# Anyone know tricks with the ''regular" aqueon hoods that come with T8s and T12s?



## AquariumTech

Ok its that time to start replacing and upgrading some of the old tanks I got when I was younger and less experienced. Now the ones that have incandesents, I already know about the self ballasting bulbs/SHO bulbs and have done that. I have been trying though to get more out of the fixtures with single T8 bulb. I dont really want to have to get a glass top or a lighting fixture that sits over it, I kind of want to keep the hoods they have on them. I have tried different bulbs like the zoo-med ones but they really dont make a difference. I cant really find any "high(er) output" T8s. Anyone know of a high output bulbs for T8s? Is there a single strip T5 light that will fit on those type of hoods? Has anyone done any mods so you can still use that hood but better lights? 

Now for the T12s, I have found higher output bulbs but they wont stay lit, I guess my starter couldnt do it. I tried replacing them and getting ones for a higher wattage and didnt work. Anyone know how to fix this? or mods? I believe T12s and 8s use the same pin arrangement so if you know about a tip for the T8 ones, I dont mind replacing the T12s with T8s.

I kind of have some ideas for moding, but want to see if there is a rock I left unturned in my search (probably did) or if someone else has perfected mods for this. Any help is appreciated. THANKS!


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## Mikaila31

what size are these hoods and bulbs? What exactly are you trying to achieve with them or what are you not satisfied with...

BTW T8 and T12 are not interchangeable unless the ballast states so. Bulbs of high wattage will not work in a ballast that only does say ~18 watts. 

If you mod any light you should have a glass lid regardless. I actually won't run a aquarium without a lid. At the very least you need a condensation tray. 

Pictures of the lights would be helpful you think you want to retrofit them. Its not hard to do and the best option is to switch them over to the self ballast bulbs.


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## emc7

You can buy retrofit kits for "standard" lights to switch them to high output T5s or dual T5. A light is a cord, a switch, a ballast, a starter (sometimes), ends, a reflector (sometimes) and a bulb. None is especially difficult to replace. T8s and T12 use the same ends and some ballasts and starters will work for both, but not all will. Look at http://www.catalinaaquarium.com/ 

When I see cheap T5 under-cabinet lights at home depot, I am always tempted just to stick the whole fixture to the inside of an old, dead aquarium strip light with double-faced tape.

The other thing that is done a lot and I believe it is cheaper than upgrading the fluorescent is to take out the ballast, the starter and the ends and just put in incandescent sockets from a simple "lamp kit". Then you compact fluorescent bulbs with screw in ends and use them. You can usually buy incandescent aquarium strip lights that fit and again use the compact fluorescent bulbs. 

2 bulb strip lights usually don't fit on standard hoods, people usually buy glass "canopies". I've been switching to glass lids just because the current model of "standard plastic lid" has a lousy design and has molded plastic hinge pins that snap off and no rim around the edge, so they fall in the tank when opened. I refuse to replace busted ones with the same style. 

The newest option is to remove the ballast and use the ends with a an LED tube that fits in a fluorescent bulb's space. Its expensive yet, but coming down. There are also instructions for DIY dedicated LED fixtures on the web.


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## AquariumTech

Thanks EMC, I figured thats what Id have to, I actually already did it, I was able to take the old strip that holds the light, cut holes for wires, gut it out and just put even reflective material in and I went out and got the Ecoxotic Panorama LED modules. I just laid them on top of the glass (cant believe on smaller tanks it was the perfect size to put a few of them in there), and put that old gutted strip with the reflective material on top so it still looks like the regular tank and hood but now WITH POWER!

Ive never used the retros Ive always had a fixture, and kind of needed to do it fast. I was just kind of wanting to see what someone else had done to give me some ideas, but I dont know how I didnt think of that. It was just a little late on T5 retro idea I totally didnt even think about it, I probably would have only been able to fit like 1 T5 in there anyways.

Anyways on the bigger one I said screw it and since I was already spending the dollars on the LEDS, and was happy with the other ones I just took it a step farther and got the Ecoxotic Retro 42 watt system (actually 3 of them) and just hung them over the tank which is something Ive never done before but it looks really nice. Now I dont have to deal with glass or hoods anyways (no more cleaning and wasted light and par) anymore on that one Ill see how it goes, but at this rate I think I should have just hung all my lights. Now that I did that Im kind of over the way those hoods look lolz. I was never a huge fan of the versa-top the handles always broke or came off for me, among other things not they were horrible I still use some. At least it still looks nice and will actually work for stuff other than fish only tanks. 

