Oceanic 46 lighting ?

[alexwolf]

I am purchasing an Oceanic Metals 46 bowfront for a zoo/ric/softies tank. My wife insists on the cap, which is not very good for putting lights in. Anyone have any idea how to get some PC's or T-5's in there and make them work? Only other option I can up with was 2 175w MH pendants, but I dont want MH for this tank. Any help is appreciated, thanks!

[cpreefguy]

4x VHO's :D

[alexwolf]

my question is how to mount the lights............

[cpreefguy]

oh, sorry, i never learned how to read...

[Sunhutch]

thats a good question alex. i tried to come up for something for my 92g corner bowfront with its plastic cap. other than using some kind of epoxy i couldnt really think of a feasable way to do it. also though of custom stands to sit on the lip of the tank. i havent tried either way, if you find a good way to do it i would like to check it out.

[alexwolf]

lol well you were NO HELP!!!! Apparently you have the same cap? Have you tried to fit one of those Orbit hoods on top? Im wondering if the cap will slide over the edge.

[cpreefguy]

just put it along the window, a naturally lit reef...
oh sorry, no help

[SBreef]

Have you tried using a drill, some screws, etc.!!!!!!! Just kidding!!

[cpreefguy]

Haha, you arent gettin any help!

[SBreef]

How about -----VELCRO!!!!!!!!!!!!

[::pete::]

Alex can you link me a picture of the hood?

[alexwolf]

i dont have it yet, its just a cap. http://www.oceanicsystems.com and go to the new for 2004 flash deal there.

[::pete::]

The "cap" just that light deal or an actual hood?

[alexwolf]

no, its an open top frame. Makes it very difficult to mount any lights. Its ABS plastic covered with stainless.

[TexasState]

Measure the Inside diameter for the cap. VHO bulbs & endcap should work. Just lay the bulb on top of the glass top and hope it's not too much heat. Or just go without the glass top. I like that size tank but hate the wide plastic center brace. You should get a corner tank like I had so you don't have to deal with the center brace.

[alexwolf]

too big, and it doesnt fit in the space.

[TexasState]

I don't know how much this 46G is costing you, but City Pet quoted me about $315 just for the tank/stand in metallic.
---------
http://uweb.txstate.edu/~xp42012/misc/helio_t5.jpg
My Helio T5 is probably about 35" long at a cost of about $25 a pop. You should add another 1/4 to 1/2 inch for the cord at the end. They're available in daylight & actinic. I think this T5 is only normal output & they don't have much of a reflector. They are bright & hot. Possible, untested way to mount T5 to your hood: Screw some acrylics or woods into to the side the cap to make a dual track to slide the light in. If I were you, I would talk the wife out of buying that hood. It's unfunctional. You might have to take it off to work inside your tank. Tell her that you can get PC hood with moonlights for night time actinic viewing.


i tried to come up for something for my 92g corner bowfront with its plastic cap. other than using some kind of epoxy i couldnt really think of a feasable way to do it.
http://www.camec.com.au/images/5046-060.jpg
My 92G was close to the back of the wall. I added an actinic 48" T5 to the front & 24" T5 to the back of my tank as supplemental lighting along with MH as my main lightning. I did this by using screwing a closed screw hook into the wall. Then I used two ziptie to tie the light to the hook. One ziptie go around the endcap. The other zip tie hook the endcap to the screw-in hook.

[Sunhutch]

How about making a template of the plastic lid/top then using it cut a lightweight plyboard or someting else you could put srcews into. Then you could mount everything on the top piece.

What I have on mine is a dual pendant that fits inside the plastic cap with no lid.

[alexwolf]

dual pendant? MH? Maybe i need to drop by,......

[kaiser]

I saw something similar on a 72 Bow at eleyans house. He build a wooden structure to mount his lights to and just put the plastic outer shell back over it. Looked pretty sharp.

[Sunhutch]

You are more than welcome to come check it out Alex. Just let me know when you want to come by.

[alexwolf]

what size is the tank man?

[Sunhutch]

92gal corner bowfront. I got the fixture from Jose/Z28pwr a while back. He built it himself.

[alexwolf]

ok, i will do that!