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08-21-2007, 11:04 PM
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#1
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Newton, NC
Posts: 473
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Tek Retrofit...???...
How hard is it to put these lights together? I sure wouldn't mind saving a little money. Has anyone here done it?
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08-22-2007, 09:58 AM
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#2
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: spartanburg, south carolina
Posts: 4,597
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I've never done a Tek retrofit but I've wired up my own T5HO's. It's not that hard but you have to be comfortable working with electrical stuff. For the most part it's just connecting wires with wire nuts and plugging stuff in. If you don't feel good about it, then usually you can find a friend who does electrical to help.
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08-22-2007, 12:51 PM
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#3
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Newton, NC
Posts: 473
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hmmmm...ok
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08-22-2007, 12:52 PM
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#4
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Mommy Mod
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: down the street and around the corner from Dimples
Posts: 4,479
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I have watched my husband put one together and I did the second one myself. The directions for wiring areprinted ON the ballest. Once we got that figured out it was actually really easy!
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08-22-2007, 12:55 PM
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#5
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Newton, NC
Posts: 473
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thanks for the words of encouragement
unfortunately i am not exactly gifted when it comes to things like that...but...it does sound relatively easy
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08-22-2007, 12:58 PM
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#6
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Keeper of the Reef
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Northern Indiana
Posts: 2,556
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If you shop around you can probally find a "plug and play" retro. With my PC retros there was no wiring. I'm sure somone make a T5 retro pre wired.
__________________
They call me Chris  I'm obsessed with fuzzy sticks 
75g SPS/LPS Reef :: 2x 250w 12K Reef Lux :: Octopus NW-200 Skimmer ::
MY 125G BUILD THREAD
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08-22-2007, 01:06 PM
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#7
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Mommy Mod
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: down the street and around the corner from Dimples
Posts: 4,479
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here is my post on it
http://thereeftank.com/forums/showth...=100126&page=9
starts at like 178 i think... the wiring of the fans is earlier in the build with set by steps so that should help you out  |
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08-22-2007, 01:12 PM
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#8
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Newton, NC
Posts: 473
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Now...this is what I'm gonna need right? I don't have a hood, nor do I want one.
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08-22-2007, 03:04 PM
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#9
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Keeper of the Reef
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Northern Indiana
Posts: 2,556
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DrFish33
Now...this is what I'm gonna need right? I don't have a hood, nor do I want one.
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when you say "hood" do you mean canopy? A retro is designed to mount onto the underside of a canopy. If you have no canopy you will want a fixture that will either be suspended above the tank or mounted on top of the tank. If you need a fixture there will be no wiring involved.
__________________
They call me Chris I'm obsessed with fuzzy sticks
75g SPS/LPS Reef :: 2x 250w 12K Reef Lux :: Octopus NW-200 Skimmer ::
MY 125G BUILD THREAD
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08-22-2007, 03:36 PM
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#10
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Newton, NC
Posts: 473
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Right...I don't have a canopy. I want a fixture to be placed on top of the tank. I was originally thinking more along the lines of just buying the rubber legs to put on the bottom of the fixture to raise it up from the glass to help with air flow.
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08-22-2007, 03:55 PM
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#11
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: spartanburg, south carolina
Posts: 4,597
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I totally misunderstood your first post. If you want a light fixture that you simply place on top of the tank, then yeah, that's pretty easy. You literally do just that - place on top, plug in, and enjoy! Here are some Tek fixtures for you to check out:
http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_...ight_Fixtures/ |
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08-22-2007, 04:06 PM
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#12
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Keeper of the Reef
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Northern Indiana
Posts: 2,556
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DrFish33
Right...I don't have a canopy. I want a fixture to be placed on top of the tank. I was originally thinking more along the lines of just buying the rubber legs to put on the bottom of the fixture to raise it up from the glass to help with air flow.
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Glass? You may consider taking the glass off.
__________________
They call me Chris I'm obsessed with fuzzy sticks
75g SPS/LPS Reef :: 2x 250w 12K Reef Lux :: Octopus NW-200 Skimmer ::
MY 125G BUILD THREAD
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