# 20g LONG hood!



## Aulonocara_Freak (May 19, 2011)

I am thinking of building a hood for my 20g LONG. The reason I am building it is because I can't find proper light's for my plant's.

So the plan is to get a 4 screw-in bulb bathroom light fixture, plywood, and wire. The case will be the plywood then the light fixture will screw on the top of the plywood and I will drill a hole for the wire's, and of course YES I HAVE A GLASS CANOPY.

Ok for the question's.

1. Does this sound safe?
2. Is there anytype of plywood that I need special?
3. Can anyone come up with a better idea?


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## xxbenjamminxx (Jan 22, 2011)

My only concern would be the amount of heat that the 4 bulbs would produce over a 20L. Might be hard to hold a consistent resonable temp.


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## ivanmike (Jun 15, 2003)

xxbenjamminxx said:


> My only concern would be the amount of heat that the 4 bulbs would produce over a 20L. Might be hard to hold a consistent resonable temp.


yeah - a side mounted muffin fan with vents on the opposite side might not be a bad idea if you want to use that many bulbs.


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## Aulonocara_Freak (May 19, 2011)

The only reason I didn't put a fan is because I am using the 13 watt mini cfl's.

Do they produce that much heat?


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## The King Crabb (Jun 28, 2011)

Not a whole lot... But the I'd still do the fan just to be safe :thumb:


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## Aulonocara_Freak (May 19, 2011)

So a pc fan will do right?


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## Ichy (Oct 26, 2003)

Well you asked me in chat to post this info

leave the back open , cut holes in top with an arbor and cross ventilate that should help relieve some heat


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## pistolpete (Dec 28, 2009)

IMO a fan is not necessary, especially with CFL's. Just leave the back open and leave a gap between the bulbs and the wood. Also remember that the further forward your lighting is, the better the fish look.

What I have done before is build a simple box about 6"x6"X length of tank. Then put the lights inside and add about 3/4" feet so that it sits on top of the glass canopy, but has room to ventilate. the wood gets warm but never hot. special plywood is not necessary, but 3 coats of varathane inside and out are a good idea.


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## Aulonocara_Freak (May 19, 2011)

Ok sound's good!


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

I have 4 -13 watt CFL in an enclosed wooden hood. The heat can get to be a problem at times as my hood is built to have the HOB at the end and that pretty well fills that end. The end is the only place I had to vent heat. No problem with burning wood, etc., just warms the water. One way to solve this is to put the lights on a timer. Another is to unscrew two bulbs if the heat begins to build high enough to worry about. For growing plants and reducing algea, putting the lights on for a time and then cutting them off for an hour or so retards the algea but not the plants. That gives you a good time to cool it a bit while you are gone to work, etc. I find just a simple white gloss paint job does for adding light and protecting the wood.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

My bulb mounting and canopy.


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## The King Crabb (Jun 28, 2011)

I like it! A picture from the front view of the tank, in order to see the effects on the fish, would also be very helpful!


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## Aulonocara_Freak (May 19, 2011)

*PfunMo,* thank's that a nice example.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

Snapped a couple pics but I'm not a good photog. I fail to remember that this tank gets a reflection from the white door! That explains the washed out right side. Not the lights in the tank fault. I use this tank as a combo low tech planted and fry growout tank. It never gets large fish and the plants are often just to get them started before moving them to other tanks. The lights and small fish are good for starting plants before moving them in with larger, rougher fish. No CO, minimum ferts and just the 4 CFL for light.










The plants and fish both seem to do well in the combo. Note the small herd of ahli growouts. 
They always think it's time to eat. 









Works well for what I want from it.


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## J.B. (Jul 14, 2007)

I've got a 75-gal with a wooden, open-back canopy and I have an eight-bulb bathroom bar mounted in it, with the same 13w (6,500k) CFL bulbs. I don't have any issues with over-heating, in fact, the tank stays at a comfortable 78Ã‚Â­Ã‚Â­Ã‚Â°F. The lights sit right above the water surface and I've got glass covers to protect them from any splashing.










Plenty of light!


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## Aulonocara_Freak (May 19, 2011)

*J.B.,* wow! Exactly what I plan to do besides it will be a hood not a canopy. Thanks! 

*PfunMo,* thank's again. It seem's like my planning paid off.

Can anyone explain how they wired it up? And possibly some pic's?


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## Aulonocara_Freak (May 19, 2011)

any fishie electrician's out there?


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

Some of us fishy guys took a time out to go to an auction! As for the wiring on most lights there is only a few things to know. If you think of light bulb wiring, there is a smiple way to tell it. Think of your left and right arms as the two wire in a an extention cord. You can tie as many lithgts across between your two arms as the circuit breakers and wire size will support. Just don't let any part of your arms touch each other, like at the ends where your hands are. Just stick some silicone over the ends and conceal them inside the fittings so you don't touch them accidentally. In talking tank lights , there is no worry about too many if you use most any lamp cord. I use cheap extention cords as that gives the cord with the plug molded on at a better price than wire alone. I cut the female end off as unneeded. If you get up past 15-20 CFL in a row, you make need to check it but that is a lot of light for a tank. Five bulbs light my 75 gallon.


