Hello fellow nano-nites and aquarists all. I am fairly new here and have been lurking around reading all the wonderful information that is in this forum but am having trouble finding “exactly” what I am looking for.
I have a 6 gal eclipse that I want to set up with the hopes of achieving something like Wombat or Blueasher, or any of the many others that I have seen and read about here. Soon I hope to have my own post with documentary pictures and notes on my buildup.
At this point in time I have not yet decided about the inhabitants. I know that will have bearing on some aspects but right now I am trying to figure out lighting… and therein lies my problem.
As I said, I have read every topic that I can find on the eclipses and DIY lighting mods. WaveFanatic has what looks to be similar to what I am trying. And I have followed several links to outside sources for information and ideas also.
My problem is; I can’t find the stuff! I see many posts that are a year or older, CSL is no longer around (I know Current took over), but I can’t seem to find “just what I want”.
What I would like to have is: Foremost, a system that will fit at least the bulbs and caps in the stock System 6 hood. I will remove the stock ballast/bulb assembly and the system filter if necessary but if I stick to my parameters I shouldn’t have to. I am working on a “hinge system using additionally purchased top frames so the depth can be up to 1” deeper. 26-36 watts in the “twin tube” compact fluorescents”. I think that should be sufficient without overkill for my needs. The swirl bulbs would be ok but I would like to get the ballasts out of the hood area to remove the heat (am I thinking correctly?) I will install fan(s) in the hood. Water proof end caps, as I do not want to have to cover the surface (doesn’t that cut down on oxygen transfer??) I would like to be able to run a 10k and a 50/50. I will add LED moonlights- those seem to be easy enough.
And I need to be able to run the lights on a timer, if that makes a difference between magnetic and electronic ballasts. I want to incorporate the new Coralife Dual Power Center.
I can find the bulbs pretty easily online. The trouble seems to be with the ballasts and the end caps. Maybe they are out there and I am just not finding them but the online resources seem to assume you know exactly what you are looking for… I don’t. None of them really explain the differences, pros/cons of the different type of plugs/sockets on the bulb types. Or I can find the bulbs, but not caps to fit them. And I am really having trouble finding ballast for the bulbs I want. Again, maybe they are there and I don’t know what I am looking for. I even considered getting one of the Coralife Mini or 12’ Aqualights and skeletonizing it for my purposes, but not sure how the ballasts are internally or if the end-caps are waterproof.
I know this is a long post. I appreciate any information any of you may have. Thank you all.
I have a 6 gal eclipse that I want to set up with the hopes of achieving something like Wombat or Blueasher, or any of the many others that I have seen and read about here. Soon I hope to have my own post with documentary pictures and notes on my buildup.
At this point in time I have not yet decided about the inhabitants. I know that will have bearing on some aspects but right now I am trying to figure out lighting… and therein lies my problem.
As I said, I have read every topic that I can find on the eclipses and DIY lighting mods. WaveFanatic has what looks to be similar to what I am trying. And I have followed several links to outside sources for information and ideas also.
My problem is; I can’t find the stuff! I see many posts that are a year or older, CSL is no longer around (I know Current took over), but I can’t seem to find “just what I want”.
What I would like to have is: Foremost, a system that will fit at least the bulbs and caps in the stock System 6 hood. I will remove the stock ballast/bulb assembly and the system filter if necessary but if I stick to my parameters I shouldn’t have to. I am working on a “hinge system using additionally purchased top frames so the depth can be up to 1” deeper. 26-36 watts in the “twin tube” compact fluorescents”. I think that should be sufficient without overkill for my needs. The swirl bulbs would be ok but I would like to get the ballasts out of the hood area to remove the heat (am I thinking correctly?) I will install fan(s) in the hood. Water proof end caps, as I do not want to have to cover the surface (doesn’t that cut down on oxygen transfer??) I would like to be able to run a 10k and a 50/50. I will add LED moonlights- those seem to be easy enough.
And I need to be able to run the lights on a timer, if that makes a difference between magnetic and electronic ballasts. I want to incorporate the new Coralife Dual Power Center.
I can find the bulbs pretty easily online. The trouble seems to be with the ballasts and the end caps. Maybe they are out there and I am just not finding them but the online resources seem to assume you know exactly what you are looking for… I don’t. None of them really explain the differences, pros/cons of the different type of plugs/sockets on the bulb types. Or I can find the bulbs, but not caps to fit them. And I am really having trouble finding ballast for the bulbs I want. Again, maybe they are there and I don’t know what I am looking for. I even considered getting one of the Coralife Mini or 12’ Aqualights and skeletonizing it for my purposes, but not sure how the ballasts are internally or if the end-caps are waterproof.
I know this is a long post. I appreciate any information any of you may have. Thank you all.
