View Full Version : Stupid question?


know-it-all
Nov 15th, 2004, 08:05am
Anyone know a place to get red flourescent bulbs.

I think it would be cool to flip a switch in the cabinet and have a red light
come on for night viewing.

I've thought about a couple incandescent "party bulbs",
but, that's just to easy for me.

joel_ang
Nov 15th, 2004, 08:42am
A white flourescent tube with red cellophane?

know-it-all
Nov 15th, 2004, 09:06am
I said it was a stupid question. :oops:


I didn't think it could be that easy

cthulhu77
Nov 15th, 2004, 09:50am
as long as the bulbs are below 40 watts, you can also lightly colour them with spray paint (flat red)...hold the bulb about 16" away and mist the bulbs, let them dry for 24 hours. We do that all the time at the zoo...works just fine !
greg

know-it-all
Nov 15th, 2004, 10:39am
Thanks,
I like that idea.

the bulbs are only 18" (15 watt I think)

now I just need to get some spray paint

RandyB
Nov 15th, 2004, 05:23pm
You can also use christmas lights.

Scouse
Nov 15th, 2004, 05:41pm
or wear red sunglasses in the daytime an pretend :lol: :lol:

Jean
Nov 15th, 2004, 07:08pm
A white flourescent tube with red cellophane?

Just watch it though! If the bulb gets too hot the cello will melt and becomes a fire hazard (let's off nasty smelling fumes too!)....been there done that!!!!!!

:D

J

know-it-all
Nov 15th, 2004, 07:10pm
or wear red sunglasses in the daytime an pretend :lol: :lol:

I like that one the best.

can I get Odo to wear red sunglasses and come out in the day?

Scouse
Nov 16th, 2004, 06:17am
I like that one the best.

can I get Odo to wear red sunglasses and come out in the day?

I reckon thats your best bet :lol: :lol:

Alternativley there is someone selling LED set-ups in various colours on ebay at the mo so you could try them, think they also do underwater ones, prob not the best for a ceph tank thou, if you put them underwater.

But on the pic it looked like you get a fair bit of light off them..... :)

oscar
Nov 16th, 2004, 07:06am
spray paint idea i like - will a bubble coral still extend tentacles and a brittle star still come out with red light on?

Scouse
Nov 30th, 2004, 11:08am
Sorted that one!!

If you go to an army surplus store you can get 90 degreee flashlights that come with different filaments including red. They cost about 8 pounds here but it'll solve your problem.

moggyhill
Dec 4th, 2004, 12:42pm
LED's are cheap, easy to work with, and come in colors. I use blue with my tank.

RiotAct
Dec 13th, 2004, 04:07pm
I think cold cathode tubes would work very well in this situation as well and they are readily availible at just about every pc shop. I use blue ones in my case mod. I'm not a red or green fan. It would be very easy to seal these for under water use as well as top mount. Any PC shop would have a used 200watt PSU lying around for free I'm sure. I do, if you need one. but this would give you the 12volt rail you need to run the cathode tube. This type of light will put off a flood style of lighting rather than a direct light of the LEDs. PM me if you want to explore this option further. I dig deep into PC's

Nancy
Dec 21st, 2004, 09:10pm
I've read back through this thread and thought it might be a good idea to point out the reason we're talking about the color red for lamps or LEDs - octos cannot perceive red, so you watch a nocturnal octo without scaring it.

Nancy