Compact fluorescent lamp - Energy Saving Bulb

[plantz]

Hi bros,

Read this on arofanatics where some have tried using Energy saving bulb for their planted tank. Interested to hear feedbacks on the feasibility of this method.

http://www.arofanatics.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=213876
http://www.arofanatics.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=209998
http://www.osram.com/products/genera...act/index.html

If this is feasible. A lot of money can be saved on lighting and reduction in global warming (mentioned in the osram site).

For a 4x2x2ft tank, what is the best positioning of the bulbs and the voltages for. Advice. Thanks.

[tawauboy]

you can use energy saving bulb for your planted tank but it may cost more and you'll most likely need to diy you light set.
use of fl or pl light is more economical.

do note that the amount of light produced by a 20w energy saving bulb is equivalent to the amount of light produced by a 100w incandescent bulb.

for any planted tank, you should position the bulbs/tube so that the light is spread evenly across the tank surface area.

[Cacatuoides]

Not bad an idea, would like to give it a try one of these days....gota find some good materials and casing for it....anyone wana give it a shot?

[Barbarik]

Usually, you will find that on the box of the energy saving bulb its equivalent brightness to an incandescent bulb.
For example, 20watts = 100watts.
Incandescent bulb uses wire filament. When electrical resistance is subjected, the filament is heated to white-hot. As heat is used to generate light, a lot of electricial energy is needed in heating the filament to produce light.
For energy-saving bulb, it uses the same principle as FL/PL tube. Two electrodes are place in between mecury vapour. Electrical charge causes the vapour to admit invisible UV radiation. Fluorescent material applied to the internal glass wall of the bulb/tube then converts the UV radiation to visible light.
Energy-saving bulb does not use heat to make light as compared to incandescent bulb. Of course, some energy is wasted as heat during the conversion. But the heat is relatively low as compared to incandescent bulb where actual heat is used to make light.
Energy-saving bulb has build-in electronic pre-switch which contains a rectifier with a post-switch smoothing condensor. This is actually a build-in electronic ballast of the bulb.
Thus, FL/PL tube when used with electronic ballast will have the same effectiveness as energy-saving bulb if the same wattage rating is used to compare. For example:
20W energy-saving bulb = 20W FL/PL with electronic
ballast
So, if we want to use energy saving bulb, its actual power rating should be uses instead of its equivalent brightness to an incandescent bulb.
Thus, if your tank needs 100W of light, you will need 5 pieces of 20W energy-saving bulb. As such, it will only be economical to use FL/PL (with electronic ballast) in terms of cost-effectiveness.

Note: I had also posted the above reply in Arofanatics.com aquascapers equipment, DIY and hardware forum under subject: "Energy saving bulb".

[bossteck]

Hi,

I am currently using the above mentioned bulbs for my planted tank.

Previously while I was growing those plants with normal demands in a 3 ft tank, I used 6 x 20W, daylight bulbs. Effect, well, i would say it's normal, plants were bubbling etc (but you folks do know that bubbling plants ain't just becoz of the lights right?) The bulbs were positioned in a 'standing' position inside an aluminium frame surrounded by plywood with white coating. The benefit of using this was that first, it allowed me to 'customize' the amount of lights i wanted to feed into the tank but adding/removing bulbs from the 6 sockets. It also allowed me to mix and match warm white/cool daylight/day light bulbs if i wanted to. Down side was that the frame was really ugly.

I then built 2 wooden light box with enough space for 5 bulbs each, this time I built the bulbs to be 'lying' down so that the box need not be too high. Also decided to choose wood as it was cheaper and easier to build (compared to having to rivert the aluminium pieces). I simply painted the inside of the box white coz I didn't know where I could get cheap reflectors. (Anyone?) I used the 2 light boxes with 4 x 20W + 4 x 18W (left 2 sockets blank) in my 5(l)x1.6(w)x1.8(h) tank, plants bubbling as well.

I then retired the tank and switched to a 5x2x2.5 tank, and reused the same light boxes. Due to the height of the tank, the lights are insufficient to penetrate effectively to the bottom of the tank, just as well, coz I am into growing crypts currently which do not really require that much lights. They are doing fine currently.

