# Cheap lighting for 4ft low tech tank?



## humdingerx (5 Mar 2017)

Hope someone can help. I've a 4ft wide tank about 30-40cm of water height, so not too deep. Probably about 180-90litres of water.

It came with just a single t8 controller at 18watts or so. So probably not very good, though the tank still looks bright when turned on!

I would like a low cost low maintenance tank. So crypts, amazon swords, no co2 injection, some ferts.

I'd like to get twisted vals and dwarf sag growing too ideally.

What options are there very cheap? I'm talking £50 or so ideally.

If nothing, would DIY house light sockets work if sealed in a suitable waterproof container??


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## Koobson (5 Mar 2017)

I've made lighting unit myself which works well so far. It just 4 cheap spotlight (gu10 socket) a bit of wood and wiring which ended costing me around £25-£30 for lot. And actually I think it might be too much of light with 2x35w halogen and 2x3w led(equivalent of 35w of halogen) over 4ft 240l tank. Not the best looking so far as for cables being visible but definitely low budget option. 


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## dean (5 Mar 2017)

Home Bargains £5 led security light 


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## humdingerx (5 Mar 2017)

Would something like this work?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00UTBOXGC/ref=mp_s_a_1_3

Description says 1800lm isn't that too much for no co2 injection setup?


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## Koobson (5 Mar 2017)

It should work but I would go for 2x 10w flood lights as I actually originally planned but couldn't find cheap enough. I read a thread on ukaps that it doesn't matter what kind of light you're using as plants will utilise any kind of it. But if it's too much/not enough then someone more experienced will have to help you. 


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## dean (6 Mar 2017)

Home bargains do 10 watt led flood lights at £5 each 


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## Lindy (6 Mar 2017)

humdingerx said:


> though the tank still looks bright when turned on!


If it look bright it is probably enough light. You could get t5 bulbs/controller but you'd only need one bulb. I've just replaced a dsuny led system with a 4x t5ho unit and I'm only going to need 2 of those bulbs by the look of it. My tank is 60cm deep.


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## humdingerx (7 Mar 2017)

Thanks all I decided to go with 2 x 10watt LED security lights as the cheapest option. Found two slim looking ones off ebay for £12 so not far off the Home Bargains prices


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## dean (7 Mar 2017)

Just had a nosey in there and they have dimmable 6500k led bulbs - screw in , bayonet, for £3.49 


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## Progen (12 Mar 2017)

Was looking to update my thread on cheap lights when I came across yours.

How does USD50 sound to you and that's for TWO lights? 

How does


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## dean (13 Mar 2017)

Progen said:


> Was looking to update my thread on cheap lights when I came across yours.
> 
> How does USD50 sound to you and that's for TWO lights?
> 
> How does



That's a good price 



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## Progen (13 Mar 2017)

Too bad they're fixed frame lights. Was thinking of buying more if they were like pendant lights and I could use them on tanks of other sizes if they were too bright for my storeroom tank.


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## dean (13 Mar 2017)

Progen said:


> Too bad they're fixed frame lights. Was thinking of buying more if they were like pendant lights and I could use them on tanks of other sizes if they were too bright for my storeroom tank.



Just can't get them here in UK at that price 


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## Progen (13 Mar 2017)

I was thinking of getting a good price for like 10 sets if people overseas wanted them but the problem is their boxes are just plain cardboard boxes with no other protection than a plastic bag.


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## dean (14 Mar 2017)

Good old bubble wrap works well


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## Progen (15 Mar 2017)

dean said:


> Good old bubble wrap works well
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



I used to work in air cargo in one of the world's top airport's cargo complexes. If you're not scared, I am!


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## dean (15 Mar 2017)

Progen said:


> I used to work in air cargo in one of the world's top airport's cargo complexes. If you're not scared, I am!



That sounds more light a dare 


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## Progen (15 Mar 2017)

The world's top airport cargo complexes get to that level mainly by ditching procedure out the window as far as physical handling is concerned. The idea is to get the cargo into the container or onto the pallet, secure it and get it on board the plane. If it doesn't fit, they'll make it fit.


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## dean (15 Mar 2017)

Progen said:


> The world's top airport cargo complexes get to that level mainly by ditching procedure out the window as far as physical handling is concerned. The idea is to get the cargo into the container or onto the pallet, secure it and get it on board the plane. If it doesn't fit, they'll make it fit.



I've seen how boxes of fish are handled and I'm still amazed that there are few DOA's 

Let me know if you work out how to ship them in one piece 


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## Progen (16 Mar 2017)

Wait till you see or hear about those which were shortshipped. Truly a disturbing sight to see thousands of beautiful, sometimes expensive and occasionally even rare fishes just dumped straight into the bin. The more merciful among us will open the bags and crush them to death. If left alone, they'll take a long time to die of suffocation in the bags. 

The shippers and consignees do not care because they're fully covered by insurance.


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## dean (17 Mar 2017)

It's such a wasteful process and the whole industry is based on death, otherwise there would be no need to keep importing fish 


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## dean (22 Mar 2017)

humdingerx said:


> Hope someone can help. I've a 4ft wide tank about 30-40cm of water height, so not too deep. Probably about 180-90litres of water.
> 
> It came with just a single t8 controller at 18watts or so. So probably not very good, though the tank still looks bright when turned on!
> 
> ...



What have you decided on using ?


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## humdingerx (8 Apr 2017)

Sorry I didn't see the newer responses. I went with an 


dean said:


> What have you decided on using ?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



Sorry I didn't see the newer responses. The $50 LED strips would have been great but you just can't get them for that price in the UK and it would probably cost too much to get exported and then redistributed in the UK (plus risk of import taxes)

I bought a couple of Ultra Slim 5W LED flood lights from ebay in the end similar to these (but 10w each)

http://www.energysavingonline.co.uk/20w-ultra-slim-led-floodlight-daylight-white

I got them for £10 together so a couple more pounds and I had to lengthen the ridiculously short power cord. All these types of lights have been pulled from ebay recently so I don't know if that's something to worry about but the lights work fine and I've not been electrocuted 

It seems to be overall brighter than the single T8 lamp I had and I am getting some green algae! So maybe too much light? But I put in more plants to try to help compete against the algae.


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## dean (8 Apr 2017)

Any pics 


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