Coralife 2x9w top on a 2.5g? How to keep from falling in?

[Darold]

I have the coralife 2x9w fixture currently siting on top of a glass top for my 2.5g AGA. However, this glass top fills the entire area (no room for HOB equipment). I am stuck sliding the top to the side a little in order to make room for mechanicle filter (also the only circulation in the tank). Are there generic legs for this? There is no area on the light built for the purpose of holding legs like my much larger coralife lighting fixture.

 

Any idea on how to make this work? It might not become too big of a problem, since I have a hood comming in soon. However, I think I might want to create another 2.5g since they are so much fun.

[nu2salt]

On my 1G pico I used 1/8 lexan & cut out for my ac mini. Stuff is just easier to notch out for things like hob & heaters. Made little lexan blocks for my aqualight to rest on for an air movement gap to min. heat buildup from the light with a fan blowing on it.. John

[LukeP77]

I have this same light set up. I emailed coralife and they dont make legs for this hood its just ment to sit on to of the tank.

 

I use a underwater fluval 1 for flow and filtration, its been working quite well for the last 3 months. I also have a min ph in there to add a little flow. And all this is coverd with a glass top. With the light sitting about 3 inches off the top on some tubing that I bought at Rona.

 

You might notice that you will have to add a fan to keep the temp on the light down.

[nu2salt]

I use myself a clipon 6" fan for cooling but a friend of mine installed 2 fans & a dc converter inside my aqualight.. It turned out real clean. All you see is the fans in the top of the light.

[Darold]

Thanks for the posts. Luckily it will probably be a while before I have a second 2.5g (on top of the 20L, and 5.5g, as well as the 75g FOWLR tank at a close friends house that is being set-up and requires my attention). Oh, did I mention schoolwork?

 

However, I hate to waste equipment, and this piece is just lying around. I might wind up having to sell it.

[LukeP77]

Let me know what you if you are going to sell.

This hobby is almost like a second part time job, but one I would much rather go to then work.

 

 

Hey Nu2Salt

Can you post a pic of what your hood looks like?

[nu2salt]

luke, I'll post this evening from home. I'll take & post some updated pics & detailed for a closer look. The whole steup really works great for the tank, especially for a 1G.. John

[nu2salt]

Luke, Here's the pics. The 1st one a little plurry. If you have any ??? PM me or email.. John

[nu2salt]

Lexan top.

[nu2salt]

Lexan blocks to keep about 1/2" for air flow.

[FishFreak]

You can also use egg crating which is available at any hardware store and just cut it.

[LukeP77]

What size are the fans? Iam using a cpu fan, at the momnent. It drops the temp down to 81.1 degree, what is your temp at?

Ill get some pics and post them later of what you set up looks like.

[patio]

im lookin at that hood, is this the only problem that you guys have had?

but if you just want a ghetto fix use rulers!

[Darold]

Good to see all of the options out there. Thanks for posting them.

[nu2salt]

The fans are just 2 3" cooling fans my friend had laying around the lfs he wasn't using. The fixture builds no heat what so ever.

[BKtomodachi]

Here is what I did becuase I felt the fixture was too hot: Made the ballasts remote. It was really really easy wiring ( I mean, c'mon, I can do it!). Took ten minutes and now the ballasts sit nicely behind the tank.

[vangvace]

I cut two strips of acrylic to sit my fixture on

[LukeP77]

This is what my set up looks like, I have the fluval underwater filter on one side with a small PH on the other side of the tank.

The light is supported on 4 pipes that I found at Rona. Small CPU fan that is wired in to a 4watt phone charger.

[Iwantanano]

For the glass top that comes with the tank that limits the use of hob filters i just went to home depot and purchased a 20" X 12" peice of acrylic plastic that i cut to fit the inner rim and i cut out an area for the filter and made little notches to run the powercords of the powerheads. I have a 2.5 gallon with the same lighting.

[kiltboy1675]

i just bought one for my 2.5 bowfront. is everyone happy with theirs and what types of corals do you keep?

[LukeP77]

Iam realy happy with mine,I had mushrooms and star polyps in mine and when I put the light on after a few weeks some brown polyps poped up. So it must be doing some good.

 

I just up'ed my tank to a 5.5 and am using the same light, I added a second light source to the side of the tank and every thing seems to be doing very well.

[Erkstevo]

Originally posted by LukeP77

This is what my set up looks like, I have the fluval underwater filter on one side with a small PH on the other side of the tank.  

The light is supported on 4 pipes that I found at Rona.  Small CPU fan that is wired in to a 4watt phone charger.

 

Nice pipe bomb pipes.

[deacon hemp]

LOL thats funny!!!

[LukeP77]

Originally posted by Erkstevo

Nice pipe bomb pipes.

 

 

Thanks, That is the same thing that I thought when I saw them.

 

I ended up taking the 2.5 down and replacing it with a 5.5g.

I still use the same light ever the top of it, but I also have a 13w 10000k on the side that is lighting every thing up nicely.

 

And the best thing about the new set up is not heat problems, I still use the fan but now it just blows across the water to keep air movement under the glass lid.

[bobinnola]

i hung mine, looks like a mini tank. oh wait, it is a mini tank! hmmm

(pic posted in gallery for illustration)

 

Bob