May 21st, 2007:

New Zealand Trip

We’ve finalized our New Zealand itinerary, funnily enough only just before we go to Sardinia for a week.

The list is as follows

  • Arrive Auckland via Hong Kong
  • Kerikeri (Bay of Islands)
  • Coopers Bay
  • Auckland
  • Waitomo Caves
  • Taupo
  • Taupo (go to Rotorua)
  • Palmerstone North
  • Wellington
  • Interislander Ferry to Picton
  • Kaikoura
  • Christchurch
  • Greymouth
  • Franz Josef
  • Wanaka
  • Te Anau
  • Te Anau (go to Milford Sound)
  • Queenstown (2 nights)
  • Dunedin
  • Oamaru
  • Christchurch
  • Fly home via L.A.

Total trip clocks in at around 2,500 miles driving not to mention two 24hour+ flights. It’s going to be fun!

Aquarium Lights

[thumb:921:l]Since I’ve been away I’ve been doing various things including building some new lighting units for my fish tank.

Ordinarily fish tank lighting can be very expensive and I had a need for lights that I could mount to my opening lids. Home made units consisting of 3W Luxeon bulbs mounted on various peices of angle and flat aluminium strips forming a heat sink give just what I want. The units are powered from a laptop power supply and both flaps have an independent lighting unit that is switched on and off by the opening of the lid.

Luxeon bulbs run hot so I’ve also installed CPU fans into the hood providing airflow through the hood which should also come in handy during the summer when the tank has a tendency to run hot. The entire lot was done fairly cheaply with dotlights providing the LEDs, B&Q providing the aluminium and maplin providing most of the rest. Thanks to Dad for assistance with the hood modifications and Dave on the tropical fish centre forums for help with planning the electronics.