Coralife Pro 4x96PC & 3x150MH install question

[austinsdad]

It's a retro fit into an Oceanic canopy and stand.

I'm mounting the 3 PC ballasts on the backside of the stand. The stand has 3 oak legs on the backside, left, right, & center. All 3 MH ballasts onn the same side w/the on/off switches facing outward. Gonna put the single PC ballast (twice as wide, but not as thick) on the other side leg. That sound OK? Mounted them with stainless steel bolts and wing nuts for easy removal.

The two fans. They mount on either side of the canopy near the front right? Looks like the steel from the light fixture takes up the rest of the space and even comes out past the 3 canopy openings.

Hopefully someone can help since these things don't come w/instructions for each particular apllication. Or if you just have an opinion on the ballast placement, lemme hear it.

Thanks.

[fishfreek]

Put the ballasts as far away from the water as possible for two reasons. One heat transfer and two water contact. The MH ballsts are likly very heavy so it will also be good to put them low to the ground but allowing a drip loop. As far as the fans I would put them where you can get the best airflow. Having not seen the reflectors or anything I dont know what shape they are in if you could put a fan so its blowing right down the center line of where the mH bulbs are or not.

[austinsdad]

Cool. I think the ballasts' current location will keep'm from warming the water on those legs - 'bout 12-18" from the ground. The fans do look good on either side of the canopy pointing at each other from 6' away right over the 3 MH bulbs and glass cover spaced along the length.

Thanks.

[fishfreek]

I guess I dont really follow when you describe where you was putting the ballsts.

[austinsdad]

The attempt below is the view from the back of the stand w/the three leg/uprights (the middle one should be centered).

1 - PC ballast
3 - MH ballasts

A & B are power strip locations facing outward/towards the wall.

  ___________A_____________________________B____________
   I           I                      I       I                                   I            I
   I    PC   I                      I       I                                   I     MH   I
   I           I                      I       I                                   I     MH   I 
   I           I                      I       I                                   I     MH   I
   I           I                      I       I                                   I            I

The PC has 2 plugs, MH has 3. Guess my only option is to plug a 14 gauge extension cord w/3 outlets into a single timer. Same with the PC's 2 plugs. Got the timers plugged into the power strips. Power strips plugged into GFCI outlets. Hmmmm.


Edited here - I see that didn't work. Smushed my drawing together. Looks OK when I'm editing it though.

[fishfreek]

HAHA. The email worked Ray. I got the idea. I thought you was saying the canopy had legs so thats where I was lost. I understand now its the stand's legs your mounting this stuff on.

[fishfreek]

Well I put it in the 'code' bbcode and that helped it some but its stsill not comming up right. hard to format stuff like that on a forum.

[austinsdad]

Do you have Visio? Got a drawing of my sump/fuge/reservoir area I'm looking for input on.
If not, PM with a fax # maybe?