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## Aulonocara_Freak (May 19, 2011)

I will be using an extension cord so basically connect the wire's and use some wire nut's?

There will be 4 light socket's in the fixture.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

Yes, That is prettty much it. This is a drawing for simple lights.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

Sorry, I only drew three!


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## Aulonocara_Freak (May 19, 2011)

PfunMo said:


> Sorry, I only drew three!


You should be ashamed! :x LOL!

What would I be insulating? It's a regular bathroom light fixture, it has a NEGATIVE and POSITIVE wire and maybe a ground.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

Okay. Wrong drawing! For a ready made fixture, just connect the cord wires to the black and white wires from the fixture with wire nuts. Crank those nuts down pretty tight and then adding some tape to hold them on is a good idea. Try to find a way to secure the cord to the fixture or canopy, etc. so that if one trips over the cord, it doesn't pull the connection apart. The ground wire would be connected to the house ground in normal use for the fixture but for lamps and portable stuff, it is not used.


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## Aulonocara_Freak (May 19, 2011)

Thank's for the tip's!  Also the wire's will all be hidden.

Tiny bit confused on the ground wire info, so it won't have one right?


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

Note. There is no need to worry too much about negative/positive in this case. In AC (alternating current) wiring that is changing 60 times a second and really doesn't matter to the operation like it would in DC. Unless you buy a cord with a polorized plug, you may plug it in backwards half the time any way.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

Right. No ground wire unless you buy a three wire extention cord which would have a green ground wire that could be tied to the fixture ground wire. Slight bit of safety involved but not much. In theory, the ground would protect you if one of the bare wires came into contact with the metal fixture. In a bathroom the fixture might be energized and when you touched the light and plumbing pipes or water you could be shocked. In a fish tank, one might think the same with the water but it is usually not true. The water in the bathroom is in metal pipes which run through the ground. In the tank the water is not likely to be connected to ground and so you would not be likely to be shocked. Pretty much like the lamp on a table at your chair. They are often not grounded.


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## Aulonocara_Freak (May 19, 2011)

Ok that answer's that!  Thank you so much!

Pic's to come soon, and if anyone else has anything to share PLEASE DO!


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## ivanmike (Jun 15, 2003)

use a ground wire - this will be used around water. FWIW, IMO all aquarium equipment should have a ground wire and be connected to GFIs


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## Aulonocara_Freak (May 19, 2011)

I am now debating what I should do. If I do chose a ground wire where can I get an extension cord with ground?


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

Brings up the question of why equipment around tanks should be grounded. Do you have a reason other than it is around water. Water itself is not a hazard concerning electricity. Can you give us some more indepth thinking on why? I might point out that your heater, filters, or commercial lights are not grounded.


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## Aulonocara_Freak (May 19, 2011)

The only reason I would have it grounded is because water is around it. Also I'm an extra careful guy! If the ground wire extension cord isn't pricey I rather be safe then sorry.


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## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

*PfunMo*
my commercial lights all have a ground wire... so do the heavier duty pumps. Not sure why... just throwing that out there.

I tend to agree that the ground wire isn't needed.


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## Aulonocara_Freak (May 19, 2011)

The thing though is connecting the ground wire that hard? My current light and pump have a ground!


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## The King Crabb (Jun 28, 2011)

PfunMo said:


>


So the lights are hanging in the middle of the tank, suspended there by two wires, one on either side? Also, how do you tell which wire goes to which, is there a color matching thing? Sorry if these are obvious questions, I haven't done this yet (prepare before do, my motto) and I'm not experienced in electrical wiring at all.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

A ground is not a bad thing and I do like safety. It gets back to the way current flows and why it can kill people. The current has to have a full path to flow like water in a hose with the end shut. If there is not way for the current to get from the wire through your body into the water and then to ground , it just doesn't flow. In the bath or kitchen, the plumbing is often metal and that makes the water have an easy path to ground so it can run through your body and to the ground so that you can be hurt. Tank water , in most cases is not connected to ground so there is no path. The reason for the ground wire is to provide an easy path for the current to go to ground rather than the more difficult ( high resistance) through your body if there is a failure in the insulation somewhere.

Connecting the ground wire is not hard, if one buys a cord with the third wire there, I would certainly connect it to the ground of the fixture. This all assumes that the outlet you plug into also has the ground. Many older houses don't have grounded outlets and sticking a grounded plug into an outlet with no ground gets you nothing. Only lately has there been regulations to require grounding but it does not require retrofittting all the homes without. What's grounded and not seems to have little logic. Mixers, yes, toasters on the same counter, no. Your TV yes, the lamp no. Maybe it's a price thing. Spend over a hundred and they want to keep you. Less and they don't mind killing you??

Check back to the photo of my tank for mounting. I would not want the lights just humg over the center of the tank. Very awkward to work around. Glue them, tie them or whatever so they are out of the way. I find the plastic electrical ties very handy but then a big gob of silicone might do also. 
This is a canopy on a 55 arranged a different way.

















This was dumb. When I open the lid, the lights are shining right in my face. But when I am not working in the tank, it looks nice. It's the tank in the far left corner.


