SRC Member dravan Posted December 21, 2003 SRC Member Share Posted December 21, 2003 hi guys interested to the the ATI t5s for my 2ft mushies tank... but as my tank is an open top tank the retrofit looks ugly lehz without casing... so anybody got any lobang or idea on how to do it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terryansimon Posted December 21, 2003 Share Posted December 21, 2003 what type of casing are you talking about? like a hood for the light itself? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member dravan Posted December 21, 2003 Author SRC Member Share Posted December 21, 2003 hi not really a hood i am tinking like maybe those casing for PL lights or FL lights we get when we buy the lightsets.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terryansimon Posted December 21, 2003 Share Posted December 21, 2003 oh. those. why would you want that? the casing must be big in order to accomodate the reflectors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member dravan Posted December 21, 2003 Author SRC Member Share Posted December 21, 2003 yup coz my tank has an open top and no its no a cabinet concept type of tank its juz bare n open so looks ugly... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terryansimon Posted December 21, 2003 Share Posted December 21, 2003 urh its okay what. if you want to build a casing, it will be bulky because it has to envelop the whole thing, reflectors and all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member dravan Posted December 22, 2003 Author SRC Member Share Posted December 22, 2003 hmmm ok tinking of using plywood for the casing big n bulky nvm juz swee swee can liao.... tinking about the heat generated by the ballast oso Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member ervine Posted December 22, 2003 SRC Member Share Posted December 22, 2003 Can always mount the ballast seperately... but seriously.. those ballasts run comparatively cool... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jewel Tang Posted December 22, 2003 Share Posted December 22, 2003 hi dravan, what ballast u use to support for ATI T5 input and end cap accessories? where to get ? how much if DIY versus buy whole sets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member Octopuffy Posted December 22, 2003 SRC Member Share Posted December 22, 2003 Jewel, For the e-ballasts, get from kisptrading.comor SINTER (Sim Lim Tower 3rd flr) End-caps (non-waterproof), get from SINTER Reflector, get ATI ones from Eaquanature. Tubes, also eaquanature (ATI ones). Depending on the price u get for ur materials, u can save around $100 when DIY. Hope above helps. Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freewill Posted December 22, 2003 Share Posted December 22, 2003 hmmm ok tinking of using plywood for the casing big n bulky nvm juz swee swee can liao.... tinking about the heat generated by the ballast oso bro.. this is what ive just done. see if that's what you are talking abt... this is not a completed job... materials used: wood: from Ikea, i dismantled them from my wooden shelves. cut to size and painted several coats of lacquer... (free) ballast: bought from fellow reefer (price-undisclose) connectors, tube holders, wiring: from Sinter (SLT - L3) cheap lah... everything less than $10) reflector: recycle from neighbour's unused 4 ft light hood. (free) To Be Done: Wiring from 3pin plug, still undecided to go 3-pin or normal 2-pin type Tube Holders, akan datang (do i still need them???) The final screw-in (pls dun think 'otherwise') will only be done when i finally collect the ATIs from Edmund... (sorry bro, kept delaying...) light holder will not be fix unto the hood. it will just sit nicely on top of the hood, for ease of maintenance. (see pic 1) Other DIY Pros: pls advice if this is do-able? or anyone can gimme some advice on how to improve this further? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freewill Posted December 22, 2003 Share Posted December 22, 2003 Jewel, For the e-ballasts, get from kisptrading.comor SINTER (Sim Lim Tower 3rd flr) End-caps (non-waterproof), get from SINTER Reflector, get ATI ones from Eaquanature. Tubes, also eaquanature (ATI ones). Depending on the price u get for ur materials, u can save around $100 when DIY. Hope above helps. Cheers! actually, i dun think can save $100 leh... est. price from eAN: 2' retrofit set with aquablue special: $278. (with water proof endcaps + reflectors somemore) this is before members discount... (price extracted from eAN website) http://www.eaquanature.com/store/product_i...products_id=216 DIY cost: tubes: $112 (before discount) Non-waterproof endcaps+wiring+tube holder+reflectors(ATI reflectors): $60 or more... ballast (market price): $50 +/- total: $222 Note: this is NOT using waterproof endcaps + no proper casing/wiring done. thus, you may be better off buying off eAN.. (do i get extra discount for this?? ) maybe i left out some more items... So why DIY?!?!? hahaha... i guess its becoz i need it to fit into my hood lah... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member Octopuffy Posted December 22, 2003 SRC Member Share Posted December 22, 2003 ic... DIY cannot save much huh... hahaha didn't noe the connectors, wiring, reflectors add together is so ex liao. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freewill Posted December 22, 2003 Share Posted December 22, 2003 ic... DIY cannot save much huh... hahahadidn't noe the connectors, wiring, reflectors add together is so ex liao. actually can... provided you already have some materials... the connectors+tubeholders+wirings <$10. (time+parking+petrol???) It's the reflectors: $25 ea. (from eAN). of coz, depending on individual, he can choose to get cheaper reflectors... (i was told arcadia ones are cheaper, much cheaper) but since im comparing apple-to-apple.. i must get same product to compare... so why DIY?? hehe, up to each individual i guess, that's why its hard to find pple selling DIY T5 here, coz what eAN is selling, is a very very fair price! (if not cheaper than DIY).. somemore got delivery! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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