| Author |
 Topic Search  Topic Options
|
Mattfudd 
Guest
Joined: March 14 2004
Status: Offline
Points: 41
|
 Post Options
 Thanks(0)
 Quote  Reply
 Topic: DIY LIghting Help
Posted: April 14 2010 at 3:49pm |
|
I really would like to take the DIY approach for my lighting. Does anyone know of any good tutorials they can provide me? I have all the equipment needed just need some good instructions and locations for purchase of material. Unless there are deals out there that are just unbeatable for fixtures.
|
 |
bugzme
Guest
Joined: May 22 2004
Location: West Jordan
Status: Offline
Points: 4815
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: April 14 2010 at 4:24pm |
reefcentral.com Has all kinds of diy and help
|
|
Jeff
125 tank
50 gallon sump
T-5 lighting
Rum drinker, Carbon User
I KNOW ROCKS THAT ARE YOUNGER THEN ME!! I AM A Realist! I write what I think!!
|
|
bambbrose
Guest
Joined: March 24 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 213
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: April 14 2010 at 4:27pm |
|
Any more details on your budget and what type of lighting you are looking for? MH or PC, LED, T5?
|
|
Mattfudd
Guest
Joined: March 14 2004
Status: Offline
Points: 41
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: April 14 2010 at 4:37pm |
|
Let's say I want the best I can get for 200 to 300 bucks.
|
|
gobbly
Guest
Joined: March 30 2010
Location: Salt Lake City
Status: Offline
Points: 44
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: April 14 2010 at 4:48pm |
Before you worry about what to buy, and how to assemble it, you really need to stop and answer a few of these questions. How large is the tank it's going on. What are you planning on keeping in the tank. How much of a concern is heat (could you buy and run a chiller if needed?). How much space do you have above the tank? Would you like a shimmer effect, or do you even care? How much do you have to spend?
The first step is to decide on the type of lights, and the first thing to consider is the requirements of what you want to keep. Also deeper tanks need stronger lights, and wider tanks can require more lights to cover the area. Leds and florescent styles (including T5's) won't heat your tank up as much as MH/plasma. Lots of stuff like this to take into account. Also rules of thumb can be misleading. With more data on the above items most reef forums would be able to provide you with more specific info.
Also you will find that A LOT of lighting boils down to opinions (it's constantly being debated with regular 'flavors of the month'). So finding one authoritative source can be tricky, better to read as much as you can get your hands on, and look at pictures of other people's lights (pay attention to color).
|
|
Mattfudd
Guest
Joined: March 14 2004
Status: Offline
Points: 41
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: April 14 2010 at 5:22pm |
|
65 gallon standard size. I would like to be able to keep pretty much anything but I can live with just softies and inverts. I will have a standard hood so I will need to add some cooling. I do not want to have to take the chiller route so I would be adding fans and would prob need to stay away from the MH route. So it really is between T5 and PC.
|
|
tcfab
Guest
Joined: October 18 2008
Location: North Ogden
Status: Offline
Points: 1480
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: April 14 2010 at 5:25pm |
|
I would do t'5s for sure. I bought my ballasts locally, but honestly I only saved 5 bucks a ballast. Best bet is to order all your parts from reefgeek or even bulk reef supply.
Edited by tcfab - April 14 2010 at 5:25pm
|
|
Mattfudd
Guest
Joined: March 14 2004
Status: Offline
Points: 41
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: April 14 2010 at 5:33pm |
|
What should I plan on spending if I go the T5 route?
|
|
gobbly
Guest
Joined: March 30 2010
Location: Salt Lake City
Status: Offline
Points: 44
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: April 14 2010 at 5:34pm |
|
yeah, if you don't want to go with halides (and since that tank length will need 2, you'll be hard pressed to put together much for under $300), then T5's are what you should be looking at. reefcentral.com, thereeftank.com, and nano-reef.com all have decent DIY sections in their forums with loads of info on led/t5 DIY projects. Google would probably turn up a lot of good info as well. I would look at the price of led as well and consider it. I have seen some really nice price tags on DIY led group buys, looks like a bit more work than putting together a t5 setup, but the results can be impressive looking.
|
|
Mattfudd
Guest
Joined: March 14 2004
Status: Offline
Points: 41
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: April 14 2010 at 6:16pm |
|
Is there a benifit of led cd pc or t5??
|
|
bugzme
Guest
Joined: May 22 2004
Location: West Jordan
Status: Offline
Points: 4815
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: April 14 2010 at 6:18pm |
|
t-5 and MH's are awesome imo
|
|
Jeff
125 tank
50 gallon sump
T-5 lighting
Rum drinker, Carbon User
I KNOW ROCKS THAT ARE YOUNGER THEN ME!! I AM A Realist! I write what I think!!
|
|
Mattfudd
Guest
Joined: March 14 2004
Status: Offline
Points: 41
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: April 14 2010 at 6:41pm |
|
Okay, but what are the benifits of T5 vs LED...
|
|
bugzme
Guest
Joined: May 22 2004
Location: West Jordan
Status: Offline
Points: 4815
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: April 14 2010 at 6:51pm |
|
LED's are way out of my price range! Ilike the color t-5's put out.
|
|
Jeff
125 tank
50 gallon sump
T-5 lighting
Rum drinker, Carbon User
I KNOW ROCKS THAT ARE YOUNGER THEN ME!! I AM A Realist! I write what I think!!
|
|
gobbly
Guest
Joined: March 30 2010
Location: Salt Lake City
Status: Offline
Points: 44
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: April 14 2010 at 7:06pm |
|
PC's are just less efficient than T5's, similar idea though. If you are going with tubes, go T5, it's just the newer technology basically. LED's are a little more to get into, but as I said, I have seen really good prices for DIY group buys, with fixtures running around $300 range when done. This has meant soldering and wiring though, so it's an involved DIY compared to setting up T5's or MH's. It's at least worth looking into. they are even cooler than T5's, usually are rated for 50,000 hour, which means you'll probably be thinking about upgrading to plasma by the time you had to worry about replacing led units. They use a lot less power than pretty much anything else in the price range. On the down side, once you pick your led colors and mixture, changing the light color is going to mean replacing led's, and for the same PAR output they are typically a little more money than a diy t5 fixture..
|
|
