# DIY Nano Hanging Lights



## DRillo (12 Jul 2011)

Hi,

Looking for a little advice for lighting on a 30x30x30 rimless cube in a tight space.
The space I have for this tank is 35x35x60 and is in a good old Ikea book case, kind of difficult to explain but it has no back to it and is against a wall, so the tank will be almost flush against it on both sides with a gap above.
(I would link a picture but its been discontinued)

I would like to hang a light(s) that run off 240v on the inside of the bookcase without them getting too close to the top of the tank so that I don't have to remove for maintenance. I am thinking along the lines of kitchen down-lights that are sealed in an enclosure of some sort.

Does anyone know of an off the shelf product like this that would be suitable for a CO2 planted tank or have any alternative suggestions? Hope this makes sense.


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## hotweldfire (12 Jul 2011)

P@H number?

I have one on a shelf built into an alcove so not too dissimilar to your setup. Have been considering a couple of led strips/bulbs screwed on to the underside of the shelf above. Ikea do them:

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/40171405


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## DRillo (12 Jul 2011)

Hi hotweldfire,
Those look great in terms of fitting, would they put out enough light though?


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## hotweldfire (13 Jul 2011)

TBH I have no idea. Do not know how to judge LEDs at all. Maybe someone with LED experience can advise.


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## dw1305 (13 Jul 2011)

Hi all,
I've used "link light" T5 8/13/14W for this sort of situation, and they are fine if you don't mind a bit of DIY. You can fasten them to a gloss white painted board as both reflector and "luminaire" and I just hung mine using a cheap "picture hanging kit". Mine were fairly utilitarian, but you could improve the look of them.

The major problem I had was that the plastic body of the link light photo-degraded and they started snapping after about 2 years (these came from "Screwfix"). I've also got some 8W "Eterna" link lights and they are more robust, and some cheap unswitched metal bodied 14W ones from Ebay, but the ballasts fail fairly regularly in these..

3 x 8W T5 Eterna link light would give you plenty of light.  You could also try GU10 fitting with either a CFL or  an LED, but this would need a wide angle of light spread. I think 2 x 11W Megaman GU10 CFL  would be enough light, and again potentially you could use ceiling "down lights" DIY mounted in a box.

cheers Darrel


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## DRillo (13 Jul 2011)

Thanks Darrel thats very helpful.

The GU10 are looking quite tempting - a wide range for a reasonable price.
On a slight tangent but I have seen this clip on lamp, anyone used a similar light/bulb?

http://www.hammerjack.co.uk/item/cl...ydroponic-grow-light-black-complete-with-bulb


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## dw1305 (14 Jul 2011)

Hi all,
Not for those with any interest in aesthetics, but this is a cheap and cheerful DIY GU10 2W LED light that I made as a "cold growlight". We've actually used it a bit for photosynthesis practicals, as stereo dissecting microscope light and also for illuminating some bacterial plates during time lapse photography. 






cheers Darrel


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## ghostsword (14 Jul 2011)

Cute lights. Where did you get the holder? 


.


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## dw1305 (15 Jul 2011)

Hi all,


> Cute lights. Where did you get the holder?


 It is an old Ikea cereal storage tub, but made of a rigid plastic. When I tried to buy some new ones they don't make them any more. It is not quite so good in the side view.

The holder for the GU10 fitting is a disposable screw top pot, we use 100's of them in the lab and they were about the right size.





cheers Darrel


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