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	4X2 Or 4X1?
lowlight Enthusiast Posts: 166 Kudos: 94 Registered: 03-Apr-2005	Is it better to have 1 light fixture with 4 bulbs or 2 twin light fixture totaling 4 bulbs?
Posted 23-Feb-2006 08:37
illustrae Fish Addict Posts: 820 Kudos: 876 Registered: 04-May-2005	That depends on a few things. Is this a custom retrofit you're doing yourself, or a ready-made light fixture? If it is a ready-made fixture, then would it be cheaper than buying 2 seperate fixtures? If it's a DIY retrofit, then I don't see the problem putting 4 lights into one custom made hood, as long as you pay attention to electrical safety and include hair vents with fans to dissapate heat. Hoping that there must be a word for everything I mean...
Posted 23-Feb-2006 16:36
Fallout Moderator Communications Specialist Posts: 6416 Kudos: 4053 Votes: 742 Registered: 29-Jul-2000	I agree, use is going to determine what solution would be better. How wide is the tank? If it's a wider tank that you need light to get to all regions of, two light fixtures that you can place to the rear/front of the tank would be better. Are we talking NO fluorescents, CF or what?
Posted 23-Feb-2006 17:20
sham Ultimate Fish Guru Posts: 3369 Kudos: 2782 Votes: 98 Registered: 21-Apr-2004	Also if you are putting alot of light on a tank sometimes you want 1/4-1/2 the lights to come on before and go off after the main lights. I added a seperate fixture with 2 NO fluorescent bulbs(80w) to the back of my tank for that purpose. The main PC fixture(260w) comes on a half hour after and goes off a half hour before that light.
Posted 24-Feb-2006 01:50
lowlight Enthusiast Posts: 166 Kudos: 94 Registered: 03-Apr-2005	It will be a custom made hood. I already have 2 shop lights with 2 NO fluorescents in each fixture. I guess I'm wondering about the reflector. The tank is about 13 inches wide, just enough for a 4 bulb fixture. I do like the option of haveing the lights come on at different times. I will be making the bonnet myself and will be using a canister filter so there will be plenty of room.
Posted 24-Feb-2006 03:43
poisonwaffle Mega Fish Posts: 1397 Kudos: 591 Registered: 11-Feb-2003	I'm going to be building a custom canopy for my 29 that has 4x 18" (15w) NO flouros, and 2x 25w CFs (110w total). I'm going to custom wire the whole thing, and build 3 timers into the left side of it so I can have 2x 15w's come on, 2 more 15w's, then the 25's, and then all turn back off in reverse order. I'm going to line the inside of it with either polished sheet metal or aluminum foil (it'll be behind the bulbs just tacked to the inside (top, sides, front, and back). The reflector setup won't be the best, but it'll work... I think you should go for something like that if yer up to it, but the setup you've got sounds fine to me... HTH
Posted 24-Feb-2006 20:12


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