sirdarksol

I think I've figured out that I can do 192w of power compact lighting for around $120 (and that will leave me with two extra lamps), but it requires doing my own wiring. I'm just wondering how difficult this is to do, and I also want to verify that I don't need anything else.
I'll be doing some searching around the web, but I've found that I trust the opinions of the folks around here more. I've been told by web pages that something is simple only to find out that I need a degree in theoretical quantum physics in order to complete the project.

What I've found is a pair of Square pin end caps capable of handling 96w apiece
A ballast capable of handling up to two 96w bulbs
two pairs of clips
A package deal of four 96w bulbs

It seems to me that this is all that I'd need to set a system up. Am I missing anything?
The whole thing is going to be mounted in a hood similar to what is being discussed here in the DIY section.

paswed

How did you come up with this

sirdarksol

Well, I saw the hood idea, and thought that it would be an excellent answer to several problems I'm having:
I don't have enough light in my tank,
I have cats that will end up breaking through the glass cover of my tank
I need a place to put a small refugium type thing I'm putting together

I figured I can put all of this in/on that hood setup.
So I went to Drs Foster and Smith to see how much the retrofit kits I would need for the lights would cost, but they're actually more expensive than the equivalent full light setups.
Then I went to eBay, looked around, and figured out that if I put everything together on my own, I could do this easily.

paswed

Sorry I was talking about how did you know you need or can use 192w of power compact lighting I hope you can use the hood that is why I posted firgure a lot people would like it

sirdarksol

My tank is 80g, so 192w would give me a bit over 3 watts per gallon (mid to high range lighting). This will be enough for some plants that shouldn't be able to survive in my other tanks.

paswed

where did you look at on ebay

outlaw

What about these? Again I don't know a lot about lighting, so tell me to shut-up if I am wrong. Depending on the depth (front to back) of your tank you could double up 2 48" strips for a total of 260W for $260. I know it's still not cheap but definitely cheaper then most setups.

paswed

here is what I plan on using the 4x96
in that hood I am building


The Beast
If you've read our "36-55watt Kits" page (and we won't bore you by repeating it here) you know the importance of superior reflector design and the impact of state-of-the-art reflective material. Nothing illustrates these points better than the reactions of people when they first look directly at a 96 watt 6700K compact fluorescent installed in an A H Supply Bright Kit™. The descriptions are varied and often colorful -- from "retina burner" to "migraine maker" to many that are not repeatable -- but there's clearly general agreement that it's a beast. It's rather like looking at a camera flash, something you don't want to do for long. Take the bulb out of the reflector, however, and it's not at all hard to look at. It's still bright, there's no denying, but it is something your eyes can adjust to.

96 watt compacts allow you to get a lot of light in your hood. With A H Supply's Bright Kits, they also allow you to get a lot of light out of your hood and into your aquarium. It's a simple point. Light that's bouncing around your hood producing heat is of no benefit to anything in your tank. And you can't count on most of it to finally find its way into the water. If the light strikes the water surface at more than 55 degrees from vertical, it is simply going to be reflected back up.

96 watt compacts under broad flat-top reflectors are a great way to get a lot of watts in you hood. 96 watt compacts with A H Supply's multi-angle MIRO 4 reflectors are a great way to get a lot of light in your tank. With a surface reflectivity of over 94%, the MIRO 4 reflector curves around both sides of the bulb to reflect the light downward at a steep angle and allow it to penetrate the water. The result is over 50% more light in your tank.

Each one-bulb MIRO 4 reflector is 34.5 inches long by 4 inches wide by 2 inches high. The 96w bulb with the endcap on totals 34.5 inches, so these units are an excellent size for 3 ft. and 6 ft. long tanks.



The photo above shows a 1 x 96w Bright Kit and a 96w bulb installed in the shell of a 36" twin-tube light strip. (Don't be fooled by the reflector. There's only one bulb in there. And note that the kit is an older, pre-moisture-resistant endcap model.) As you can see, the ballast also fits inside the strip mounted to the back. That's possible because the 1 x 96 watt Bright Kit utilizes a 14 ounce solid-state electronic ballast that is only 1" high, 1.7" wide and 8.5" long. It's also easy to hook up. No need for a grounded reflector. And no tangle of multiple colored wires to sort out. Just red and yellow connected to the endcap cord, and black and white to the power supply cord. Even in large setups, these ballasts can be easily and neatly mounted and connected. And because they have a very low profile (1"H), it's easy to hide them on the outside back of single-tube strips or of your canopy. The two-bulb ballast is 18.5"L x 1 5/8"W x 1"H.

1 x 96 watt Bright Kit 40961
$59.99

The perfect solution to achieving high lighting levels on aquariums that are 3 feet or 6 feet long. Includes: one 14 ounce solid-state electronic ballast (8.5"L x 1.7"W x 1"H); one 34.5"L x 4"W multi-angle MIRO 4 polished aluminum reflector; one moisture-resistant endcap with cord; two steel bulb holders; one grounding power cord; wirenuts, splice taps and screws needed for installation; optional-use pop-in vent covers, snap bushing, cord clamp and nylon spacers; and ballast operation information and wiring diagram. Requires one 96 watt compact fluorescent bulb (not included).
2 x 96 watt Bright Kit
40962
$114.99

Includes one 24 ounce solid-state electronic ballast (18.5"L x 1.7"W x 1"H); two 34.5"L x 4"W x 2"H multi-angle MIRO 4 polished aluminum reflectors; two moisture-resistant endcaps with cords; four steel bulb holders; one grounding power cord: wirenuts and screws needed for installation; snap bushing, cord clamps and nylon spacers; and ballast operation information and wiring diagram. Requires two 96watt compact fluorescent bulbs (not included). NOTE - If you want to be able to control the bulbs separately you'll need two 1x96w kits #40961 instead of this 2x96w kit #40962.

3 x 96 watt Bright Kit
40963
$169.99

Consists of ONE 1 x 96 watt Bright Kit #40961 and ONE 2 x 96 watt Bright Kit #40962. Will allow you to operate two bulbs on one timer and the third bulb on a separate timer if you wish. Bulbs not included.

4 x 96 watt Bright Kit
40964
$214.99

Consists of TWO 2 x 96 watt Bright Kits #40962. Allows two bulbs (not included) to operate on one timer and two on another timer.

6 x 96 watt Bright Kit
40966
$299.99

Consists of THREE 2 x 96 watt Bright Kits #40962. Allows the bulbs (not included) to be operated on up to three different timers.

outlaw

What site is that from? I can't see it from work.

paswed

ahsupply

outlaw

Thanks. So what your getting is 2 of "The Beast"?

paswed

Yes I am getting two of those and sirdarksol I did not mean to take over your thread but I just had some of the same question that you did sorry