I will take some pictures of the lights and post it up either tomorrow or Wed. So look out for them.

Just a note: There isn't really much difference (except for those who enjoy DIY projects - meaning you're a cheapskate like me). In fact, the conventional PL light fixtures are actually more presentable. And plantz, if i am not wrong, PL tubes are actually compact florescent (the so called energy saving bulbs) just that PL tubes do not have a built in ballast while those screw in type has.

cheers.

[tawauboy]

do post pictures of you light hood.

and you are right. pl/compact florescent/energy saving bulbs works on same technology. the difference is in the packaging. energy saving bulbs have built-in ballast because they are meant to replace incandescent bulbs. you can't expect consumers to retrofit a ballast themselves.

[bossteck]

Don't know how to post them here (in this thread) but I have uploaded them to the photo gallery. Hope this helps.

Edited: Posted the pics here.

[plantz]

Thanks Bro bossteck for the pictures and information. Very useful.

And I do know that PL and the bulbs are similar.

Hope to hear more discussion regarding this topic before I engage in this project. I am now concern with the problem with depth (of 2ft). Is it possible to use a slightly higher voltage bulb and include reflectors to curb the problem? And will this setup be as effective as PLs in terms of plant growth.

[juggler]

Wilson:

I think PLs and a good reflector with eBallast should do the work for you.
I have been using similar DIY method all this while as shown here.
That light set from 2001 is still functioning. Only changed the bulbs since.

Good luck.

[armani]

hi, the thread from arofanatics u posted here is my tank... well, my tank is a 3ft tank which is 2ft high also... n e wattage right now for my tank is only 88W, whereas ppl say for 3ft tank must use 144W of light... so far no prob... my plants can grow... although not very fast... but i dun want it to grow too fast also... i feel that the lighting now is perfect... it is even enuf for some algae to grow...

one drawback is only the heat produced.... well i curbed that problem by adding a fan on the side... then become very cool already...

i did my diy on the tank hood provided by the tank itself but some might have to make their own hood... n they might feel it looks ugly... what i can say about that is DIY is all about urself one... if u want to make something, n it looks ugly, it will up to u to make it beautiful, n thats not impossible... it very possible...

if u need any help in DIY, van let me know... i do provide DIY services in stuff which i can do... haha... just to earn a little money to buy myself fertiliser n fish food... haha...

[armani]

Don't know how to post them here (in this thread) but I have uploaded them to the photo gallery. Hope this helps.

Edited: Posted the pics here.

u have a nice set up bro, but like u said, it might not look very presentable but u can actually make it look nicer, by scribing word or painting letters on the light set... or the whole design of the light set can be changed as well so that it'll look nicer... but i have to say, u'll save money in the long run n also very nice set-up... u might wanna add some fans at strategic positions if ur lights become too hot...

[bossteck]

Hi,

I totally agree that the light boxes can be improved in terms of aesthetics.

Actually I decided to build 2 'light boxes' instead of a hood because I wanted to be able to move them along the bracing on which they are sitting on, so that i can easily reach into the tank to do maintenance. (as you can see in the picture), hopefully, by using 2 boxes instead of 1 big one, it would also allow some of the heat generated to escape via the sides.

Now, some 'problems' I faced. (for those who are going to embark upon a similar proj)

1. As i wanted to keep the size of the boxes as small as possible, I had to let the bulbs lie on its side rather than to let them stand up. This meant that I need to build the partitions (you can see from the prev pics) to hold the light sockets. It also meant that you need to find reflectors that are small in size if you want to use them. I couldn't that's why i just painted the inside of the box white.

2. I didn't add a fan to the box as the normal 230V fans I could find are quite large, about 13 cm by 13 cm? The smaller size 'computer' fans are would sit nicely at the side of the box, but then i would have to either add an additional wire connected to a transformer, or i will have to hide a transformer somewhere inside the box. in the end, lazy lah... so I just connected a fan separately. (not in pic)

If any bros decided to go ahead with the DIY project, pleause post pics of your completed work ok?