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## R-DUB (Jun 3, 2007)

Just a little input, They now make LED lights that fit an incandecent socket. There are many different K ratings to choose from. They do run much cooler even than CFL's. But I also think that they are directional. Meaning they do not emit light from the side of the bulb just from the face. Seen them at Lowes and they are quite pricey, but with increased longevity. Just a thought. Good builds BTW!


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## Aulonocara_Freak (May 19, 2011)

Hmm? That's a good point *PfunMo*. I think I will have a ground though.

*R-DUB,* I've looked at those LED strips at lowes but I am using this for plants and with the cost of all the strips I would need it would be more than 30 times the cost of the plan I mentioned above.

Please still coment everyone.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

If we can all keep an open mind, that is where we can all work out what's best for us in our particular situation. There is no one way to do most things so we need to do some back and forth and each work out what WE want for OUR tank. Too bad other groups that we should not mention can't do some of that!!!


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## R-DUB (Jun 3, 2007)

They are not LED strips. They are actual bulbs with LED's inside. The bulbs run anywhere from 10-30 bucks per bulb. Not much more than CFL's.They fit standard bulb socket. With LED's instead of a standard incandecent filament.


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## Aulonocara_Freak (May 19, 2011)

R-DUB said:


> They are not LED strips. They are actual bulbs with LED's inside. The bulbs run anywhere from 10-30 bucks per bulb. Not much more than CFL's.They fit standard bulb socket. With LED's instead of a standard incandecent filament.


Oh those thing's! They would do nothing for my plant's!


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## R-DUB (Jun 3, 2007)

They make new one that have the right K and par. I thought? :?


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## Aulonocara_Freak (May 19, 2011)

With led's it's alot different then regular light bulb's and tube light's.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

I like the look of led light but it is the price which stops me cold. As you say they run $10-30, but my CFL only cost $2 or less. For a five bulb string that makes a difference between $20 for CFL and $50- 150 for LED. Too big a price jump for me.


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## Aulonocara_Freak (May 19, 2011)

PfunMo said:


> For a five bulb string that makes a difference between $20 for CFL and $50- 150 for LED. Too big a price jump for me.


Exactly!


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## Aulonocara_Freak (May 19, 2011)

Well I decided not to go with a ground wire after doing some more research, I have a small water proof box that I will be stuffing all the wire nut's and everything in so there is no risk of water getting to the connection's. Also i will have a switch similar to this







where the wire goes in one side and out the other.

*Question:*
1. There are two way's the bulb's can go, sideway's or hanging. Which way should they go?

*PfunMo,* is there a reson why you have your's sideway's?

2. What material should I use as a reflector?


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

Twisty CFL's are not the best at directing the light. They tend to throw it in all directions rather than one way. Same complaint with incandesant, though. I mounted mine sideways as it reduces the reguired height of the canopy. That reduces the size wood used for the sides, making it cheaper to build. Maybe there is more light coming out the side than the top?? At the price of adding more bulbs if needed, I did not worry it too much. For a reflector, I tried adding a mirror in the top lid but I think it was wasted effort. Just white gloss paint would do as well. Shiny metal might help some but I decided to go with just paint and not worry the loss factor. Many of my DIY projects come down to what is handy and easy to get rather than the super quality thing.

For a switch, does the switch you show mount inline on the cord? That puts it in the line outside and away from the water. Saves any concern about corrosion from evaporation, etc.
Something like this, maybe?
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/LEVITON-Feed-Thru-Cord-Switch-2X547?Pid=search


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## Rick_Lindsey (Aug 26, 2002)

I can't remember where I was reading it, but I saw the results of a test someone did once, and unless you're actually using a parabolic (or other appropriately shaped) reflector, white paint did just as well or better than anything else.

For a CFL light fixture I'd definately just use white paint. For a t-5 on the other hand... .

-Rick (the armchair aquarist)


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## Aulonocara_Freak (May 19, 2011)

PfunMo said:


> Twisty CFL's are not the best at directing the light. They tend to throw it in all directions rather than one way. Same complaint with incandesant, though. I mounted mine sideways as it reduces the reguired height of the canopy. That reduces the size wood used for the sides, making it cheaper to build. Maybe there is more light coming out the side than the top?? At the price of adding more bulbs if needed, I did not worry it too much. For a reflector, I tried adding a mirror in the top lid but I think it was wasted effort. Just white gloss paint would do as well. Shiny metal might help some but I decided to go with just paint and not worry the loss factor. Many of my DIY projects come down to what is handy and easy to get rather than the super quality thing.
> 
> For a switch, does the switch you show mount inline on the cord? That puts it in the line outside and away from the water. Saves any concern about corrosion from evaporation, etc.
> Something like this, maybe?
> http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/LEVITON-Feed-Thru-Cord-Switch-2X547?Pid=search


If I understand correctly what your saying, the switch has two line inlet's, 1 to go in the switch and the other to go in the switch but to continue the flow of electricity. Like this







.

What about corrosion? :-?

Edit: Now I see that link, exactly what I will be getting.


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## DFishFox (Sep 27, 2011)

cute Festivum. How big is that tank?


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