Retro Fit Metal Halide Lighting for 55gl?

[sinner's girl]

Sinner wants to have two sea aneameas (sp).
Will this lighting for for that? <a href="http://www.aquaticlight.com./retrofit.html#Aquatic" target="_blank">http://www.aquaticlight.com./retrofit.html#Aquatic</a>
175 watt Kit w/ Ballast, Socket, Bracket, Cord, Plug and 175W 4300K Bulb
Thanks for any help. I know nothing about lights. If anyone owns this kit any info you can give will be helpful.
If this lighting will not work can someone tell me what will?

 

[mr . salty]

This is an excellent kit.I have two of them myself.I would suggest you go with a better bulb though.The 4300 gulb that comes with it is really a very cheap bulb that will be too yellow,and probably cause an algae problem.Although most lighting upgrades can cause an algae bloom,this bulb will garentee one...I have blueline 10,000k bulbs in my kits...

 

[mini-reefer]

Yeah, I agree. It would be worth the money to upgrade the bulb(s). I have two 175 watt 10000K's as well. I personally feel they are still a bit too yellow. I have to have lots of actinic with the halides to change the tank look to a more white/blue, which is one reason I'm adding two 110 VHO's thanks to Krusk. My next bulbs are going to be 12000K's just to see the difference.
EDIT: I went back and looked at the link again. I didnt see a reflector listed in stuff included. You might want to think about that as well. Ive got two of these: <a href="http://www.hellolights.com/methalparref.html" target="_blank">metal halide reflector</a>

 

[steamboat1569]

I have one in my 55 gal. I upgraded to a 12000K bulb. They messed my order up, but made it right. They not only sent me the 12000K, but also sent me a 5500K bulb for free. I love the look of the MH. I am goint to put some of these in my 80 gallon, when it is set up.

 

[sinner's girl]

Thanks guys.
Mr. Salty, it was from a reply you made a while back that I found that site.
should the lights be upgrade to: 175 watt 5500 Kelvin MH Bulb or to 175 watt 12,000 Kelvin MH Bulb ?
where would i get the blueline 10,000k bulbs?
what does the reflector do?
what do i do about the algea bloom? more snails? keep lights on less or just clean the tank more?
Will this lighting keep corals? (not wanting any now, just wondering if they'll work for them)
Thanks again.

 

[krusk]

Those ballast are TAR (coil) ballast.
They do need some wiring. And the ballast must be placed inside the stand other wise you may have fry fish. Due to the heat from the bulbs and from the ballast.
If you want to try those kits. Why not looking at DIY $100(10000 K bulbs included) 250 Watts MH from Johny. I do believed that Broomer is looking at this DIY stuff.
They are not a bad choice. But they are also not a best choice.

 

[sinner's girl]

It's all up to sinner, his money and he wants lights. he may go diy, right now we just want to learn more about lights, and know what's best (and afordable)
who's Johny? where can i find more info?
thanks

 

[broomer5]

Krusk has a good memory
I'm considering going this route.
Click on link, then click on Articles, then clcik on;
How To Build A Metal Halide System for $100
<a href="http://aquarium.union.rpi.edu/rpi.html" target="_blank">$100 Metal Halides</a>

 

[steamboat1569]

I put the "TAR" ballast on the wall behind my aquarium hood.I needed no extra wiring since the wall is right behind the hood and the outlet is on the same wall.

 

[sinner's girl]

Thanks for the link broomer. I'll look into it and send the link to sinner.

 

[broomer5]

Not sure I follow your last post steamboat.
I don't see a need to place a disclaimer in anyone's signature.
We are all human beings - and no human being is infallible.
I'll leave my signature as it is.

 

[saltyrich]

Aside from the discussion above, I'll get back to the topic. I recommend that you check out <a href="http://www.lampsnow.com" target="_blank">www.lampsnow.com</a> before you purchase anything. It's a site from "Hello Lights". The deal only with aquarium lighting stuff. Check out their metal hallide retro kits and bulbs.

