$55 for a strip light and 2 bulb fixtures seems pretty insane in my book. Would it work to either make a custom hood out of wood to set on top of my 90 gallon, with the same features as this? OR modify a current tube fixture with 2 additional bulb sockets? I have 2 tanks I need to do this too.

This is what I have on 2 of my tanks. I would like to create something close.

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I forgot to add, if possible, i would like my heat element to go in there too. I don't know how practical that would be.

I can get a 21" fixture for $12.

I have a fixture for the heat element, i'd just have to cut a hole for it. A light fixture costs, what? $1? And then some wood and cords. I don't need the cords to turn on and off, since they will just be on timers.

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My name is Liz
Do what's best for the animal, not what's best for you.

The close proximity of the lights to the wood is a fire hazard. Unless you line the inside with sheet metal or something.
You could modify the fixture and then fit it inside a wooden hood.

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Mike
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I was actually thinking of lining it with something, since I'd want it to reflect.

Also, how hot do florescent tubes get? Hot enough to burn to the touch? What this boils down to, is i'm having lighting issues with my plants. I'm not getting enough and I need a strip light. Summer is too warm for bulbs larger than 25 watts each and its not enough for the plants. A really simple solution would be to mount a light to the inside of the tank towards the front. BUT I don't want anyone to get burnt. Putting this in would solve my problem for at least the summer, but I worry about the heat it will generate.


For the lights in the box, i wouldn't have them angled to the side like that photo, i would have them pointing down. This would make for a higher profile, but I'm OK with that. I could even mount the shop lights inside.

This is my current set up:


As you can see, its 2 dome lights and a heat emitter. The top of the emitter doesn't get all that hot. In fact my cat likes to curl up next to it. I figured a wood box would keep the heat in and humidity, then I could get rid of the stupid blue stuff.

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My name is Liz
Do what's best for the animal, not what's best for you.

As long as you don't cram them in. You should be fine. They won't burn to the touch but contact for a while could cause burns.
Any wood hoods I built I put a vent where they would be excess heat buildup.

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Mike
"Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you." - Mother Teresa

What's in that tank? And what bulbs do you use in the 2 dome lights?

On most of my tanks I have one Growlight (2foot)fixture($10 all together at walmart) and a dome fixture(like your 2) with either a 40w or 60w regular lightbulb for heat and more light.

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Lisa, its my 90 gallon for my whites. Right now I have 2 bulbs (25 watt and 40 watt) and that's it. I need a strip light in there somehow. In the winter, I up the bulbs to a 40 and a 60, plus the heat emitter and this keeps temps right where I need them. But with the less wattage, my plants aren't getting enough light.

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My name is Liz
Do what's best for the animal, not what's best for you.

Looks cool

Here's what I have ontop of my 150 gallon Whites Tree Frog enclosure....(older pics, just different bulbs in now)



The temp is usually a perfect 85 degrees. The 2 growlights are attached on the inside because they don't get hot at all. One of the dome fixtures has a 65w spot-gro by Sylvania(bluish bulb) and the other has a 40w regular lightbulb(in winter it's a 60w).
Actually yesterday I had to turn off the 40w because it was hot outside....no ac yet.

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1TomatoFrog1PacmanFrog2GreenFrogs1BlueBullfrog2(adult)CornSnakes5(yearling)CornSnakes13(babies4sale)CornSnakes1Rat-ChiDog

OK, does your grow light have a protective cover over it? I'm trying to see, it looks like it does. What size is it too? If I can get a light fixture like that, with a cover on it, I'm going to connect it directly inside the tank along the top front.

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My name is Liz
Do what's best for the animal, not what's best for you.