Converting a fluorescent light control unit

ellectric · 04-02-2003, 10:51 AM

Please forgive me if this is a stupid question; is it possible to convert an 8w fluorescent light control unit by replacing the tube holder leads to ones large enough to accept 14w fluorescent tubes? I'm asking because I could save money if I do this. At the moment I have 1.6wpg in my tank but I want to upgrade to either 2.5 or more expensively 3wpg! Thanks in advance for your replies!

Michelle

GulfCoastAquarian · 04-02-2003, 04:03 PM

Without more information on your ballast (fluorescent light control unit) I can't be sure, but the answer is generally no. If you did extend the leads and put a 14w tube in there, the ballast would still only have 8 watts of energy to offer and the 14w tube would appear dimmer than it should.
Have you ever seen these 13w fluorescent swing-arm desk lamps?

Rex Grigg · 04-02-2003, 09:07 PM

Where did you find that lamp?

GulfCoastAquarian · 04-02-2003, 10:25 PM

Wal-Mart, of course. It was a few years ago. I think I paid around $20 for it.

Rex Grigg · 04-03-2003, 06:43 AM

Guess I'm going shopping tomorrow. I need some extra light for my 5.5 gallon tank. The strip light doesn't give good coverage.

GulfCoastAquarian · 04-03-2003, 01:59 PM

The phillips PL type lamp that comes with it is only 3000K, which does wonders for algae growth. They have 5000k and even 6500k 13w PL bulbs at bulbs.com but I did a quick remedy and covered the glass lid with a blue wal-mart bag. Light output is brought down to more manageable (non CO2 supplemented) levels and the algae problems is vastly reduced.

Moisted · 04-07-2003, 02:56 PM

Okay now, I'm really curious about this blue bag technique. Did you install the blue bag to reduce intensity of the light, or to convert the light to become bluer (by filtering out the yellow)?

Not too long ago, I replaced the incondecent bulb on my 5.5g with a compact florescent that I bought from Home Depot for $8. The new bulb is much brigther but it's rated 3000K, and come to think of it, I do get more algae now. Should I be doing the blue bag thing? What about the heat from the bulb and the possibility of burning the bag? won't the blue bag become brown bag in time?... :?

04-02-2003, 04:03 PM	#2 (permalink)
GulfCoastAquarian ///M (View User Tanks) PTrader: (5/100%) Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Winston-Salem, NC Posts: 3,574	Without more information on your ballast (fluorescent light control unit) I can't be sure, but the answer is generally no. If you did extend the leads and put a 14w tube in there, the ballast would still only have 8 watts of energy to offer and the 14w tube would appear dimmer than it should. Have you ever seen these 13w fluorescent swing-arm desk lamps? __________________ - Sam P - plantedtanker in limbo - all tanks currently in storage

04-02-2003, 09:07 PM	#3 (permalink)
Rex Grigg Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (65/100%) Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Portland Orygun Posts: 9,598	Where did you find that lamp? __________________ The Original Custom CO2 Regulator Dry Ferts Link to my Guide Purveyor of the Brutal Truth In Heaven We Were Formed... In Hell We Were Trained... On Earth We Were Released... United States Marine Corps!

04-02-2003, 10:25 PM	#4 (permalink)
GulfCoastAquarian ///M (View User Tanks) PTrader: (5/100%) Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Winston-Salem, NC Posts: 3,574	Wal-Mart, of course. It was a few years ago. I think I paid around $20 for it. __________________ - Sam P - plantedtanker in limbo - all tanks currently in storage

04-03-2003, 06:43 AM	#5 (permalink)
Rex Grigg Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (65/100%) Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Portland Orygun Posts: 9,598	Guess I'm going shopping tomorrow. I need some extra light for my 5.5 gallon tank. The strip light doesn't give good coverage. __________________ The Original Custom CO2 Regulator Dry Ferts Link to my Guide Purveyor of the Brutal Truth In Heaven We Were Formed... In Hell We Were Trained... On Earth We Were Released... United States Marine Corps!

04-03-2003, 01:59 PM	#6 (permalink)
GulfCoastAquarian ///M (View User Tanks) PTrader: (5/100%) Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Winston-Salem, NC Posts: 3,574	The phillips PL type lamp that comes with it is only 3000K, which does wonders for algae growth. They have 5000k and even 6500k 13w PL bulbs at bulbs.com but I did a quick remedy and covered the glass lid with a blue wal-mart bag. Light output is brought down to more manageable (non CO2 supplemented) levels and the algae problems is vastly reduced. __________________ - Sam P - plantedtanker in limbo - all tanks currently in storage

04-02-2003, 10:51 AM	#1 (permalink)
ellectric Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: London, UK Posts: 8	Please forgive me if this is a stupid question; is it possible to convert an 8w fluorescent light control unit by replacing the tube holder leads to ones large enough to accept 14w fluorescent tubes? I'm asking because I could save money if I do this. At the moment I have 1.6wpg in my tank but I want to upgrade to either 2.5 or more expensively 3wpg! Thanks in advance for your replies! Michelle

04-07-2003, 02:56 PM	#7 (permalink)
Moisted Newbie (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 4	Okay now, I'm really curious about this blue bag technique. Did you install the blue bag to reduce intensity of the light, or to convert the light to become bluer (by filtering out the yellow)? Not too long ago, I replaced the incondecent bulb on my 5.5g with a compact florescent that I bought from Home Depot for $8. The new bulb is much brigther but it's rated 3000K, and come to think of it, I do get more algae now. Should I be doing the blue bag thing? What about the heat from the bulb and the possibility of burning the bag? won't the blue bag become brown bag in time?... :?

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