adg lighting?

[pockets]

I'm trying to change up the lighting in my 240 discus tank. I want lighting like the famous Amazon biotope discus tank adg did. Very subtle, low lighting. Anyone know what type of light they use? Id imagine its expensive so does anyone have any ideas or suggestions on how to pull this effect off without going in debt?

[mnemenoi]

I had considered doing a Blackwater Amazonian biotope with minimal lighting and housing Checkerboard cichlids, but decided to hold off a bit. I did try and think the lighting through though. The best ideas I had centered on dappled lighting, very focused as if it were just breaking through the dense canopy of the rainforest. The closest thing that I came up with that would achieve those results were high powered spotlight LED's and build them out yourself in a canopy. They sell very nice LED's that are waterproof and I think would acieve the effect perfectly without costing a fortune. On the other hand, it involves ordering and building them out yourself.

[pockets]

That's what I was thinking too. Led spotlights. Something that would create a beam vs the led flood lights I seemed to only be able to find at lowed and home depot. Building it out won't be an issue, I've gutted and rebuilt half my house so this should be a piece of cake. I'm just lost on where to find the materials.

[Andrew_B]

http://www.houstonfishbox.com/vforums/showthread.php?53751-Another-DIY-LED-project

[armthehomeless]

Re: adg lighting?

I remember talking to Mike about this a while ago. I know they are LED cannons... I think ecoxotic.

[Darbex]

adg lighting?

Yes Tim is correct but you can get the same effect for cheaper using MH. Just get a lower wattage.

[mistahoo]

+1 on Tim being correct. They are the Ecoxotic Cannons. ADG carries a lot of the Ecoxotic stuff as well as ADA stuff, etc. They are also being used on their Reef display tank. Very expensive LED spotlight, but definitely high quality stuff. If you follow their YouTube and Facebook page, there's a video or something for the lighting they use.

Edit: I don't remember exactly which Ecoxotic Cannon they use, but I believe it's the one I have linked. Ecoxotic only has a 50w, 100w, and 120w. 120w being the most expensive and 100w being the cheapest.

[pockets]

Thanks for that link Andrew. That's the diy direction I was wanting to go.

I looked up the ecoxotic led cannons. Lol I could get 2 of them but my kids wouldn't have a Christmas this year. Lol decisions decisions.......

[mistahoo]

The 100w ones are about 1/4 the cost of the 50w ones, but probably isn't as good. Sunny's simple diy should be great for what you're planning on doing.

[newb]

They are the 50watt cannon. This light is very bright keep in mind that tank was 4ft deep. The higher off the water you can hang it the better. Good quality light and really not that bad on price. Consider it an investment to your tank. It will last a long time. I believe the hanging bracket is sold separately.

[myjohnson]

Nga, where my fish at?

[pockets]

Andrew.......thanks for the link to sunny's project. I ended up doing the same thing he did and tank looks better then I anticipated. Ill try to post some pics