Lighting Solution?

[Seriak]

I am building a Refugium in my basement and need some advice on the lighting requirements.

What should I get? It is a 25 gallon aquarium. Standard dimensions.

I would like to build something myself to save on cash. Can I get the required ballasts, endcaps, etc at a place like home depot or do I have to pay the higher prices at a pet store.

Starting from scratch here.

Thank in advance.

[Delphinus]

Any idea what kind of lighting you're interested in?

If it's halide lighting, like a 150W or a 175W which might work well for over a 25, unfortunately HD doesn't carry the ballasts anymore, you'll need to check places like Britelite, Litemore, or even BumperCrop or QuickGrow for the ballast and mogul sockets. Although mogul sockets can sometimes be found at Revy and HD. However expect to pay $60-100 for the ballast, unless you can find a good deal somewhere (it sometimes happens), or someone who has one (or some) to sell .

If it's PC lighting, I'm not certain at all where you can get a good deal on ballasts and sockets and etc. locally. Good deals can be found on mail-order though. Workhorse ballasts are a good choice, because they're electronic so they can be used to overdrive bulbs, and you can use them for PC lighting, NO fluorescents, VHO fluorescents, and possibly even combinations thereof (but don't quote me on that).

If it's fluorescent lighting, then indeed just about everything you need can be found at HD (except for VHO). With the one exception that you may still want to pay a visit to a hydroponics shop because they can sell you mylar, and/or polished aluminum reflectors, which tend to be worthwhile. I've used the standard white stand-off type endcaps in the past, and didn't have any problems with the sockets, but I would imagine that if condensation is going to be likely inside of the lighting fixture, that you may want to consider the waterproof endcaps. Again locally I don't know if there's a fantastic price on those anywhere, but they're not totally unreasonably priced, but of course with mail-order you can usually do better.

Anyways just my $0.02 ... HTH ... :)

[GregJ]

Seriak, Check out this web site, yoy can get a 175W MH kit everything included for 129.00 and they said that they could make it cheaper if you didn't want the light .

http://www.thcbc.com/
Just go to catalogue and then go to wired and unwired kits

HTH ,Greg

[aquamansilver]

Would it not be an overkill to put a 175w MH on a 25 gallons refugium??? I wonder...

[Canadian Man]

Would it not be an overkill to put a 175w MH on a 25 gallons refugium??? I wonder...

Not nessecaraly.(spelling :roll: )
My Sargassum grows about 1/4 per day in height with a 175w halide on my refugium. 8)

[aquamansilver]

Hummm what about the heat? I suspect that having a 175w MH over a 25g must heat the water big time? no?

[Canadian Man]

Well not really, I actually wish that I had a 400w on my refugium.
It's part of my basement sump and I have to have 750w of heaters in the tank durring the winter as my basement gets very cold. So for my set up there's no worries about too much heat with lights.

[Tau2301]

Jon

All you need to warm up your basement is a cold air return at the floor level.

Your basement is already insulated?

[Canadian Man]

Kim,
Yea the basement is insulated.
There are cold air returns intalled but not at floor level. The heater output ducts are also at celing height.
So if move the cold air return to the floor that would help?
What about the heater outputs?

[Delphinus]

I think it would help, but you definitely first want the return(s) lowered. Obviously we all know heat rises. So the return will pull air downwards. If the return is in the ceiling, and the vents are in the ceiling, the hot air comes out at the top, stays at the ceiling then gets pulled back into the return. If the vents are in the ceiling, and the return is at the floor, then hot air comes out at the top, but will at least have a force trying to pull it down. If the vents are on the floor too, then hot air comes out at the floor, and pulled out at the floor (just like the other levels of the house, usually), and this does seem to be more comfortable (from what houses I've seen like this, anyways). Of course, most often basements are developed with both vents and returns at the ceiling, which makes it a PITA after the fact to change around, so if you're thinking about developing your basement I do recommend giving this some thought. It's not always possible to lower your vents (for one, they will have to be in a wall unless you're keen to rip up your floor), but usually the return can be on a wall so that's no biggie.

Alternatively, set up two or three tanks using halides in the basement, I guarantee this will warm up your basement too. :) (Worked for me anyways 8) )

[Tau2301]

Tony is right. You have to create air circulation. Moving the cold air return to floor level is the easiest as it is only one intake rather than a lot of vents.

For the inlaws I just used some flexible dryer vent hose and ran it down an unfinished wall then stuck a intake grill at the bottom. This was a good way to test the best placement of the intake, for the best circulation. The basement is now finished and the dryer hose is now hidden.

I personally have to add another return in my basement because of the L shape. The one intake does not have enough draw for the whole basement.

[Canadian Man]

Thanks Fellows!
I will keep this in mind when I start to develope my basement soon