Ghetto fuge

[Joshifer]

Waiting for my IM filter socks and hangers to come in the mail. This is my ghetto fuge.

 

I don't know the watts but it's 6500k. Cost me $7. It's on a timer from midnight til 5AM.

 

Is this gonna grow hair algae? I'm working on getting the IM magna led fuge thingy but it's like $90.

 

[madweazl]

Mine is lit with a 23w, 6500k (might actually be 6700k, cant remember) compact fluorescent. Everything was growing like a weed except for the graciliara that has recently started to lose color; I had to do a lot of pruning last weekend and added a PAR38 with mostly red LEDs that I had ordered a couple months back to see if this would help the graciliara (I think it is being starved of light from the caulerpa growing on, in, and over it).

 

 

Also ghetto but I havent figured out exactly how I'm going to set this up yet so it is currently on a clamp on fixture. If it works well, I'll probably go with a panel vs the PAR38s but I may just mount two fixtures to the ceiling of the stand and run a pair of the PAR38s if my test setup works well.

 

Edited September 21, 2016 by madweazl

[Joshifer]

Mine is lit with a 23w, 6500k (might actually be 6700k, cant remember) compact fluorescent. Everything was growing like a weed except for the graciliara that has recently started to lose color; I had to do a lot of pruning last weekend and added a PAR38 with mostly red LEDs that I had ordered a couple months back to see if this would help the graciliara (I think it is being starved of light from the caulerpa growing on, in, and over it).

 

 

Also ghetto but I havent figured out exactly how I'm going to set this up yet so it is currently on a clamp on fixture. If it works well, I'll probably go with a panel vs the PAR38s but I may just mount two fixtures to the ceiling of the stand and run a pair of the PAR38s if my test setup works well.

 

I just ordered a bunch of LED circuit boards on eBay. Pretty simple just solder + and - wires. One is 5 wat 6700k floodlight but in circuit form. Another is 3 wat 6000k diodes. I like them because their hidden easily it's just a flat disk/square with built in heat sinks. Their a dollar and Chinese made wont last forever but eh.

Edited September 21, 2016 by Joshifer

[Origami]

The tank is glass, right?

 

Also, you may want to do something to protect the electrical connections. It looks like a water spill would run right down to your screw terminals and might cause a problem.

[Joshifer]

The tank is glass, right?

 

Also, you may want to do something to protect the electrical connections. It looks like a water spill would run right down to your screw terminals and might cause a problem.

Glass yes. This is temp til I get a proper one. But your right I'll try to cover it.

[elbowdeep88]

It's not really about covering. It's about thinking about how gravity and water interact. If there is the smallest opening in any cover you make, water will still be able to run down those wires and into the (transformer?). Water has a way of 'sticking' to surfaces (adhesion) and can often run around shields. If you position the electricial junctures HIGHER than the water, or at the least create drip loops, you are in better shape. If this is not an option, liquid electical tape, applied liberally in several coats, can be your friend.

[Joshifer]

It's not really about covering. It's about thinking about how gravity and water interact. If there is the smallest opening in any cover you make, water will still be able to run down those wires and into the (transformer?). Water has a way of 'sticking' to surfaces (adhesion) and can often run around shields. If you position the electricial junctures HIGHER than the water, or at the least create drip loops, you are in better shape. If this is not an option, liquid electical tape, applied liberally in several coats, can be your friend.

Way ahead of you. I applied several coats of that tape.

My concern tho is this light gonna cause nuisance algae? I got my filter socks today and placed phosgaurd in the one with the chaeto light. I ordered some Chemipure elite to swap out.

[madweazl]

Way ahead of you. I applied several coats of that tape.

My concern tho is this light gonna cause nuisance algae? I got my filter socks today and placed phosgaurd in the one with the chaeto light. I ordered some Chemipure elite to swap out.

It is going to promote the growth of all the algae, there is no way to promote the growth of one without the other. Ideally, the macro algae you're attempting to grow consumes the nutrients that could otherwise promote the undesirable algae (which should occur provided the macros you want to grow can meet or exceed the level of nutrients being introduced).