DIY light: help me check

[spilopterus]

Going to do DIY light, so before I go and make the trip, just want to do some confirmation with you guys.

Rain gutter: the shop sells in 9ft lengths, I only need 2.5ft! Anyone share, or got elsewhere?

e-ballast
PL lights: Not sure if I got the term correct but it's the stick ones, not the tubes which we see everywhere.
wires
plug
reflector

doing it for my 30gallon tank, aiming for 4watts per gallon, so it'll be around 120W maybe, four tubes of those.
Get the stuff at Sim Lim Tower I presume?

[hwchoy]

spilo, have you checked out Nature? they should have most things you need. Also do remember the length of your tank. You can't fit 2x36W PL length wise in a 2.5ft housing (can only do 36W + 18W).

Just went to upgrade my lights today (2.5ft housing for 25 gal tank). Added 18W to the existing 36W PL. First of all to spread out the lights (36W PL only cover the centre part of the tank) and also to achieve 4W per gal (108W for 25 gal). If you have a 3ft housing maybe can fit 2x36W.

[tawauboy]

you can get from sinter at sim lim 3rd floor for
1) c clips to hold the pl tube
2) pl socket

the e-ballast, pl lights, reflectors and wires, you can get them at lian eng at kelantan lane.
this is a hdb shophouse near sim lim.

[spilopterus]

Guess what, I just DIYed my light. No pics yet but check the cost. Did not find Lian Eng, but went to Teck Guan instead.

3 x PL 36W lights - $18 each
Reflector 2ft - $9
3 x socket - $6 each
'c' clips (small) - $1 each
e-ballast 2 x 36W - $18
e-ballast 1 x 36W - $18
wires and plug - $4.50

total = $130

Not as cheap as I hoped for, but well, it works, now if only I can find a 2ft rain gutter... any lobang? []

By the way, there is this shop sells all sort of mesh, good ones for riccia too.

[Simon]

kinda expensive har?

2.5ft?

[spilopterus]

expensive? you mean there is somewhere cheaper? Share leh, then next time we do not make the same mistake. I was sohocked at the price too. I think I could reduced it down to $90, the sockets were not needed, the lights I think somewhere selling for $13 right? But the ballast was the cheapest i know.

[tawauboy]

36w pl aec brand - $9
reflector 4ft for single fl - $11
reflector 4 ft for dual fl - $14

[scoobydoo]

3ft 2x36W PL with e-ballast at Nature is about $120. That's why I gave up the idea of DIY lights. Anyway, I think it's the satisfaction of DIYing

[Simon]

scooby jus answered it