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Lighting an odd tank

2K views 16 replies 9 participants last post by  Hoppy 
#1 ·
So I may be getting my hands on a tank that is 63" long x 9" tall x 9" wide. How am I gonna light this sucker? Want it to be low to med light and as cheap as possible. Oh also its rimless and I don't want to hang anything from the ceiling.

I'm so difficult :hihi:
 
#2 ·
a question is where is it going to be sitting? Ie on its own stand/ focal point in a room/ on a counter top/ bookshelf etc... And its so shallow, I wouldnt think it will take much to light it, are you a DIY'er? Kitchen under cabinet lighting or something like that could be used depending on where it will be positioned.
 
#5 ·
Going on the counter/bar between kitchen and living room, so it gotta be free standing/sitting on the tank. I am a Diy'er and figured I would have to do something custom.

I was considering LEDs too, do they even make a t5/t8 that are five feet long?
 
#9 ·
the T5 strip lights that home depot/lowes carry have two bulbs.

Since your tank is so shallow, you can probably buy a 4' one, rip everything apart, and stagger the light bulbs so the center has the intensity of two lamps, while the sides have one. Of course you would need to build a light box.

Sounds a bit confusing, but maybe this "picture" would help (the "0" are meant to be empty space):


bulb 1 ------------------------------000000000
bulb 2 0000000 ---------------------------------
 
#10 ·
If you use T5 lights you have to raise the light to about 12" above the substrate for one bulb, or about 16" for two bulbs, to avoid having much too high light and the algae problems that will lead to. I wouldn't even try it without reflectors with more than one bulb without raising it above the top of the tank.
 
#14 ·
Oh wow. That is an awesome tank shape. I own a 36X9X9, but I light mine with LEDs.


T8's like Hoppy suggested would work fine and be about as cheap as you'll get.


If you decide to go with LEDs, this will NOT be your cheapest route (to begin with) but you'd have something dimmable if you use a dimmable driver, repairable, easily modded, easily upgraded, and the LEDs last an eon.


If you just want to go cheap, you can load up on $2 LEDs at Satistronics.com (the 3w "pure white" look OK) and whichever driver you want. I suggest a dimmable driver, personally. For a heatsink you can use aluminum C-channel, a single strip would do it easily.
 
#15 ·
If you just want to go cheap, you can load up on $2 LEDs at Satistronics.com (the 3w "pure white" look OK) and whichever driver you want. I suggest a dimmable driver, personally. For a heatsink you can use aluminum C-channel, a single strip would do it easily.
If you put the LEDs on the inside of the channel, against the flat surface there, the channel acts as a good housing for the light too, saving more $$. Mount the driver on top in the middle and it doesn't detract much from the appearance. I would use 2" wide channel I think.
 
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