 

[sinner's girl]

it wouldn't have matter who made the post with the link... i still would have gone to that link had it been you steamboat, it just happened i saw the link posted by mr. salty, who posted i would have gone, to be honest i don't understand much about lights..therefore steamboat what you said made no sense to me nor did the other saying they were TAR and needed wiring...which is why i'm trying to learn this.
and i did say thanks to the others, thanks guys, and thanks...
so thanks again EVERYONE who took the time to answer, i'm noteing all responses to give to sinner and going to all links...
saltyrich i'm going to that link now, thanks

 

[oneflysi]

just an fyi...i'm another satisfied customer of aquaticlighting.com. i have the same setup also. i have a 55 gal with 2 sets of 175watt retro kits. i have yet to upgrade my bulbs (still waiting for hellolights.com to get them in) and have had the 4300K in for about 4 months. algae definetely blooms quicker than it did before...and i even acclimated my lighting for over a month. so, like others said above...my only suggestion is to upgrade to a higher kelvin bulb. good luck with your choice!
-One

 

[sinner's girl]

should the lights be upgrade to: 175 watt 5500 Kelvin MH Bulb or to 175 watt 12,000 Kelvin MH Bulb ? or to something esle?
thanks, it's good to know people use this kit

 

[oneflysi]

i would stay with the 175watt kit, but upgrade the bulb to at least a 10,000K depending on the brand. like i said above, the bulbs that come with the kit are 4300K are are as yellow as you can get. i don't really mind the color since i have a 50/50 pc that adds some actinic (though i would like to have it more "whitish blue"), it just seems like the algae growth is bad and i'm doing more maintainence than i believe i should be doing. so, imo just get the cheap kit with the 4300K bulb, and buy a higher K bulb off of hellolights.com, then you can always keep the 4300K for backup. good luck with your setup!
-One

 

[sinner's girl]

thanks.
"but upgrade the bulb to at least a 10,000K depending on the brand."
what brand should we get? what are the better brands? are the ones at hellolights.com a better brand?
are you saying the 175 watt 12,000 Kelvin MH Bulb that can be upgraded with the kit aren't any good? i see it seems i can get a better deal at hellolights.com. are the 175 10,000K - Coralife good? what about the Vion26 or the Ushio or Xanium (the Xanium also come in 15,000K)
sorry for all the questions, but like i said i don't know anything about lighting. i'm reading all i can. sorry this is long
thanks again to those who take the time to help

 

[oneflysi]

well, i can't answer your questions exactly because i don't really have the experience in the higher K bulbs...yet. but, i might be able to help out. just because one 10000K brand of light might put out a nice, bright white..doesn't mean another 10000K brand bulb may have that same quality. K is just the rating, and does not mean all 10000K's will look alike. some differences will also depend on what type of ballast you are running. if you go into the metal halide bulb section of hellolights, under each bulb at the bottom they give a description of what type of light that specific bulb emits (ie, bright white, white w/blue, etc). they also say if they recommend actinic supplementation. usually if they recommend actinic, you know the bulb probably isn't too "blue" or real "white". and different reefers like different looks of light. so just cause someone says they enjoy the 10000K ushio, doesn't mean it will fit your taste. i think its kinda of trial and error in the beginning.
for my first bulb upgrade i'm waiting out for the xanium h2 15000K bulb. according to their description of the bulb, it should fit my specific needs perfectly. i don't wanna spend $90 a bulb (i have 2 retro-kits), and i would like to add them to give my tank the nice bluish-white light, without adding actinic...which this bulb "should" do.
i would just read up, and try to get different testemonies from people who have used the different type of bulbs. then you can decide which one you think will fit your needs.
sorry for the novel good luck!
-One

 

[sinner's girl]

Thanks One for the explanation! I'll do more ready then later I'll post (or search) and see what brands people like the best.
what i think may happen is a DIY with a bulb from hellolights.com. Right now sinner upset cuz he almost had a 90gl.

 

[jim672]

Sinner's Girl,
I just upgraded my lighting on my 45 to a 175W 10,000K MH and two 95W actinecs. I can tell you it makes an amazing difference in tank appearance!! What everyone has been telling about going with 10,000K or more, I would agree with. It is a pure white light. I've had my new lights for almost three weeks and so far no algea bloom (hope I don't jinz myself ). I started the new lights on very shortened hours...MH=4 hours a day and Actinecs=6. Then increased about every third day. I'm back to "normal" now with the MH on 8 hours and the actinecs about 10.
I know you've been talking about diy and such. I bought a full hood from reeffanatic.com. Not cheap but a good looking addition to the tank. They also carry retro-fit kits, etc. You might want to give it a look.
Have fun.
Jim