5.5g SPS Nano Build Log

[1105]

Well since I liked my 5.5g Nano I have at work so much, I decided to make one for my computer desk at my house... But I didn't just want an ordinary tank... No, it had to be special. So I asked myself, what can I do to make it special? Well thought about some things, and decided on:

Built in corner overflow, 2.5g sump, custom skimmer, auto top-off, custom stand/canopy, 2 x 32w PC Actinics, and last but not least, 70w 10K Ushio HQI :bum:

I've been working on the stand/canopy on and off for about two weeks now when I have spare time, and this is what I have so far. It is almost done, I just neet to get some more wood for the one side, make a door or two for the front, finish up the trim work, then paint or stain it.

As for the rest of the stuff; sump, skimmer, rest of the lights, you will have to wait until a later date to see thoes.

Well here you go, here's a few pictures of the stand/canopy as it sits right now. I gotta say that little 70w MH is BRIGHT. The fixture is a 300w halogen fixture I got a Lowes for $10. It has ceramic sockets and a dimpled reflector.... Not bad for only $10 and it fits perfectly! Only thing is I have to remove one socket, stick the buld in, then put the socket back on... Can't complain too much because of the price

What do you think? You can also see my 65g I just got some water in today in the background.

 

[leeweber85]

Looking good, I can't wait to see it with water and what not.

What size of halogen fixture is that and where at did you find it in lowes? I've seen those ballasts go by for next to nothing, I never knew it would have been that easy to retrofit.

I should mention that you WILL need a tempored glass cover to filter out the UV rays from the DE bulb.

 

[1105]

Thanks for the warning. My boss has a piece of glass at work that he said I could allready have that'll work perfectly with the bulb.

This is the fixture I bought, http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=74012-290-WQ300&lpage=none

If you are in lowes, find all of the halogen lights (usually with all of the flood lights, motion sensor lights) and look for a 300w halogen fixture with a circle mounting bracket.

I got the ballast on ebay for $35 shipped, I have seen them go for a little less but it was a private auction so I was guranteed the ballast.

I'll have more pictures tomorrow when I get my PC's and finish up the stand/canopy.

 

[wav3form]

I have the same ballast I bought off a member here for 40 shipped. Waiting on my bulb from fostersmith though. I have a 500 watt regent fixture, i'm wondering if the endcaps will be a nice fit like yours without cutting the ceramic.

 

[1105]

Got around to painting and staining the top part of the canopy today. Also got my PC Actinics in today and got thoes mounted as well. Here are a few pictures. Let me know what you think. I still need to get a piece of glass for the MH, but that can wait.

 

[shouldabenacowboy]

That is pretty sharp Where are you going to put your fans??

SBC

 

[1105]

The part that is cut out in the back. There is enough room there to mount two 3" fans if needed. Next on the list of things to do is finish up the stand, stain it, then go to work on the sump.

 

[AIMFish]

The canopy looks real nice, I was about to question placing the ballast up there but later saw you didn't. The Lowe's link doesn't work for me I'll use your description to check the store tomorrow!

 

[1105]

I'll try posting a picture of the fixture. I just placed the ballast there in that picture so everyone could see it and know which ballast to get if they would like to do this as well. Wiring it up is really simple, the red and blue wires go to the bulb (I have the red going to the black wire coming form the sockets) and the green, black, and white wires go to a n extension cord which will also have the same color wires when you cut it open (or at least the one I bought did)

If anyone has any questions about wiring up these lights feel free to ask! I'm sure some people would like to learn how to wire up some PC lights using a ballast from Lowes/Home Depot instead of spending a lot of money on a kit.

 

[Pattylucylaura]

I would like to know more about the pc lighting.

 

[Jonviviano]

Looks awesome. Isnt that light a little to bright? From what isaw it said it was 300 watts. Wont that boil the water over a 5.5g?

 

[Jonviviano]

Also, im very interested in getting some small PC's like your, where did you find them?

 

[AIMFish]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7610083#post7610083 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Jonviviano
Looks awesome. Isnt that light a little to bright? From what isaw it said it was 300 watts. Wont that boil the water over a 5.5g?

He just used the mounting posts and reflector out of that light and wired it up with a 70w MH.

1105, do you know if a 150w MH would fit in that mounting also? I'm not sure if all the DE bulbs are the same size

 

[rockindacheeks]

70w are like an inch shorter than a 150, but the connections are the same

 

[Dakafall]

Where'd you get the ballast from, and for how much?

 

[1105]

Jon, like AIMFish said, I just used the fixture out of a 300w halogen bulb to place my 70w MH in. I'm not actually using the halogen bulb for anything.

I ordered the PC from work, but www.hellolights.com has some 28/32watt PC lights for sale for just under $17 a piece, then you'll need the sockets (GY10Q for the square pin base) where are just under $5 a piece I believe.

bulbs http://hellolights.com/comfluorlig.html
socket http://www.hellolights.com/pcentypbas.html

Daka, I ordered the ballast from srussell_516 on ebay. He did not have any listed in his items for sale, but if you email him I'm sure he'll have one because he said he had a few more left when I bought mine last week. He'll probably just tell you to send him money through paypal and not go through ebay which is what he did for me. I ended up paying $35 shipped for the ballast.

Tomorrow I'm going to pick up a ballast to power the PC's after work and I'll take detailed pictures on how to wire it up, along with pictures of the ballast. I have done this once before on another 5.5g tank I set up with the same PC lights and it's working great.

 

[Dakafall]

sweet, i'm thinkin' i'm gonna order that ballast myself, also, do you have any directions for your canopy and stand? i'm lookin' into doin' the same thing for my tank. thanks

edit: just tried on the one ballast he has for sale and it's goin' for over $50 right now >.<

 

[1105]

Not real sure how I can explain how I made the canopy/stand... But I'll try.

The canopy is made from 1/4" thich, 6" wide piece pf poplar (or your wood of choice). The stand is made from 1/4" thick 2" wide poplar.

What I did was make two 45 degree cuts on the wood so when the two pieces were put together they would made a 90 degree angle. Here are the dimensions you'll need to cut the wood for a 5.5g tank for it to fit nicely inside the stand/canopy.

I'll get some more pictures tomorrow of the stand so you can see how I put it all together. It takes a lot of work, but you can make a simpler tank/stand that'll look just as nice, but you won't have the room for a sump under the tank. Here is a pic of another one of my tanks that is at my work. This one was made from 1x4 poplar and came out nice for a desk tank and since it only has 2x32w PC lights on it and I'm there every day, the evaporation isn't that bad unlike this one will be with the 70w MH.

 

[1105]

As promised, here is how to wire up a Lowes/Home Depot ballast to 2 PC lights. The ballast is made by Advance and can power up to two 40w bulbs.

The red and blue wires are the positive wires, yellow is ground, and the white and black go to a cord.

The red wires will be connected to one side of the bulb, and it just happened to be the white and black wires on the sockets I have that are on the same side. Do the same for the blue wires to the other socket.

Now take one of the yellow wires, connect it to one of the wires left over, lets say the white wire on the socket. Now take that same wire and connect it to the other white wire on the other socket. Do the same for the last yellow wire.

After that wire up the power wires and plug it in!

On the ballast it will also show you how to wire up a T12 style bulb. Just look at it like you take the T12 bulb, bend it's in a U shape like the PC bulbs, then follow the wiring diagram. One side is positive, the other side is negative (Don't think it matters which side)

Thoes twist on fittings are just there for the pictures, I soldiered the wires afterwards.

 

[Steven0000]

uhhh doesnt like wood+really hot=fire?