# DIY Pendant Lights



## fourhorses44 (Jul 7, 2011)

Okay, I am obsessing over the lighting thing. I admit it. To the point that my tank has been in a holding pattern for a couple of months now, waiting for me to make a decision and purchase a light so that I can purchase plants!

However, I am really frustrated over the lack of esthetically pleasing options for planted aquarium lighting. Most light fixtures resemble a shop light, and even the super expensive Tek lights are big, black, rectangles. Nothing in my house is black, so it would just stick out like a sore thumb. Most DIY lights are hidden inside a large wooden canopy, something I consider functional, but not very pretty. I really want something pretty! I'm beginning to think that is too much to ask...

I did find this pendant light, which is beautiful (and pricey for just one!) but made for saltwater:
http://www.current-usa.com/lighting/hanging-pendants

So, I decided to try to come up with something similar to the above pendant myself. I am not electrically savvy enough to go the remote ballast route, although I did look into it. So, I was able to come up with these light fixtures for $34 each:
http://www.truevalue.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=6538

Each fixture takes one 22w and one 32w bulb (total 54w). I was able to find these bulbs in 6500k:
22w: http://www.elightbulbs.com/GE-11026-FC8T9-D-Circular-T9-Fluorescent-Tube
32w: http://www.elightbulbs.com/Sylvania-20030-FC12T9-D-RS-Circular-T9-Fluorescent-Tube

I am trying to find an inexpensive DIY reflector/cover for this fixture, but before I got too much further I wanted to ask if this type of lighting would be sufficient for a 55 and/or 75 gallon tank? I wanted to hang two pendants over the tank, so there would be two 54 watt lights (108w total). Would this be enough for a low-light setup (crypts, swords, anubias)? Could I hang this fixture, say 6" above the tank and would it still be sufficient light? Is there any detail that I'm missing here?

Thanks for any input! If I build these, I'll make sure to put the process here.


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## fourhorses44 (Jul 7, 2011)

Wow! No input? Oh well...

I was able to find a 70w T6 full-spectrum circline bulb:
http://www.fullspectrumsolutions.com/torchiere_bulb_614_prd1.htm
Unfortunately, it's only 5500k, but since its CRI is 90+ and lumens are 4290, I figured it would work ok (and my fish wouldn't be depressed in the winter time LOL!)

I also found the ballast for it:
http://www.ballastshop.com/fluorescent-ballast/circline-ballast/veb-82170-with-socket-connector.html

Now, I'm just wondering how to suspend the bulb (which is designed to go in a torchiere style lamp) in a pendant style lamp. Also, can anyone tell me if this ballast will have to be mounted inside the pendant with the bulb, or can it be wired remotely from the light?

Any input on this idea would still be appreciated.


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## fourhorses44 (Jul 7, 2011)

I guess I just like talking to myself... but I can at least use this post to keep track of the links to the products I've found (and my train of thought). After spending hours and hours searching the net, it all tends to turn to mush in my head.

Anyway, I found a dirt cheap glass shade here:
http://www.lightingdirect.com/inter...ade-for-international-lighting-lamps/p1576482

I plan on hand painting the shade so it's pretty, then lining the inside with mylar or similar material. This is all starting to come together in my head, now to just find time to make it happen!


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## fourhorses44 (Jul 7, 2011)

Oops! Found the whole light fixture at Home Depot for roughly the same price! 
http://tinyurl.com/6gdb27g (this link goes to the Home Depot website)


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Fourhorses, I think the reason no one has responded is that none of us have any experience with the circular T9 tubes you plan to use. My best guess is that their performance will be similar to a T8, but I could be VERY wrong due to reflector differences and restrike effect. Restrike happens when the light output of one tube or part of a tube is directed back into the tube, rather than into the tank or onto a reflector. This is the reason spiral compact fluorescents do not put out as much useful light as they would if the tube was straight.

One thing in your favor is that the circular tubes are available in 6500K. This is no guarantee of good PAR output, but the tubes may be decent.

Most DIY pendant lights do use spiral CFs. You would probably need four 26w over a 55.

I think the only way you will know for sure is to use a PAR meter, or plant the tank and hope for the best.

Good luck! We want to know how well it works, and to see photos of course.

--Michael


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## reybie (Jul 18, 2007)

There was a thread somewhere where the author created a DIY pendant with a metal (stainless) mixing bowl he got from Ikea LOL. It turned out pretty nice. He used par38 LEDs in it if I remember correctly.


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## fourhorses44 (Jul 7, 2011)

Thanks for the replies Michael and Reybie. I really appreciate it. I started out not knowing anything about lighting and have been on a really steep learning curve.

I've actually decided to go with the T6 circline bulbs I've found, either a 70w 5500k full spectrum with 90+ CRI and 4290 lumens, or a 58w 6500k with 80+ CRI and 3700 lumens. The benefit of the T6 over the T9 I had found earlier is that the dimension of the bulb is smaller. The T9's were 12" diameter and would require a huge shade (14" or more; wider than my tank). The T6 is 9.5" diameter, so should fit under a regular 12" shade. My concern with the 70w T6 is that it is a proprietary bulb and I've only found one source so far. The T6 58w is made by TCP which is a national brand and sold through Home Depot (among other places). The bulb may have to be special ordered, but at least I can get it through several outlets, some local. The 58w can also be purchased with a built in ballast and medium E26 base adapter, which makes the lamp building easier. So I'll probably go with the 58w.

