Metal Halide Q&A

I am setting up another 90 gallon tank. I am very happy so far with the leds that I currently have but do not want to spend that amount of money on lighting again. I also want to compare the 2. I have never used anything other than my leds. I upgraded from 4 VHOs to my led fixtures. I have 2 144 watt fixtures from www.smgsllc.com. Would it be possible to maybe cut the top of the canopy and maybe have the top portion of the reflector sticking out of the camopy. Or maybe instead of using a retrofit type of reflector use a pendent and set it on top of the canopy.

 

well if your willing to cut holes in your canopy then you can do either way... sit them on top or underneath with the holes cut in the canopy.

A pendant is not as nice as these fixtures but they will be acceptable. you dont get near the same amount of even light distribution across the tank

 

I was looking at the reflectors you mentioned and have the same problem with the canopy and though about boiling my water. What if I made venting slits in the sides and blew a fan in there? good idea or just junking up a really nice expensive reflector?

 

I dont know if the slits would be effective of not... On my fixture I have a fan blowing half across my fixture and half under it to get any hot air radiating down. It works very well

 

Would it be possible to mount any of the reflectors that you mentioned the same way that I was thinking of mounting the pendents.

 

by cutting a hole? yes i believe that would work very well with the reflectors i recommended

 

I have a quick question I hope. I just picked up a 135 gallon 60 in glass take with built in overflow for a killer $100. I want to set it up for SPS. At my work we have at least 25 400 watt either MH or high pressure sodium ballasts, base and reflectors. I want to set up either two or three on this tank. How can I tell if these are good for MH lights? Also they are 220 ballasts if that makes a difference.

 

If you're referring to standard magnetic ballast MH lighting used for warehouse ceilings and such, more than likely no. If it was that cheap/easy to do I think everyone else would have gone that route. Considering I saw two 400W MH units from a warehouse on Craigslist the other day for $35/ea with ballast.

But I will wait for a more experienced MH person chime in...

 

First, that is an amazing deal on the tank! second, being as they are from a warehouse i am almost certain that they are magnetic ballasts. that means that they will pull more energy and not drive the bulb as hard. Since they are ran at 220v that makes me even more positive that they are industrial type ballasts. now you can run these on your tank if you have absolutely no other means of lighting... but i would highly recommend against it because they are so inefficient that you will be paying out the nose for them and you will not get even close to the power needed out of your bulbs for decent growth.

 

All I can see on the ballast is Lithonia 400M, lamp type M59, 60 hertz, pri volts 277, pri amps 1.80, H.P.F. It doesn't say if it is magnetic or not.