Lighting questions

[OceanMist]

lighting a 20" cube tank?

I want to use halide lighting on the 20" cube tank I plan to build, would 400w be too much? I mainly want to keep soft coral and an anemone or 2, although a couple of SPS corals would be great, (If there are any SPS corals that would get by without added calcium?),

or If I was to add a 250w lamp to a 400w ballast would it work? only I already have the parts of a 400w halide (the igniter is labeled MH 70-400w, so I assume the ballast is 400w), also would a 400 give off a lot of heat?

any help would be greatly appreciated :?

 

[melosu58]

Moved to General Hardware and equipment discussion.

 

[tecwzrd]

400W would work but you would have to place it pretty high up (15"-20" depending on what you plan on keeping) so you don't bleach out your corals. Coral acclimation to the new light will be needed as usual.

250W bulb should only be used with a 250w ballast.

 

[OceanMist]

after the height of the cabinet and tank the halide would probably have to be on the ceiling, which isn't really an option :? ..... although I do have an old Arcadia 250w unit (although it doesn't have an igniter so I have no way of testing it), If I were to replace the 400w ballast with the 250 ballast would it work or would I need to replace the ignitors and everything as well? also is a 400w SE bulb the same fitting as a 250w SE?

TIA

 

[melosu58]

Timbo2 said "A 250 would do great on the size tank you are talking about. The 20K may be a little bluer for my taste however that is a personal decision. I would go more to the 14K, 15K whichever is available to you. The double ended bulbs need the UV protection."

 

[timbo2]

Yes, I missed the 70-400 part. What was said was true, although a 400 watt MH would do wonders in a tank that size, you would have to keep it high off the water as to not create fish stew. You could however do this and create a directional pendant that would concentrate the light directly in the cube and not all over the house...

 

[OceanMist]

ok, thanks for the replies, ... Melosu58, sorry for double posting,


the problem is that I have the all the parts to build either a 400w or even a 150w, but I only have an untested ballast without ignitors or anything to build a 250w (which would be Ideal), and I don't want to spend £60 on a bulb to find the ballast doesn't work.

A 400 would have to be really high and look terrible, (and possibly bleach my corals)

and you can't buy single ended 150 bulbs above 10000k anywhere (in the UK at least), and even they're difficult to find.

 

[Devilishturtles]

Just thinking out loud here, but if your ballast is old and all the other equipment is old as well, you may be better off just buying a new retrofit kit. It seems like you only have the pieces for a 400, completely. Sorry if that sounds confusing, trying to help but not quite sure how to that won't involve you buying new parts.

150 bulbs don't come in SE only in DE (I think) so maybe that is why you were having trouble finding it.

Another question. I've been hesitant to reply in this thread because I had no idea what you were calling an ignitor. Could you explain?

I found something that would be perfect for you but I doubt they ship to the UK. But I'll share anyways.
http://www.hellolights.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=170&HS=1

HTH

 

[OceanMist]

Just thinking out loud here, but if your ballast is old and all the other equipment is old as well, you may be better off just buying a new retrofit kit.

that might be my only option, the 400w is virtually brand new though, so it seems pointless buying more stuff that I already have, the 150w is older but I know it works because I used to use it on a previous tank.

150 bulbs don't come in SE only in DE (I think) so maybe that is why you were having trouble finding it.

http://www.marine-lighting.co.uk/ ... you can definitely get them, but as I said, not easily, in fact that is the only website I have found that sells them (haven't used that site only found it whilst searching Google)

Another question. I've been hesitant to reply in this thread because I had no idea what you were calling an ignitor. Could you explain?

I'm not an electrician, but both the working halide units I have, have a ballast, an ignitor and the 400w unit has 2 capacitors (I have no Idea what they are but they have to be there for a reason, right?!) they may be incorporated into the ballast in other units but I'm really not sure,



... What would I be able to keep under a 10000k 150w Halide with perhaps a couple of T5 actincs to add some blue, in a 20" high tank?

 

[Devilishturtles]

I'm not an electrician, but both the working halide units I have, have a ballast, an ignitor and the 400w unit has 2 capacitors (I have no Idea what they are but they have to be there for a reason, right?!) they may be incorporated into the ballast in other units but I'm really not sure,

Makes sense. I'm not an electrician either! lol. The retrofit kit I bought contained only an electronic ballast, the relfector and hood, and the wires. Nothing else, that's why I'm confused on what you are saying you need.

IMHO, you'll be able to keep quite a bit under a 150 just keep higher light corals towards the top.

 

[OceanMist]

That's what I'm thinking, the only high lighting thing I want to keep is a BTA, but I would of thought it would do ok high up under 150w, the rest would will be mostly soft corals/zoo's/mushrooms etc. It seems pointless buying a 250w bulb in a hope that I can wire it up and that the ballast works, whilst I have a guaranteed working 150w fixture. buying a SE bulb may prove tricky but it only has to be done once a year or so right?! and If needs be I could replace the bulb holder with a DE one.

Thanks for the the replies & help.