CGill311 Posted April 30, 2006 Share Posted April 30, 2006 Steel, I saw this mod originally on one of your other threads, so I built my fuge and light today. I made a run to Home Depot and picked up the Hampton Bay Desk Lamp (#207142) for $20. I found the floor lamp you refer to for $35. After a quick inspection, I found both lamps used the same 27 Watt, 6500 K compact fluorescent bulb manufactured by Lights of America. Naturally, I bought the cheaper desk lamp, thinking I'll be able to engineer some way to place the light. After unpacking it at home, I found the light arm and base are two separate pieces that attach by a single screw. I made a second run to HD for a corner bracket to mount the light arm to the back of my NC cabinet. All I had to do was drill 2 holes in the back of my cabinet and an additional two holes in the bracket to mount the light arm. This method works out well, b/c the light is still very adjustable. Then, I cut the black vinyl from my 2006 NC, exposing the middle chamber using a ruler for a straight edge and a swiss army keychain knife. I'm attaching some pics. It was an easy mod, and it's still fairly clean. Plus you don't need much space between your NC and the wall. Total build cost: Desk lamp - $19.99 3" bracket - $3.79 Nuts & bolts - $0.98 Flat washers - $0.72 Hope this helps! Link to comment
steelhealr Posted May 2, 2006 Author Share Posted May 2, 2006 Excellent Job CGill. Now..I think if you pull the light away from the glass a tad, you'll find that it will illuminate more of the chamber (light bends when it hits glass and water). Check it out. WTG. BTW...I pulled a third of my chaeto out less than two weeks ago and it completely grew back. I have to throw it out since I have that macroalgae in my tank and I can't offer it to anyone safely. SH Link to comment
NanoCube-boy Posted May 2, 2006 Share Posted May 2, 2006 What do you mean "can't offer to anyone safely"? Looks like my 13watt daylight working from azoo. digged my hand in yesturday and it felt like a bush in the sump. I going to trim it if I have time in the weekend. Link to comment
steelhealr Posted May 3, 2006 Author Share Posted May 3, 2006 I have a rampant red macro in my tank...spores...SH Link to comment
EclipseAgent Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 Steel, I saw this mod originally on one of your other threads, so I built my fuge and light today. I made a run to Home Depot and picked up the Hampton Bay Desk Lamp (#207142) for $20. I found the floor lamp you refer to for $35. After a quick inspection, I found both lamps used the same 27 Watt, 6500 K compact fluorescent bulb manufactured by Lights of America. Naturally, I bought the cheaper desk lamp, thinking I'll be able to engineer some way to place the light. After unpacking it at home, I found the light arm and base are two separate pieces that attach by a single screw. I made a second run to HD for a corner bracket to mount the light arm to the back of my NC cabinet. All I had to do was drill 2 holes in the back of my cabinet and an additional two holes in the bracket to mount the light arm. This method works out well, b/c the light is still very adjustable. Then, I cut the black vinyl from my 2006 NC, exposing the middle chamber using a ruler for a straight edge and a swiss army keychain knife. I'm attaching some pics. It was an easy mod, and it's still fairly clean. Plus you don't need much space between your NC and the wall. Total build cost: Desk lamp - $19.99 3" bracket - $3.79 Nuts & bolts - $0.98 Flat washers - $0.72 Hope this helps! Thanks, I am going to have to do this. I went to home depot earlier today, but didn't look too hard for the "desktop lamps". Do you know what section this one was in? I am going to hopefully pick it up this weekend, and find a way to mount the puppy. Awesome pictures and writeup. Thanks. Link to comment
NanoDog Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 Thanks, I am going to have to do this. I went to home depot earlier today, but didn't look too hard for the "desktop lamps". Do you know what section this one was in? I am going to hopefully pick it up this weekend, and find a way to mount the puppy. Lighing They were stacked up in boxes for 19.97.. The executive series one and a Casa Blanca clone.. Mine's apart on the table right now, trying to attach yet one more thing to my tank... Link to comment
CGill311 Posted May 13, 2006 Share Posted May 13, 2006 Steel, It's amazing how well this mod works. Ever since I did this, my nitrates have never ventured above zero, and the algae in my tank disappeared completely. I guess the chaeto eats up all the nutrients. It's been about 2 weeks now since I started my fuge, and I'll probably thin out my macro soon. I highly recommend this mod to anyone. The results are fantastic! Link to comment
steelhealr Posted May 14, 2006 Author Share Posted May 14, 2006 It's amazing, right? In fact, they don't budge from zero now. It was one of the greatest DIYs to hit this website if you ask me. The bottom line here..as I mentioned earlier in the post, is that the improved lighting drives photonsythesis CRAZY. When the chaeto grows, it needs protein to sythesize mass. Nitrates are FERTILZER for plants and provide the nitrogen needed for growth. Growing chaeto equals depleted nitrates. Simple. My yellow Fiji leather almost never closes now, except sometimes at night. I only scrape diatoms once every 2 weeks. How bout you CGill...have your diatoms diminished as well? Good work. SH PS.....make sure you buy 1 or 2 bulbs as back up in case they get scarce. I left a thread on it here somewhere. SH Link to comment
