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Thread: Place to buy DIY lighting accessories

  1. #1
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    Place to buy DIY lighting accessories

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    Dear Fellow Aquaria Hobbyist in Singapore

    If I want to DIY my PL lighting system for a 4x2x2 ft tank, where can I buy most of the items under one shop. I forsee I will need for each PL light:

    1xMetal chassis or improvised air-con trunking.
    1xReflector
    2x36W PL lights
    1xElectronic Ballast with specs to service the above lights
    connecting cables
    switch
    connectors
    4xPL light holders
    wire straps
    1xMain Power cable
    Plastic Panel to shealth water from lights
    Did I miss out something else? I have not done this before. Any advise or things to consider?


    Thanks in advance.

  2. #2
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    nature offers all these done at 100$.

    now if you DIY,
    the 2x36W plus the Eballast will cost 50$
    a reflector cheapest i had seen is 11$
    rest of cables etc will be at least 10$
    if you want a clear plastic panel, the easiest is acrylic. For such a size perhaps 5$

    will have to see if the 25$ less is worth the trouble and also the uglier look

  3. #3
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    Lsz has spoken true..... but in some case some people want to DIY stuff just for the fun/adventure of it. Maybe you're one of them. AQ Nature Aquarium has most of everything you'll need maybe except the housing.

    For my DIY 4X36W light I used rain gutter which looked quite nice compared to air con trunking.

    Here's some pics of my DIY lights.

    4X18W Hitachi EBT for my former 2ft tank.








    My 4X36W AEC PL DIY Lights for my 1m tank





    Hope this helps
    Cheers!!

    Sherwin Choo
    [email protected]

  4. #4
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    Thanks LSZ and SherChoo for the response. OK, OK, I'm convinced that I should just buy it instead of DIY. Its just that the circuitry looks so simple that I thought I can do it myself.

    So for a 4x2x2 ft tank, how many of them 2x36W PL light each do I need? 3 sets? $300 ! [:0}

    How do you keep it from falling into the water. I know it comes with some kind of slider at both ends that sits on slot but accident I'm sure do happens. Seems like the only way to prevent that is to dangle it from the ceiling. []

  5. #5
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    Yeah i feel that DIY is a one time thing... do it once it is really fun but i will choose to buy the rest i need off the shelf!

    and Sherwin's one is really nice.

    The biggest problem with such DIY lighting is actually to find a suitable outer casing.. and from the pics it can be seen that rain gutter is an excellent choice! i had not thought of it before now and what sherwin does just looks great!

  6. #6
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    Thanks for the compliment.... frankly speaking for lights nowadays.... buying off the rack is ok cos now price quite competitive already. For bigger tanks, maybe can consider Metal halide lights. Price not too expensive compared to flourescent linghts. With MH, you can have a very nice open concept tank.

    For my DIY lights, I really did it to save $$$ and more importantly it was really for interest.
    Cheers!!

    Sherwin Choo
    [email protected]

  7. #7
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    Where is this AQ Nature aquarium ?

    All these posting about DIY kind of spur me on to DIY a MH or Mercury Vapour light.
    Have anyone tried that before ?

    Please share your experience.

    Thanks.

  8. #8
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    ----------------
    On 5/25/2002 2:57:55 AM

    Where is this AQ Nature aquarium ?

    All these posting about DIY kind of spur me on to DIY a MH or Mercury Vapour light.
    Have anyone tried that before ?

    Please share your experience.

    Thanks.
    ----------------
    Not AQ Nature Aquarium but NA Nature Aquarium

    Address:
    Blk 1, Thomson Rd
    #01-340
    Singapore 300001

    Phone: 62556051

    It is possible to DIY MH. But you have to give alot consideartion what material your using cos the heat for MH is really high.
    Cheers!!

    Sherwin Choo
    [email protected]

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    Hi! Sherchoo, may i know where u bought the rain gutter, @ how much and will the shop cut for me the required lengths?

    Thanx a million![]

  10. #10
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    try those neighbourhood hardware shops.
    if not then those at geylang.
    thomas liew

  11. #11
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    Geylang..........???HeeHee!

  12. #12
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    i think Chan will become a DIY parts electrical shop soon liao

    nice guy, hope his business will do well and aquarium hobbyists will benefit.

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