Lighting question

[gradoj]

I would like something like:

http://www.esuweb.com/cardfile.asp?ItemNumber=53526&IDProductRelationship=313

the aqualight pro series canopy without paying the high price. If I were to purchase the bare ballasts and lights can a person buy an empty canopy that everything could be mounted in?

Would I save much money?

Any companies sell empty canopies that would accommodate all of this?

Any comments or threads talking about people doing this would be appreciated. TIA.

[gradoj]

What do most people do? Build their own using wood?

[deep6er]

use wood. or if you just want a few t5's use rain guter, they even come with end caps.

[mark]

I had been looking to use that or similiar systems on my new tank.

Yesterday finally made my decision and gave OA my money for two complete PFO MH pendant systems which I'll be mounting in a DIY wooden hood. I'll run it for a bit and if I decide I want to supplement the MHs, I can easily I'll pick up a T5 retrokit a screw that in later.

[gradoj]

Okay, so I have been looking around and to do a DIY setup with 2xMH, 2xActinics and moon lighting plus building the wooden hood you are looking at spending much more than something like this is worth:

http://www.aquatraders.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=218

Anyone know anything about the above product? Seems like a very good price to me.

I was thinking I wanted the single ended bulbs but is there anything wrong with the more compact DE bulbs?

What advantage would there be to DIY as I wanted to build something very similar anyway?

[mr_alberta]

I don't really recall reading anything good about the Odyssea lights...in fact, if I remember correctly, I read that some of them actually caught on fire...

The DE bulbs require you to use a glass shield and a decent reflector/pendant. Without the glass shield you can cause both yourself and your inhabitants serious harm from the UV rays it emits (this applies to DE bulbs only as SE bulbs have a glass UV shield built in).

[adidas]

that is a good price! but if it's true they catch on fire, i would be nervous about buying it.

[adidas]

Without the glass shield you can cause both yourself and your inhabitants serious harm from the UV rays it emits

I didn't think it can harm the inhabitants as they have no UV protection from the sun in the wild, but ya, it would probably give us skin cancer lol

[muck]

I didn't think it can harm the inhabitants as they have no UV protection from the sun in the wild
Yes they do. Its called the Ozone Layer. :mrgreen:

[vanreefer]

I built my own hood it has 2 250W DE MH and I disassembled a coralife PC fixture for 4 65W which I now use for actinic... then got a reflector... cut, painted, stained, assembled... I like DIY but it took a while to get ballasts fixtures bulbs... then put it all together.
I figure I saved about $100 Probably spent half that on gas :lol:

PS I am building a new hood for the new 120 I'm getting together I just like the look of a wooden canopy that matches the stand (also DIY Angle Iron, with wood and acrylic)