# Self Build Light Unit



## BarryH (13 Mar 2017)

I have a Juwel Rekord 60 tank that I'm not using and would like to try to aquascape it if possible. Rather than use the lid/light unit that came with it, I'd like to build my own if possible.

I've seen photos of light units that sit a foot or so above the tank and they look great. No problem with building a wooden structure to house the light unit but I've basically got no idea as to what lights to use, what power they need to be and how far above the tank I'd need to go. I've seen the security light units on Amazon and in Home Bargains, would these be a place to start?

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.


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## dean (13 Mar 2017)

I've watched a few videos on YouTube where they build some great lights but it's beyond me at moment, as my knowledgable of electronics is limited 

I guess it's like anything the more you spend the better the product will be and the more control you will have over it 

So starting with a cheap light then I think the height etc will be down to trial and error unless you have an expensive light meter 

Plus I'm sure whether you're going low or high tec will also be something to factor in 



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## BarryH (13 Mar 2017)

Thanks Dean. At the minute I'm looking to go low tech.


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## dean (13 Mar 2017)

Are you taking the lid and surround off 


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## BarryH (13 Mar 2017)

There's no surround on the top of the Juwel Rekord Dean, the lid just sits over the top edges of the glass.


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## AverageWhiteBloke (13 Mar 2017)

I've often wondered about standard Gu10 LED fittings. They throw out plenty of light for very low consumption. Could quite easily make a canopy or bulkhead over the tank and some will work with dimmer switches which solves the height above tank issues. Could easily be constructed in moisture resistant MDF, just make sure the spots are designed for use in bathrooms so they will be MR as well.


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## BarryH (16 Mar 2017)

Thanks for the reply AWB. I've found quite a number of waterproof fittings that could possibly be used to make a canopy, it's just knowing what wattage I need to go for due to changing the height over the tank.

Don't want to fry the plants or starve them of light for that matter.


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## Chrispowell (16 Mar 2017)

You could suspend a t5 fixture above from cables?


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## BarryH (16 Mar 2017)

Just found this video on YT the tank owner is using two, 10 watt floodlights, the same as we can buy at Screwfix, Home Bargains ETC.


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## AverageWhiteBloke (16 Mar 2017)

BarryH said:


> Thanks for the reply AWB. I've found quite a number of waterproof fittings that could possibly be used to make a canopy, it's just knowing what wattage I need to go for due to changing the height over the tank.
> 
> Don't want to fry the plants or starve them of light for that matter.


You can get various wattage ones from b and q for about £2.50 each. If you get the ones that dim your could go with the brightest and dim them down. I think have some 5 watt ones in my living room and some 3 watt in my dining room which pretty much lights up the whole room to the equivalent of having a 75-100 watt bulb running so I couldn't begin to imagine how bright these would be close together  suspended say a foot above a tank but I reckon they would be quite bright. 

Just managed to find a box I had, apparently they are 3 .3 watt, 260 lumens and 6200-6800k so the colour should be quite nice. These are the white light not soft ones which are much yellower and not dimmable.  Supposedly equivalent to a 50 watt halogen. Again, if you fancy trying this make sure you get moisture resistant ones for bathrooms.


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## ian_m (16 Mar 2017)

AverageWhiteBloke said:


> Supposedly equivalent to a 50 watt halogen


Naaaa no way near a 50W halogen. A 50W down lighter is generally about 900Lumens.

Below is the page from the Sylvania MR16 12V 50W halogen down lighters,




The best MR16 LED I have found is only 620 lumens and is significantly dimmer that the above bulbs, so sticking with 50W planet warming halogens in my kitchen at the moment, so I can see what I am doing.

Even a single 55cm fluorescent tube suitable for the Rekord is 1900lumens.


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## BarryH (16 Mar 2017)

Thanks for the help, really appreciated.


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## foxfish (16 Mar 2017)

I have 8 x 11w GU10 leds over my 200l tank, just standard B&Q fittings and bulbs.
The lights are about 500mm above the water, no real issues although the stated 10 year life span seems a bit optimistic as I find some only last 6 mouths but other might be 3 -4 years old now.
I replaced one a few weeks back with the latest version Phillips 11w bulb and it is definitely the brightest of the bunch.


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## BarryH (17 Mar 2017)

Thanks for the reply Foxy.

Do you have a link to the lights you used at all and maybe even a look at how you mounted them over the tank?


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## AverageWhiteBloke (17 Mar 2017)

ian_m said:


> Naaaa no way near a 50W halogen. A 50W down lighter is generally about 900Lumens.
> 
> Below is the page from the Sylvania MR16 12V 50W halogen down lighters,
> View attachment 104358
> ...


Yeah, I think it might have been 25watt. The light was in a different box. If you look at the diall range of lights in b and q they're in sections of equivalent i.e led wattage and equivalent halogen bulb it would compare to. 

