Building a lighting fixture, help please

[ShadowMac]

I would like to build, or rather wire in my icecap ballast and associated bulbs into a prefabricated or easy to build fixture which can be suspended above the tank. If anyone has designs and or materials that may be helpful please share.

I wasn't sure where to post this, so I hope it gets a little attention here.

any other ideas on how to do something like this would be very much appreciated. I currently have 24" bulbs over a 30" tank. Everything is built into a marineland wooden hood that I had placed a framework into which I could attach the end caps, ballast, etc. I would like to improve the spread and hopefully the length of the bulbs with a suspended fixture. once again thanks for your guidance and help.

 

[nipat]

Hi, most DIY are box shape basically made from wood.
But I think it's heavy. You can use wood (or aluminum tube)
only for framing and screw thin plywood or acrylic sheets to it.
Use putty to hide the joints then spray paint it.

(The wire holding safty can be improved a bit by using two clips/clamps
per point. )

 

[ShadowMac]

thank you for the picture. yesterday i went into the local hardware store and was looking at sheet metal as a material. I was thinking something ADAesque, but that box looks nice and would be easier than trying to make something curved. is that a flourescent fixture?

I may draft a schematic and take it to a sheet metal fabricator to see what they can do and for how much.

 

[nipat]

Yes, it's T8 (was originally thinking T5 but the bulb choice in my area is limit).

 

[Tom Barr]

Many sheet metal places will bend a piece of aluminum for you for not bad $$