I understand the "restrike" effect. I'm just not sure what to do about it. I don't know how to do one of those nifty restrike charts I've seen on other threads that will take into account the shape of my bulb and shade/reflector, etc. so that I can figure out a good shape for the reflector for these circline bulbs. But the restrike shouldn't be any different than a standard linear bulb. The circline is a linear bulb after all, not a curly cue like a CFL. My plan right now is to just use the cheap glass shade I found and line the inside with mylar (or similar reflective material). I actually searched for glass bowls to use as a shade (similar to what Reybie suggested with a metal bowl. I even looked at IKEA! LOL!) because I thought a bowl shape would be a better reflector shape, but you can't buy a glass bowl cheaper than the ceiling fixture with the glass shade that I found at HD ($6!). I wanted glass so that I have more options as far as making it pretty.  In the future I may look into getting a linear reflector to see if I can make it work for a circline bulb. I could probably make it work with just a pair of tin snips. Hmmm... Maybe I could try it out with some roof flashing first... Hmmmm... 

I know how I want to put this together now, but I still have some general lamp building questions I need to ask an expert (I have a big question mark in my head about strain reliefs). There's someone at work I can ask, just need to find an opportune moment.

I want to add two more links to this thread in case someone else is looking for specialty lamp items:
www.grandbrass.com
www.mylampparts.com
I've learned so much from just browsing through these two websites.

I wish I could post a drawing of my plan. I think it's going to be awesome!  I've even come up with a suspension idea that I haven't seen yet. It might be more popular for those of us with more traditional (and less modern/minimalist) design tastes!


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## reybie (Jul 18, 2007)

This is the thread I was referring to, maybe you can pick up an idea or two 
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/tank-journals-photo-album/137508-120p-photo-journal.html


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## fourhorses44 (Jul 7, 2011)

That thread is sweet, Reybie! Thanks for the link!


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## jcgd (Apr 8, 2011)

I think those circular bulbs are a mistake. If you really want to do pendants, I think the best options are MH, such as a fishneedit fixture, or a DIY version, or a par38 LED bulb. You get a nice shimmer and quality light that is cheap to run and lasts a loooong time. You could even dim it if you wanted to.


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## DogFish2.0 (Oct 7, 2011)

fourhorses44 - Thanks for starting this thread. Yes, you are not alone looking for pendant options.

I do like the pendant you linked to in the OP. Didn't see a price on that? Any ideas were to get that info?


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## fourhorses44 (Jul 7, 2011)

Dogfish:

The pendant light may have been discontinued, as its getting harder and harder to find. I originally found it at That Fish Place, I believe. Try googling "Current USA pendant" and see what pops up. The lights were around $180 EACH, I think. They also used the circline bulbs.

As an update to this post: I am currently experimenting to come up with a solution. I have been documenting everything with photos, so when I've found something that works, I will include it on this post. 

Thanks!


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## DogFish2.0 (Oct 7, 2011)

I'll look forward to reading your updates.

I got into this myself and thinkI have my own plan. I just have to get a handle on dist. above the tank of a single 38 PAR LED . I think I can use one for a 40B? The beam of light is 60degrees. I don't use CO2. So I might be able to get this to work.


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Very cool thread, but I was looking at the site the bulbs come from ledliquidatorsinc.com. The bulbs only seem to put out a max of 1300 lumens, which isn't even as much as a 48" T8 fluorescent shop bulb. Granted they are more focused then one of those bulbs but nowhere near a MH bulb output.

I was looking on ebay a while back and there are 100 w LED light bulbs that put out far more light. The only problem with them is they don't include the ballast or any way that I can see to plug them in. *Edit* I take that back the 100w LEDs seem to have ballasts now on ebay, I guess they realized that people need them... 

Also the 100w LEDs put out 7000~8000 lumens, compared with a MH 100w bulb which puts out 6500-11500 lumens. So LEDs seem to be similar to MH in intensity, espcially given the fact that MHs need a reflector to focus the light into the tank and LEDs do not.


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## fourhorses44 (Jul 7, 2011)

Just wanted to add this link to this thread. 
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

Home Depot is having an awesome sale on these pendant lights and I just ordered 4 of them. At $13.99 each, you can't beat that with a stick!

FYI: I haven't given up on finding a nice pendant for my tank. *Life* just got in the way for awhile.  Right now, I'm using the standard aq. light fixture (a single fluoro. "grow" bulb - red tint), which is on for 10 hours per day. Then I have 3 clip on desk lights which I manually turn on at 6:30 pm and off at 10 pm each evening. They each have a 60w CFL 6500k bulb in them. My crypts and anubias are growing great with new leaves weekly. I am supplementing with DIY CO2.

I'm going to experiment with these Home Depot pendant lights. They'll look better than my clip on desk lights, for sure!


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