I got 25watt eq in my living room and 50 watt for my dining room. I think the box there is out of my bathroom which came with the fitting.


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## foxfish (17 Mar 2017)

Sorry I can't grab a picture at the moment ( on holiday in New Zealand) but there are some pictures on this forum, I use standard GU10 led bulbs, they are just the standard downligher fitting bulbs available everywhere.
You can get dimming ones or even coulour  change ones.
Cost around £2-12 each depending on the wattage and if they are dimmable. I think the B&Q 11 watt non dimmable is around £7.50.
Basically I built a suspended hood and just fitted the bulbs and flush fit holders into the MDF.


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## BarryH (18 Mar 2017)

Enjoy your holiday.

Looked in my local B&Q but could find anything rated at 11w on their shelves. Plenty of much lower wattage stuff but non marked 11w.


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## foxfish (18 Mar 2017)

You might only need 8 w just more of them...... what size is your tank?


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## BarryH (18 Mar 2017)

The Juwel Rekord tank I have to play around with is 60x30x40. It sits in a window recess that's blanked off so I could mount the unit anywhere above the tank.


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## foxfish (19 Mar 2017)

Well I have no idea how GU10s compare to leds units designed for aquariums but they do work for me at least.


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## dean (22 Mar 2017)

BarryH what have you decided on ?


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## BarryH (22 Mar 2017)

Still at the "undecided" stage yet Dean.

I'm swaying towards two of the 10w LED floodlights as they seem easier to get hold of and work with. The only thing that worries me about the LED floodlights are the reports on YouTube that say there is such a variance in the lights and that you don't always get 10w. They have white  and black finished ones with a 5660K rating available at Screwfix and was hoping they would be a more reliable buy than the ones on eBay.

These will be mounted roughly 200mm above the tank. I'll build the unit so the height can easily be adjusted up or down.


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## BarryH (22 Mar 2017)

Thanks for the photo, really appreciated.

I've just ordered 2x10w Slimline Floodlights rated at 6000k from a company I found on Google that has a Birmingham address. I'll let everyone know what the lights are like when they arrive.


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## BarryH (22 Mar 2017)

RobinsonAquatics said:


> I made an LED light unit for my propagator. 20W 6500k, I plan using this setup when I finally get an aquascape on the way!



Never having used LED Floodlights, can I ask how hot the one over the plants in your propagator gets, both the glass and the casing? The seems to be a heatsink built in to the casing on most of the lights.


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## BarryH (22 Mar 2017)

Thanks for the help.


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## dean (22 Mar 2017)

RobinsonAquatics said:


> I made an LED light unit for my propagator. 20W 6500k, I plan using this setup when I finally get an aquascape on the way!



How did you make the light fitting ?


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## BarryH (24 Mar 2017)

Just received two of the Slimline 10w floodlights from a company called Lighting Ever. I fitted both with plugs to see if they worked and, as this is my first time with LEDs, I can't believe how bright they are.


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## dean (24 Mar 2017)

I've bought lights from them and been pleased with them 


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## BarryH (24 Mar 2017)

I got off to a pretty bad start with Lighting Ever Dean. I ordered the lights and paid extra for next day delivery, unfortunately, the lights never turned up. Looking on their Facebook page, I first noticed the main company seemed to be in America and the UK one operated out of Birmingham. There were a number of "moans" on their page about returns and late delivery so I started to get a bit worried.

The lights arrived a day late and so far, I'm pleased with what I've got. Not as cheap as some off of eBay but they look OK to my inexperienced eye.


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## Tim Harrison (24 Mar 2017)

Take a look at the images below and follow these links for more info...
https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/led-flood-lights-wattage-and-how-many.32709/
http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/led-on-the-cheap.28096/ 








I built these a few years ago now but they worked really well...
https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/led-30watt-6500k-security-light-ebay.29235/#post-305145

But as I've mentioned before you'd probably be better off with an off the shelf unit with a dimmer, especially for a low-energy set up...LEDs are much cheaper and controllable now.


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## zozo (24 Mar 2017)

RobinsonAquatics said:


> The spring loaded arm you see holding the floodlight is just a modified ikea desk lamp with the head Removed! Haha
> 
> Cheers
> 
> ...



Haha nice job..  i got the same lamp from Ikea.. Also thinking how to convert to a proper tank light..


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## dean (8 Apr 2017)

https://led.me.uk/led-ceiling-lights/ip66

This looks interesting 


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## BarryH (9 Apr 2017)

Thanks Dean. Very stylish, they look really nice clean units, only wish there were a few more details on their site.


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## dean (9 Apr 2017)

BarryH said:


> Thanks Dean. Very stylish, they look really nice clean units, only wish there were a few more details on their site.



Try emailing them your questions 


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## Chrispowell (10 Apr 2017)

Just got an image with these advertised, any good to you?


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## BarryH (10 Apr 2017)

Thanks for the link Chris.


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