owenz Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 Has anyone tried putting a mini-freshwater CF fixture like this one on the back of their tank? Spectrum should be perfect for chaeto. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod...2&N=2004+113345 My main issue for me is light spillover, as my 24G tank is in my bedroom (it is an Aquapod, but I believe the same mod can be made ~ will report the results). The main concern would be heat, obviously? Do you guys think heat would be an issue with a light this powerful being placed directly against the glass of the rear wall? Link to comment
owenz Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 FWIW, I picked up an 18W PC fixture from Nanocustoms. (It's actually 2x9 W) The site lists the 50/50 version, but Chris was able to get me the one with 6700K bulbs for the same price. (great service!!) I wanted this fixture in particular because it is very thin and there is little space behind my cube. It's illuminating the middle chamber. I had to prop it up so it gets the top half of the tank, since the chaeto floats up there. So far I am very happy with it. The chaeto is growing, what more can I ask for? Horseflesh - did you end up being happy with this light? Were there any heating issues? They have them on sale at Dr. Fosters right now for $25. Link to comment
steelhealr Posted May 17, 2006 Author Share Posted May 17, 2006 THe fixture should work fine....the light we are using is 6700K..the same wavelength. SH Link to comment
Mr. Fosi Posted May 17, 2006 Share Posted May 17, 2006 the light we are using is 6700K..the same wavelength. Not to split hairs, but 6700K is a color temp, not a wavelength. I suppose it could be called a "collection of wavelengths", but there are many different combinations of light wavelengths that will produce a color temperature of 6700K. Link to comment
owenz Posted May 17, 2006 Share Posted May 17, 2006 THe fixture should work fine....the light we are using is 6700K..the same wavelength. SH Well, it makes sense that lights designed specifically to grow freshwater plants would work well for macros. Link to comment
sleepy Posted May 20, 2006 Share Posted May 20, 2006 I like this "Diy" do you guys think i could rig this up on my AC110? Do you think the tinted plastic interferes with the light? I wouldent think it would be any worse than glass. Anyway, do yall think i should cut a square out of it, or let it shine through the plastic? Link to comment
angelocarusone Posted May 22, 2006 Share Posted May 22, 2006 I have a 2006 NC6...it does indeed seem like plastic back there. Has anyone figured out a way to get this off yet? Link to comment
JHipkin Posted May 22, 2006 Share Posted May 22, 2006 To JHipkin....I had similar 'miniscule' changes in my chaeto that I thought were huge amounts of growth. That light you have is probably way below the Kelvin temp necessary to foster photosynthesis and active growth. The higher and faster the growth rate of chaeto, the more proteins are necessary for growth, the higher the need for fertilizer (nitrates), the greater the reduction in one's tank. Now, I grow an entire chamber of chaeto in the same amount of time. I think your wooden housing looks great....you should just change the light spectrum. SH The bulb blew so I replaced the fixture w/ a mini PC light. Better results already. I will post a pic shortly. Link to comment
gilly76 Posted May 23, 2006 Share Posted May 23, 2006 angelocarusone, you can peel off the backing off the NC6. I did it with mine Link to comment
angelocarusone Posted May 23, 2006 Share Posted May 23, 2006 angelocarusone, you can peel off the backing off the NC6. I did it with mine Hooray! Looks like I have myself a weekend project. Link to comment
DRoy1124 Posted July 22, 2006 Share Posted July 22, 2006 will the back of my tank (12 gallon aquapod) just "peel" off like that in the 2nd picture? Link to comment
bigk Posted July 23, 2006 Share Posted July 23, 2006 So has anyone found out how to do this on an Aquapod 24? Link to comment
bigk Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 Ok, so now I know it can be done on AP's but which chamber should I cut the backing off? The intake chamber or the pump? Any tips from the AP guys who have done this? Link to comment
KrustyKrab Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 I would like to hear some opinions on this idea for lighting a fuge on a nano cube, I have been reluctent to cut up the back of my DX and have a rigged palm light flooding the room with light. So I was thinking about other ideers and saw these lights at petco http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_det...D=1153958422692 I was thinking you could put 2 of these suction cupped on opposite sides of the top of the chamber walls and the lid would close normally and you wouldn't have to cut the back up. The 2 things that I can think off that suck is that you have to buy the power adapter for $30 and 2 seperate white lights for $10 apiece since the power kit comes with red and blue lamps. The other thing I think about is that would 2 be enough for the cheato to grow even though you most likely could put 4 of these at the top of the chamber. What do you people think? Link to comment
o-nano Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 Here is what I did on my 24G DX. Cut the backing and velcro the light (coralife mini) Link to comment
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