What do I need for lighting

[Dubge]

I have been reading post on lighting here and there and they all look like another launguage to me 8O
Could someone send me in the right direction to what I might need to get for lighting? You might have to explain it as simple as possible.....like your explaining it to a monkey or something

thanks
Ray

 

[taikonaut]

Actually it will be very difficult to explain it to monkey....

Did you check the FAQ section, or the library section? I feel that most people just need to be familiar with the abbreviations like MH, NO, PC... let us know what specifically you need help with.

 

[Len]

Ya, lighting can be REALLY confusing. What size tank do you have (dimensions too)? And what would you like to keep? We can probably give you some recommendations on lighting systems.

If you'd like some defintions or an understanding of lighting, ask away I'll be happy to answer them.

 

[Anonymous]

hey len, where does this wire go?

:mrgreen:

 

[taikonaut]

Put my name on your life insurance, and hold the bare wire on your left hand, and plug it in with your right hand... :mrgreen:

 

[PilotNY]

Touch both wires to your tongue like a 9V battery. If it tingles, its live. hehehe

 

[taikonaut]

All kidding aside, if you are looking for lighting for your 75 gal fish only, NO, PC and VHO will be more than sufficient. If you want to do some other setup, as Len said, tell us more about it, and we can go from there. Or ask us specific question, since light setup is such a broad topic.

 

[Dubge]

I guess a specific bulb for a reg light strip wouldn't work. After doing some reading I understand some of it a little better.

 

[hdtran]

For fish only, a fluorescent off-the-shelf hood fixture for your 75 g tank will work. Get the biggest hood fixture you can; bright lighting makes the fish look good. Buy 50/50 bulbs, or get one blue (actinic) and one white.

If you're willing to spend a little more money, consider either a PC (power compact fluorescent) fixture or do a 'do it yourself' VHO (very high output fluorescent) fixture. I've got VHO, if going the DIY VHO route, find a buddy to show you the first time, or ask your LFS to help you assemble it. You need an electronic ballast, 'end caps', screws, wires, etc. For your 75g (I assume 48x18xsomething?), 220W (2 4ft bulbs) of VHO will be more than sufficient. I think you can probably do 220W of VHO for a bit over $200.

 

[Dubge]

Now here is another stab in the dark.....I have a couple of shop lights NIB in my garage, can those be used, adapted or modified to work?

Ray

 

[c0yote]

There's not much to an average shop light - a noisy magnetic ballast, cheap steel reflector and a pair of normal (not VHO) T12 lamps. That and you'd have to look at the thing every day. I'd stick with the aquarium hoods / lights.

 

[hdtran]

For a FO (FOwLR) tank, a 2-bulb shoplight fixture will generate, what, 80W? Replace the "cool daylight" fluorescent bulbs with 50/50 aquarium bulbs, and build a splash shield. That should be OK for the FOwLR tank (except, of course, it'll be noisy because of the magnetic ballast).