Anyways thanks Emc again for your input.


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## emc7

If you have time, post a few pics. LEDs have great intensity for the power and don't overheat your tank. Commercial LED fixtures are really expensive yet and there is a lot of interest in DIY.


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## emc7

I agree with you about "hanging lights". Where I can, I'm just putting under-cabinet lights and glass lids skipping the strips entirely


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## Mikaila31

Yeah but open tops do not work in all climates, so enjoy them since you can. All my tanks have lids and I get about zero evaporation. The main issue is in the winter up here it gets really dry, chapped lips and static everywhere. Also cold outside. There is snow out there right now, its not really cold yet though. You can't have the house 68* and humid when its dry and 0* outside. It condenses all over the inside of the windows and is just awful. Its not uncommon for window sills to rot out. IDK how many times there is ice frozen to the INSIDE of my windows lol. I don't want to know what would happen if I allowed for free evaporation from all my tanks.....

As for retrofits I have my high tech tanks with there fancier lights. All my other hoods are retrofitted for about $10-20 and I like it that way. I'll do an LED someday, but it will be entirely DIY.


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## emc7

I'm filling tanks every day now. Starting to get annoying. Time to start with the glad Press and Seal on the holes.


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## AquariumTech

Sometimes here in the summer time have big problems with tanks evaporating, thats why Im happy to get rid of the glass so I dont have to clean it all the time. I have a some what easy fill system setup anyways that I barely spent any money on. So the actual evap doesnt bother me its the results from it. Acutally though LEDs are not as DIY as most people put them out to be. The ones I got you literally just slide them on to the special rack you can buy for them, take a screw and just attach it to a cord (there is special screw slots already mounted in the back part of the lights, where the heat sync is), or just drill 4 holes in a canopy. Then the other ones Im looking at getting next time I do more updates are the Aquarium Illuminations (AI) SOL or SOL Nano. Those are pretty much straight almost standardized fixtures (if there was such a thing for LEDs). Now with those if you dont want to use their supplied rails or hanging kit, then you might have a little DIY project on your hands, and this is the case with MOST of the LEDs coming out. In fact look at Marinelands new "reef ready" LEDs, (they actually look nice unlike the single and double brights) they really dont require any work to mount them. 

Anyways as for pics I do plan on just making maybe a video instead of a bunch of pics. I still need to do some cleaning up though my tanks look like they are covered with spaghetti from the work I was doing and I didnt really work hard on concealment since I am not 100% sure how Im going to use which ones on which different tanks. Anyways I am very happy with them so far, the only thing I wish is that they were one of the dim-able ones (Ecoxotic's), but Ive heard since the lights depend on a micro-processor unit, you can get a new unit (have to find some one that makes the mods), and basically will make them dim-able. Either way the ones that change color and are the AI ones I mentioned above. Heres the difference though, lets say we will do this for a 55 for example: Ecoxotics 17.5 inch fixture (you will need 2 and it is slightly longer than the tank or wider) goes for 620 each. Or you can go with 2 of their retro fits at like 335 each but for a 55 you will need some extra panorama modules (100 each) or you will have dead spots. Now on the other hand the AI's 48" kit is like 2,300 and doesnt even come with a good mount, and because it has a single controller you will have spaghetti all over the top back of your tank from like 4 power cords and a daisy chain of data cords.


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## Mikaila31

DIY.... I will never pay for a premade LED fixture. Its not just the the crazy cost. Like really your talking well over a grand for light. LIGHT! The upgrade from standard aquarium to high tech planted for my 55 costed maybe $600-700. That was lights, pressurized CO2, substrate, fertilizers, and plants.... 

DIY as in I will wire and mount the individual 3 watt LED myself. I've wired LEDs before and I understand the diff between the little ones and the 3 watt high powered ones. There are quite a few nice DIY threads online for building your own LED fixture. Its still not cheap, but alot better then the cost of the premade ones. I also prefer to understand my equipment completely. I've built or modified all my lights. I can make them to my exact liking that way. Certain things I have no desire for: on/off switch, digital controls, and dimmable for starters. 

BTW glad I'm not the only one who used plastic wrap.


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