American by birth, Marine by the grace of God! This post spell checked with IESpell available at http://www.iespell.com

See my Profile for tank details.


----------



## PlantedArasstocracy (Oct 14, 2003)

I think the best lighting option for a 10g tank is to go out and buy a 20 inch 28 watt power compact flourescent setup. I have 2 of them that i bought for $38.99 apice. Gives you 2.8 WPG (hard math







) and it is asthetically pleasing...much easier than DIY lighting...easier/cheaper than retrofitting PC lighting too (at least for this tank size)

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." - MLK, Jr.


----------



## Rex Grigg (Jan 22, 2004)

Where did you find them for that price?

Moderator










American by birth, Marine by the grace of God! This post spell checked with IESpell available at http://www.iespell.com

See my Profile for tank details.


----------



## PlantedArasstocracy (Oct 14, 2003)

there is a FS in san antonio called Fintique (on West Ave, inside 410) that sells them for that price. Everywhere else i have seen them around this area, however, has only sold them for about $45, though, so either way i dont think its really worth the trouble of DIY for such a small tank...

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." - MLK, Jr.


----------



## Barfly (Nov 2, 2003)

> quote:
> 
> Originally posted by walpurgis999:
> Just a friendly warning to anyone wanting to use shoplight ballasts on bigger tanks. I believe the poster took teh ballasts out of shoplights for 40w size bulbs and ODNO them to run 15w bulbs--which is fine. However, if u try this on larger tanks, u will find that the ballasts seriously underpower lights (according to Ohms Law). It is 29.99 for a good electronic ballast at Home Depot. Dont waste money on shoplights like I did, but a good ballast and 2X ODNO it so that it runs great--not just good. Nice tank.


Walpurgis, what config would you recommend for a 55 Gallon 2x ODNO?

May the pearls be with your Riccias'.


----------



## ned13b (Mar 27, 2003)

I got my screw-in type lighting (for my 15gal high) from RONA. It was less than 40$ CAN for the PC bulb, a reflector, a clamp, and the bulb holder.


----------

