MH above Glass Top?

[Lee Stearns]

Ok Lighting Guys,

I would like to hear if it is possible to run smaller MH's above glass covers and how high above should they be?

175's, 250's? inside a standard canopy with fan?

I have no experince with them at all. I am setting up a 150G H (48-24-28) with standard Cabinet and Canopy but have not procured the lights. I was thinking PCs. I only intend to keep soft coral in a mixed tank and with the excetion of a BTA do not expect to have huge lighting needs. Definitely do not want to go chiller route. I will have a 50g refuge/sump beneath running lights off cycle. Suggestions?

Thanks

[michaelg]

Your best bet here is going to be to use HQI double ended bulbs.  They require a whole lot less space.  I can provide photos of how I made a fixture for them with a home depot $12 flood light.  That is a pretty deep tank- so you will need the extra intensity to make it to the bottom

You will need fans though- likely even with PCs.  This time of year isn't bad, but come summer time, you will need something.  

I have never worked with standard canopy's but you might need to hack it up a bit.

You don't want the glass over the tank.  The BTA will really benefit from at least one halide (you don't HAVE to have the lighting symetrical).  They usually make their home between the rock and sand interface- though sometime will be happy in the rock itself- really depends on the particular one (they have a mind of their own).

 

Michael

[Lee Stearns]

Thanks HQI from a home depot shop light? I would be intrigued at what you had to change out- balast? the bulbs fit one of those fixtures? What size bulb double end bulb, and from where? Pics and instructions would be neat.

[michaelg]

Basically the light just served as a shell.  I had a ballast, which I put in a metal box after wiring. You will still need a ballast- no way around that, but you can use either an electronic ballast or a standar M89??? ballast.   The light fixture had the bulb holder molded in place, so I took the trusty dremel to it and hacked away.  I then mounted in the correct bulb holder (from hellolights.com).  I fixed it into my canopy by drilling a hole in the canopy and using the threaded arm that is part of the light fixture.

 

Michael

[Sph2sail]

You are looking for an M58 ballast for 250W MH, M59 for 400W MH.  I use standard module MH lighting because they are "self contained" (no rqmt for special UV filter glass), less expensive, wide range.  I may be wrong, but I do not believe the HQI's use a different ballast.  Any experts out there?

 

Look at DIY MH Project for a history of my DIY MH installation.

 

I used the PFO Parallel's because of Sanjay's data saying they reflect the most light to the tank (other than the diamond luminarc which is not available anymore).  I also liked the ability to mount the PC bulbs in the fixture easily.

 

I just use a fan to cool my tank w/evaporation.  No chiller required.

 

s

[michaelg]

Yeah- the double ended bulbs do use a different ballast.  They are not the same- you need an hqi ballast.  Hopefully Tony will jump in and give us the rundown on these (our resident electrician).  Steve is correct though that the single ended bulbs do not need a shield whereas the double ended ones give off a bunch of UV and need to be shielded (the glass in the fixture I mentioned is designed for this).  If you go to hellolights.com and look under DIY parts, you can find descriptions of all the ballasts.  The one I used is an M81 (Hqi for a 150W DE bulb).  Sorry about that.