Need MH advice

[WILDTHING]

I have been trying to figure out a lighting solution for my 20g (24x12x17). I currently have my 48in Pc strip over it so in effect I have 110w on it. I thought of getting a PC quad for it which is 96w but IMO the 110 is just barely cutting it light wise. I thought of T5's but looking into it the bulbs seem pretty pricey.Even a DIY system was going to be more than I really wanted to spend on a 20g that was supposed to be torn down once my 55 was up. (it is looking so nice I can't bring myself to break it down) That kinda left me with the lighting choice I secretly wanted but didn't want to admit to myself. MH. (Gasp)
After seeing some beautiful tanks and seeing the colors that you get using MH I'm thinking of taking the plunge! I guess what finally sold me was some yellow polops that I got from Dave in Richmond. In his tank they were a lovely buttery yellow, in my 20 with 110w of PC they are a brownish yellow, still pretty and doing great but the buttery yellow had a nicer color.

I don't have any plans to do anything that needs a great deal of light, just softies, shrooms, polops and possibly a lower light stony or two. With only 12 inches of width to work with, I don't want to add additional actinic bulbs so I was thinking of going with the xm 20k bulb. Hellolights has a Coralife pendant that I can sub the 20k bulb with but that system with shipping will run about 250 dollars, way more than I want to spend on this little tank. Any suggestions on how to get this going for 150 or so? I personally have a phobia of working with electricity but I have a slave (ehem) husband that is great at it. Don't mind putting him to work at all. Is this my pipe dream or can it be done? BTW I have heat considerations during the summer here so that's one reason I'm looking at a pendant.


colleen

[mr294]

Lets see....

From premium aquatics you can get a "plug and play" retro kit with quality parts, but this option will require construction of a pendant, canopy, etc.

175w PFO ballast - $75
175w 20k XM bulb - $60
Reflector, cord, socket- $45
Total=$180 (Skip the reflector and save $20)

If you would prefer, you can also purchase a barebones ballast at a electrical supply store (M57 should do it for 175w XM, Hamilton, Ushio or Coralide bulbs). This option will probably run you around $40 for the ballast, but you need to provide you own enclosure (metal ammo boxes from the army surplus store work great) and perform your own wiring. Don't let that scare you off though because wiring these things up is really quite simple and should only take a couple of minutes.

Another option is to look used. So many people are upgrading to higher wattage bulbs these days that a 175w probe start ballast should be pretty easy to come by used. HTH

[Charlie Davidson]

I am planing on upgrading my tanks, and will soon have a 175w ballast and bulb (14k hamilton) both used only @2months! you will have to buy reflector and socket.

[Charlie Davidson]

Colleen, look at hellolights.com. I bought my reflectors/sockets there! $30 ea. They also have some great kits!!

[WILDTHING]

Since a huge concern for me is heat build up I have been thinking of ways to get around this and the only solution I can come up with is a pendant. ( it just doesn't take much to heat 20g)Can i just build a sm wooden box and mount the lights in there and hang that? They sell pendant boxes made of plastic/acrilic but that adds another 100 to the mix, well really 70 because they come with a reflector and socket. If I go that route I may just get the coralife pendant for 209 without the bulb I really want.(it comes with a coralife 5500) 55k sounds like it will be really white, which seems like it would wash out the colors I'm trying to see. And finally where do you get the UV lense that you are supposed to use.

[Charlie Davidson]

I have a few 5500 bulbs, they are white to the eye and good for parking lot lighting but very yellow when viewed on a tank and colors show very muddy. UV lense is not needed on a single end (mogal) bulb. The outer caseing of the bulb is the protection. As for building a box- I have seen that done at one of the BETTER lfs in the area, it seems to work fine. Come to think about it , Sundragon did the same and it looks very, very professional!!! mine are in a wooden box also, my box looks like hell- but fish/coral do not mine.

[Charlie Davidson]

I have been telling myself to go by Stevens again, so I could copy his hood/pendant. Maybe we can get him to post plans!!!! And what about Davids setup at the last meet, That was a very good way of accessing the tank!!!

[WILDTHING]

Thanks for that info Charlie, glad to know it can be done. Is your ballast electronic? What brand?

[Charlie Davidson]

mag. ballast from local elec. supply house. I work on lighting and stuff at work.

[WILDTHING]

Charlie, thanks for the offer, I think I will go with an electronic ballast because of it being more efficient than the mag. Hubby freaked about putting 175w on a 20g, a more efficient ballast tipped the balance. Thanks for all the advice.

I've never seen Stevens, but Davids hood was WAAAAAAAy cool.