Changed the lighting on my Clown Tank.

brett_fishman · Post by **brett_fishman** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 1:16 pm

you could always just have some tiki torches beside the tank, but dont light them...that'd give a good look...

-brett.

cybermeez · Post by **cybermeez** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 1:22 pm

brett_fishman wrote:you could always just have some tiki torches beside the tank, but dont light them...that'd give a good look...

-brett.

Oh, oh, oh! And add some of those little palm trees too!

brett_fishman · Post by **brett_fishman** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 1:31 pm

get some of those little drink umbrellas and stick them into the wood at various loacations!!!

-brett.

cybermeez · Post by **cybermeez** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 1:37 pm

....and those swizzle sticks with the parrots on top!

Graeme Robson · Post by **Graeme Robson** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 1:52 pm

Very nice!

It certainly gives off a different light effect.

wasserscheu · Post by **wasserscheu** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 2:07 pm

... it´s Martin´s "German precision" that captures my eye, horizontal as the waterline...

... the lite-effect reminds of sunrays, breaking through at varoius places with different intensity... I´m sure clowns find that stimulating.

cheers

Wolfram

Martin Thoene · Post by **Martin Thoene** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 7:17 pm

Thank you all for your positive comments.

Now as brett is obviously SO enthusiastic that he has to root out my photos that I said I would show you today and post one without my permission, I guess I had better spill the beans before he shows you them all and tells you how he thinks I put it together

First off, I designed it in my head. No drawings, nothing. I knew how it would look and work. Many years ago in England I bought a load of really cheap halogen light-fittings from a guy who bought up a whole wharehouse of bankrupt stock. I used these all over my house in England.
All these came to Canada with me. I just need to buy 110V transformers if I want to use them.
I also had an Ikea cable lighting system which I brought with me. I've used bits of each for this unit.

First off, I needed the Bamboo pole. Nipped down to Chinatown and picked up this 2M pole for CDN$3.50. I purposely got one with the growth rings spaced exactly where I wanted them. Also, it had a full-length longitudal split which would allow easy running of the internal wiring.

As you have seen already, it is supported by two tensioned cables, secured top and bottom.

I had to cut access holes in the back of the pole so I could get at wiring and thread the support cable though drilled holes. This was done with a craft tool similar to a Dremel. This whole project was much easier with that sort of tool due to all the different attachments available.

Next, I needed to have a centre-line for positioning the light fixtures. String threaded through the drilled holes and pulled tight gave me a straight line.

Here is one of the ceramic lamp holders that I removed from the bankrupt stock fittings. Very small and neat.

Using the centre-line, these were positioned and holes for the screws and cables drilled.

The Halogen bulbs just push-fit.

I needed some wiring access by each fitting, so cut these windows.

Cables were soldered onto the fittings and the joins covered in heat-shrink tubing to insulate them. I ran the cables through the pole and joined the lives and neutrals thus. I had to ream out some cable runs through the "bulkheads" of each growth ring inside the bamboo, again with the small power-tool and a special bit.

Ok.....look at this.......

Where's the power cable come in to the unit? Can't see it? That's because there isn't one. Confused?
This little gizmo from Ikea's light system makes it all possible.

Each support cable is actually an insulated power cable. One is live, one is Neutral. The cable from the internal cabling joining block goes through the small hole at the bottom of the gizmo (Left to right). The support cable runs in the bottom of the U shape. When you tighten the grub-screw, its point penetrates the insulation of the support cable and hey presto, your internal cables get power. These gizmos fit in each end of the Bamboo and once the screw is tightened you have power and support for the Bamboo pole itself. If I decide I want to alter the weight it's a simple adjustment.

The support cables go through each end panel of the stand and thence to a 150W 110V to 12V transformer that's about 4" by 1.5" by 1" . The lamps are 6 x 20W = 120W....well within capacity. The transformer is wired to a timer.

Voila! The water is normally higher by the way.

Next project was/is cutting 3 of 24" x 18" sheets of Polycarbonate to make covers for the tank. One fit straight in, the second is cut around the Aquaclear 500 and heaters. The third is a job for tomorrow along with making some Bamboo door handles for the cabinet stand to tie the design together. I may make Bamboo handles to lift the covers as well

Plants.....the plants are mainly Microsoreum pterops (Windelov var.) growing on driftwood collected from the shores of Lake Superior. At the right end, the long plants are (I think) Cryptocoryne aponogeton. It's a Crypt, looks like Aponogeton, but has no bulb.

Martin.

Littlelady · Post by **Littlelady** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 7:42 pm

Fantastic! I absolutely love the new lighting Martin, how clever, well done...I think your ideas are brilliant.

Mark in Vancouver · Post by **Mark in Vancouver** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 8:08 pm

The effect is really quite nice. I'm so glad Martin has an outlet like loaches - otherwise he'd be totally insane!

Really nice work, Martin.

H3D · Post by **H3D** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 8:15 pm

Martin your tank looks so good! It is definitely the best looking clown loach aquarium I have ever seen! I absolutely love the bamboo.

cybermeez · Post by **cybermeez** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 8:19 pm

Mark in Vancouver wrote:The effect is really quite nice. I'm so glad Martin has an outlet like loaches - otherwise he'd be totally insane!

Really nice work, Martin.

I've always loved the dappling effect the metal halide lights over my reef tank make. The halogens appear to do it too but without the burning intensity of MH. Puuurrty!

brett_fishman · Post by **brett_fishman** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 8:19 pm

martin..i found them on the online loach album!! haha..i did no hacking or the like!!

i was wondering how the power got to the lights, i was also wondering what that nifty little fitting was...you are a genius!!

i saw those cables at the ikea in coquitlam (vancouver) and i thought they were neat-o...haha

-brett.

ps: what are the dimensions on an AC 500 sponge?!?!

Martin Thoene · Post by **Martin Thoene** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 8:24 pm

cybermeez...yes the dappling effect is one of my reasons that I like this lighting so much.

brett ....... The AC500 sponge are each 10" x 3.5" x 3.5"

If I get the handles done tommorow, I'll post some pics.

Martin.

brett_fishman · Post by **brett_fishman** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 8:29 pm

wow, thats a big sponge, my mini's sponge is 2.5 x 1.5 x 2.25" haha

i love the dappling effect as well

-brett.

Jim Powers · Post by **Jim Powers** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 8:43 pm

That's just great, Martin!
The dappled effect makes a very natural looking tank even more realistic.

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