# Need ideas for 40G lighting and lid?



## The King Crabb (Jun 28, 2011)

I have basically zero electrical experience and I'm looking for the cheapest option. One thing I thought of would be to get (3) 1"x6" boards and make one have hinges and the other two stay there. The bottom would be coated in drylok so the wood wouldn't warp. Then maybe add some waterproof LEDs to the bottom of the wood? I don't know, just something I thought of. I want it to look good too, it will be in my room so I'll be seeing it every day and want to be pleased with my work :wink:


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## The King Crabb (Jun 28, 2011)

The King Crabb said:


> I have basically zero electrical experience and I'm looking for the cheapest option. One thing I thought of would be to get (3) 1"x6" boards and make one have hinges and the other two stay there. The bottom would be coated in drylok so the wood wouldn't warp. Then maybe add some waterproof LEDs to the bottom of the wood? I don't know, just something I thought of. I want it to look good too, it will be in my room so I'll be seeing it every day and want to be pleased with my work :wink:


Dimensions: 36"x18"


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## The King Crabb (Jun 28, 2011)

Anyone?


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

I went with the simple as well as cheap on mine. Looks good until you look inside at the lights. They are pretty basic. Ultimate in simple to wire and mount. You have to be able to screw a lid on which pierces the wire insulation, silicone around it to seal and then screw in the bulbs.

First small tank inside the door for a view with the lid closed. 









View of the lights inside.









The canopy doesn't have to be this involved but I wanted my filter at the end rather than the long side. A square box with a hinged lid is all that is needed. Just a point to mention is that CFL glass runs cool enough that they don't shatter when water hits them so I use no glass shields between them and water. The electrical portions are sealed with silicone.

Closeup of light on a 55. The cap at the end unscrews, you lay the wires in and two points pierce the insulation as you screw the lid on again. 

















Lighting materials list:
Cheap extention cord - $1.50 gets you a cord with the plug already on. Cut the other end off. 
Construction bulb holder- 2.25 per holder
CFL bulbs Less than 2.00 per bulb

A five bulb string for a 55 totals about $20-$25 but you can put the light anywhere you want it.


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## The King Crabb (Jun 28, 2011)

That definitely looks like a good option! 
How do plants do with this method? 
How many bulbs would light up a 40G well?
Where did you get the mirror piece you have on there?
Do you need any special paint reflective paint for the interior?

Would these work http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R ... ogId=10053
My only worry would be the evaporation getting up to it, if that would happen these would work, http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R ... ogId=10053 , right?


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## dsouthworth (Sep 7, 2011)

If you seal everything, the condensation wont be a problem.
even if you dont seal anything it should be fine but these are just precautions.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

Check the plants in the small tank near the door. I use this tank as a fry grow out but also start my plants in pots to move to other tanks where they have more trouble. I find they grow better in the small tank. I use 4 6500K CFL but often unscrew a couple to reduce the heat. For a 40, I would think 4 would do it. I used 5 on the 55 but it is more than my low light plants need. I cut the mirror down from a cheap large mirror but I don't recommend it. Too much trouble to cut mirrors and little gain. I just use white Rustoleum brand oil base for sealing. Most house type paints are used to seal against weather if there are exterior grade. Inside a canopy is much less difficult than the outside of your house. No freeze/thaw and sun to deal with. I like a smooth finish as it reflects a bit more and is easy to wipe down.

Either of those might work okay but the first is going to be bulky and require a larger area to mount. The second might be good but you do hae to cut wires and splice them. Just a bit harder to work with no tools and experience. Let me take some pictures of what I use and see if it might suit better. Lots of ways to do the same thing so we need to sort out what fits each of us.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

There are two different types of these temporary construction bulb holders. One carried by Lowe's which I don't like. The other carried by Home Depot which I do like. Sorry I only have one of the less prefered types to take pictures of short of taking my lights apart. Both work the same, except the one I like has a screw on lid and this one has a "gate" which swings shut to close on the wires. It seems a bit more nuisance to seal with silicone and I have to push harder to close the gate. The one in the picture is from a salt tank and has lots of corrosion so try to ignore that part.

Bulbholder installed on wire- gate closed









Bulbholder open showing contacts which piecre insulation (red arrows)









One reason I like these is the way I work on DIY projects. Sometimes it is not something I have fully planned and I may need to take it apart and add more lights or move them some. These bulbholders don't require cutting and stripping insulation that would have to be repaired to move the bulb. There is little damage to the insulation with only a small hole which I can just smooth some silicone over to seal.

The insulation after the bulbholder is removed. Just pin pricks. These small holes are inside the holder when in use and I seal the wire entrance with silicone. I feel this is quite safe due to the small hole and sealed as well. 









