• Submitted by: Don Carner

Here's a quick and simple method of adding reef type fluorescent lighting to an existing or new tank. You will need to have a few very basic electrical skills. If you have never held a soldering iron before, don't worry! Wire nuts work just fine and you can leave the soldering approach to those that have the knowledge.

Materials
Begin by assembling the materials that you will need to complete a basic light package that will be tailored to your individual tank.

• A.) Determine the length of the aquarium. Don't laugh. A lot of folks don't know the dimensions of the aquariums they own.
• 1.) Purchase vinyl rain gutter at Home Depot or similar outlet.
• a.) Basic brown exterior with white interior.
• b.) Purchase end caps available for the gutter material.
• 2.) Cut the material with a hack saw to the length of your tank, MINUS the additional inch(s) that the two end caps occupy.
• a.) Install the end caps onto the gutter. They snap on and have a seal.
• b.) Flip over and place on the tank top. It should rest on the frame edges and not teeter-totter or fall short of frame support.
• B.) Purchase a standard, 40 watt ballast (for 48" tanks), 30 watt ballast (for 30 and 36" tanks), etc.
• 1.) Wiring diagrams are printed directly on the casing.
• a.) Purchase pre-wired rubber end caps for fluorescent tubes. Coralife and others manufacture these and a pair (2 bulbs) run around $15.00.
• b.) Stop at Radio Shack and pick up some plastic tie-wraps and 3/4" black electrical tape. The wire nuts are sold here as well. Buy the orange colored size as they are sized for the gauge wiring you're about to do.
• c.) You will also need a "lead-out". This is nothing more than an electrical cable, 3 pronged, that you will wire up to the ballast. Again, Radio Shack, roughly $4.00.

This light package will be ample for hardy stony corals such as elegance and hammer species. Soft corals like star polyps will explode with this set-up. All fluorescent tubes loose their true spectral output about 6 to 8 months after initial powering up. Triton bulbs are the only tubes that I know of that will automatically SHUT OFF when their useful life is exhausted, and they have great color rendition as well! URI (Ultraviolet Resources International) make great bulbs too. There are many more, but I've only personal experience with these two companies. -- Don Carner

Diagram & Instructions

Now the fun part! Cut the colored lead wires wrapped around the ballast to a length of about 6". Spread the leads apart as per the manufacturers diagram on the casing. Wire nut the end cap leads to the corresponding colored leads from the ballast. Most pre-wired end caps have 9' leads attached and the 2 smaller wires inside the casing are color coded as well. Match the colors, substituting your end cap's colors for those on the ballast. Make certain the your harness is correct and that all wires are attached properly. Torque the wire nuts finger tight. Once all the wiring is completed, the AC leadout installed and grounded to the ballast case, carefully separate the leads and attach the end caps on the bulbs. Make sure that the color coded leads all match your harness and connections just as shown on the ballast! Plug it in, stand back and marvel at the light.

This is a very simple endeavor and can be completed in one evening. Cut or carve a notch in the end, near where the gutter attaches to the cap. This is where your wire leads will go after to place the gutter over the 2 tubes.

Now some folks don't like placing the bulbs directly on the tank frame. Sure, we can just attach bulb clips up inside the gutter and snap those puppies right in! Either way, this makes for a super nice DIY light strip that doesn't look "homemade". Place directly on the open top of your aquarium and plug 'em in!

Lighting like no plastic manufacturers strips can give you, you'll be amazed at how bright these standard wattage tubes can be. I've contact cemented aluminum foil to the inside of these gutters, but could not tell any difference over the molded white.

Mount your ballast on the back side of your cabinet, if it's wood! If you have a metal stand or acrylic cabinet, mount the ballast on a piece of plywood and place on the floor. These things get kinda hot and you'll want to place them away from inquisitive fingers!

Should any further elaboration be necessary, Email me!
Don Carner

DISCLAIMER: This DIY project was submitted for printing by Don Carner. Neither Hawaiian Quality Fish or Don Carner will be responsible for any damages that may result from using these  plans.
 
 
 

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