Building a canopy, help with lighting

I'm planning on building a canopy something like for my 55 gallon aquarium. It looks simple enough, and I think I can get most of the supplies for pretty cheap.

But my question is this: I've heard that I can use standard hardware store fluorescent light fixtures, since the aquarium ones are really expensive. Is this true? How much might they cost at, say, Menards or Lowe's? Can anybody share a link to a/some good one(s)? My aquarium is 48 inches (4 feet) feet long and 13 inches from front to back, so I suppose 30-something to 40-something inch long bulbs would be needed.

I think a light timer would be good too so I can make sure my fish and plants are getting a good amount of light each day, but I don't think my own timing is too far off. It's just something that would probably be better.

Thanks a bunch!

 

Easiest solution:
Undercabinet single T5HO or dual T5NO fixture would be a nice cost-effective solution. Purchase one without linear fluorescent tubes so you can choose them.

Hardware store lamps can be used for planted tanks; in fact one good study found no difference in plant growth using cool white (4,100K) versus aquarium specialty lamps.

Check Sylvania T5 and T5HO hardware store lamps.
aesthetic reasons, aI'm at the 6,500K or true daylight spectrum (in different manufactures daylight range goes from 5,000 to 6,700K).

The hardware store bulb that would be ideal if you go with T8 lamps is the Osram Octron SkyWhite which is Normal Output but has 8,000K color temperature (the color temperature used by Amano and his followers)

Check Octron SkyWhite specs:


Pepetj
Santo Domingo

 

If your having trouble finding the lights try checking ebay for someones old tank or hood and just rob the lights from it, that way you get the tubes, fixtures, ballasts and the reflectors.

Keep us updated with the progress

 

Hello and welcome,

standard hardware store fluorescent light fixtures, would not stand upto the dampness produced in an aquarium hood,
I would suggest if you can get your hands and an old ballast..
or one of the ones you are suggesting, but keep the ballast out of the hood,as it needs to stay dry, and use these inside for holding the bulb inside the hood,

I am sure you would be able to get hold of a similar replacment part in near you..

you would need to compare the Spectral power Distribution graph on the Sylvania Bulb, to see if the light spectrum is the same for your requirements..
Just cos the 8,000K color temperature is the same does not mean the right light is required for growing healthy plants.. ie the blue and green colour spectrum... this is what you need to compare...

 

Thanks for the replies! I think I'll go with the undercabinet lamps. Would using plexiglass or something in the hood be good enough to separate the lights from the aquarium so they don't get wet? I think they'll be pretty high above the water, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

 

Undercabinet lamps will come with some plastic translucent (if not transparent) sheet. If you want to ensure its safety use aquarium silicon or epoxy or whatever works for you to seal surface most likely exposed to come in contact with water or humidity.

I don't use acrylic or glass at all between my lamps and the water surface, not even when I had my Nano Reef with 10 fluorescent lamps 7 to 10" from water surface. I'm talking about DIY retrofit or even DIY lamp assemblies.

My lamps do get wet from time to time. That may compromise the life of the lamp unit. That may result in getting electrocuted too. I don't recommend to anyone to go this way. At home no one puts their hands around the tanks but me. They all know they could get electric shock if they do so.

Pepetj
Santo Domingo