It just makes a very easy, cheap, and versatile system but is NOT a real pretty project. It just works to do what I wanted.


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## The King Crabb (Jun 28, 2011)

Thanks for all the help! Where did you get your CFLs? I'm having troubles finding ones with a good color temperature, most are only 2,700K


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

I did find some trouble with the stores I normally hang around. I was able to find close (maybe 5500?) but stuck with the search and found 6500 at Home Depot. They were called "daylight" bulbs. I have not looked in the last three months or so and the stock does change.


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## The King Crabb (Jun 28, 2011)

Highest color spectrum I can find at Home Depot under a "color spectrum" is 5,000K. I'll keep looking and thanks for the help!

Found these at Homedepot http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R ... ogId=10053 They have 10" leads, will that make it harder to solder/ wire tie them to the power source (extensions cord). I can also find these at lowes ( http://www.lowes.com/pd_75128-37672-884 ... facetInfo= ) would these work and be easier?


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

While both might work, I would find some fault with them. One big one is the way they connect to the main wire. the first requires cutting the insulation off the main wire, Splicing in the fixture wire and then insulating the joint. This is not a hard job but does take some time and technigue which I avoid even though I could do it. Getting the insulation repaired well enough to trust it for this is a little too much. The second requires cutting insulation off the main wires and wrapping them onto the screw, to be tightened down. This can be iffey over the long term as corrosion can get between the screw head and wire and make it stop working. After it is wired the screw is still sticking out and really needs to be insulated to avoid any chance of shocks.

I've looked at the Lowe's site and did not find the holders I use. I've found that there are a lot of smaller items not listed on their website but carried in the stores. These won't be found with the lamp repair items but along the aisle where plugs and switches for houses are kept. 
Temorary construction bulbholders may be close to the proper name. Now does the current clerk know he has them????? I prefer the one from Home Dept if you have them in your area. How about farm and ranch supply stores? They might be likely to carry these as well.


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## The King Crabb (Jun 28, 2011)

I'm about to head out to get some dinner so I'll see if I can swing by Homedepot or Lowes (or both) and see what I can find! Hopefully I'll find something that works 

When you say "inside the screw head" you mean wire screws, the things that kind of look like toothpaste caps (sorry I'm really inexperienced here :lol: )? What if I soldered the wires together then covered them in silicone to ensure that they would be waterproof?


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## dsouthworth (Sep 7, 2011)

That would work too. but its alot safer if you use the "toothpaste caps". It keeps the wires separated and will avoid a short alot better. maybe you silicone the caps as well.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

I was speaking of the second link. There is a brass screw hanging down in the picture. That is where the wire is attached, I believe. One has to strip the insulation and wrap the wire around this screw to make the connection. Then the whole thing is meant to go into an insulating socket like a lamp. But in our use it would be left out so it would need to be covered someway so that you would not touch it and possibly get a shock. I do lots of wirng and this is a method that can give trouble with stranded wire. Inside the extention cord the "wire" is actually made of many tiny wires twisted together. These tiny wires tend to catch as the screw is tightened if not done with some technique. It is something I don't recommend for first time guys. No offence intended but just trying to avoid you building a load of tension! Fussy little things take the fun out of DIY. 

Then when you get done the water can creep under the screw and create problems with corrosion.


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## The King Crabb (Jun 28, 2011)

So neither of these you'd recommend for first timers? What would be a technique that would be a little more beginner friendly?


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

I may have confused things with my drawing. The temporary construction bulb holders are great for first time projects. The one I like best is the one where the end cap unscrews. You split the extention cord with a knife or such and lay the wires in the grooves. No worry about which wire goes where. Two wires for two grooves! When the lid is screwed back in place the connections are made by the small points marked in the pictures. Then I seal the opening with silicone and mount them. If there is worry about water getting in at the space where the bulb screws in, I seal it, too. At the end of the cord which I cut the female plug off, I cut it short enough that it is left inside the lid and sealed when I seal the small openings. No need of screw on caps but they could be used if you wanted to the leave wire longer for future changes. No need to do fussy wire stripping or splicing that might be awkward to first time guys. Once mounted and the wire run so it is out of the way, you just plug it into the wall or timer. These are intended for construction sites before the electrical panels are placed. They just run a pair of wires around through the top of the building and clip the bulb holders in place. If they get in the way of equipment being placed, they just unclip the bulbholder and move them over.


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## The King Crabb (Jun 28, 2011)

I can't seem to find these glorified screw on bulb holders on any website... Do you think they'll still have them in-store?


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