AH!!! ok, Mercury Vapor and MH?

[shawnts106]

Ok, I am building my own MH lights for my Reef tank, and am using someone elses design for it, but now I am worried
I have purchase some outdoor 175watt Mercury Vapor fixtures from LOWES and dissassembled them to just get the Mogul base and the Mag Ballast out... which I have now, on the ballast it says this
BALLAST: 075-0113 VOLT: 120V.60HZ F30
WATTAGE:175WATTS CURRENT : 2.7AMPS
LAMP: H-39 MV STARTUBG: 5.1AMPS
CLASS 180 10291
my question is will a Mh bulb run on a MV ballast, on this guys site I believe that he used the same ballast I am using so I want to say yes
but I want to make sure!
it is a mogul base.... says on the ceramic base pulse rated 5KV mogul lampholder
I believe this is a PULSE START ballast, which means what? what bulbs can I use, I want to use a 14,000K blueline or 14K Hamilton
this is all I need to know for now!
thanks!

 

[acrylic51]

What does the guys site say he did??? Give us a clue as to what site your looking at??? You don't have to post a link directly to the site... You can still tell the site in an ingenious way!!!!! If not email me at shwncbb@verizon.net I' like to check the site out and see what this guy is talking about.....
Is the socket that you've dug out the same size to fit your proposed MH bulb? There are different sizes of sockets and you might want to look at that as well...Sockets aren't expensive, but if you have to do tons of mods it might not be worth the hassles as mentioned in another thread.
It's possible it could fire the bulb, will probably have to look heavily at the requirments for the bulb to make sure the ballast will supply what the bulb needs to get the max out of it, and it's possible it might be unstable and not be a reliable ballast to fire your proposed bulbs on a daily basis...... Will keep checking for info to help you though

 

[acrylic51]

Did some asking and those ballast the H39 will run the Iwaski 6500 bulbs, so it seems the ballast isn't compatible with what your intentions are to run as far as bulbs

 

[shawnts106]

The sockets fit a MH 175 Bulb, and isnt that brand you mentioned an HQI?
The guy on the site used a 10,000K single ended, it doesnt give a brand name, but you can find it on Insidesun
anyway, I have talked to an electrician and he said that it would work, but I dont think that I asked him about a Pulse Start... it only says
PULSE RATED 5KV ok the side of the Mogul Socket... base, whatever
I think its a Pulse start ballast, and I want to run 14K hamilton or Bluelines (single ended) on it, will this work or do you know, Im going to do some more research!!!

 

[acrylic51]

No the bulb I mentioned is a SE bulb and the individual I asked about it is pretty reliable, and he said that's what he knew could run on them..... I'm not saying that it couldn't but you might run into a problem with the bulb going in and out.... Not saying the electrician doesn't know his business, but the fish spectrum is alittle different than straight up wiring.... Yeah you can give it juice and the socket is hot, but doesn't mean it will burn the bulb correctly though... Maybe something you'll just have to play with

 

[shawnts106]

I agree, this person on this site did this, same as i am doing, has had no problems with it either, so thats a good thing!!!
I do not know if his ballast was the exact same as mine, on his website it shows a picture of it, it appears to be the exact same... but thats all im going on... do you know if single ended MH bulbs are compatable with Pulse Start Bulbs?

 

[acrylic51]

Some bulbs require pulse start and some don't.... To give you a good idea if the bulb is compatible check at hellolights and see what they recommend for ballast for the bulb your planning on running

 

[acrylic51]

I went to that site and couldn't find anything on where the guy did the mod... where is it hidden at on the site.... They do have a lot of stuff for high pressure sodium lights and such, but don't see any type of link to where he did the upgrade?????? :thinking:

 

[bang guy]

Just an FYI for Shawn - The Iwasaki 6500 is a Mercury Vapor bulb. I don't know if you gathered that fact from Acrylic.

 

[golfish]

Originally Posted by Bang Guy
Just an FYI for Shawn - The Iwasaki 6500 is a Mercury Vapor bulb. I don't know if you gathered that fact from Acrylic.

I'm not sure where this thread is going but just to add to Bang post...Iwaski doesn't make a 175 watt bulb..
I'm still not sure what Squidd is talking about..The EYE MV ballast is for the Iwasaki bulb only. The 400 watt saki burns better on this ballast then it does on the M59 ballast but still butt ugle yellow. The 250 watt version is a little different. This bulb actually looks nice on the M58 ballast then it does on the EYE ballast.
If you look at Sanjay's site he even tested the PFO HQI ballast for on these bulbs. I know Chris (Skilos) ran his 400 watt saki on his HQI ballast for a while. :scared:

 

[shawnts106]

LOL, well I gave up, too much work, too much energy and tooooo muchhhh confusion, so I took all the supplys back, with the exception of some brackets and screws and GOT MY MONEY BACK, I am just going to buy a duel EBALLAST 175watt MH RetroKIT, comes with the duel ballast, the reflector, my choice of bulb, cords, wired up and assembled just come home and plug and play all for around 400$, Im getting it wholesale Price from Champion Lighting Supply!
anyway!
well.... I think thats wholesale... anyway!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Let me know what you peeps think,
I Like the Idea of the Eballast running cooler, quieter *acctually zero noise!*, and using less energy!
So EBallast it is! just got to save up that much money for the tank!!!!!!!!!!!!
anyway, I prefer the EBallast, now you MH bulb experts can help me achieve the look I want in the tank,
I am wanting a nice crisp White with a nice Ice Blue crisp look, that is going to bring out the colors in the fish, coral etc....
I want to go with 14,000K Hamilton or Blueline and 2 VHO suppliments, but I dont know what the VHOS should be, either 50/50s or Actinics, ??? what do you people think???
I have heard that the 6500K bulbs with Actinic vhos or pc are good for corals because it mimics sunlight.. is this true?
if anyone has any pictures of their aquariums with any type of MH VHO lighting on it please post a picture and let me see what it looks like, not too good with vissualizing words you know!....
thanks a bunchies!

 

[swatskee]

ok, here is the low down i got from venture ( a manufacturer of MH bulbs). No one makes available as of yet, a 10,000k PULSE START bulb. So a pulse start MH Ballast will not help you. From what i see about bulbs in my research is all probe start. Now the Mogul base for a MH build must be rated at least 4k pulse rated (this is when you seen printed on the base that has you confused). The pulse start ballast may fire the bulb, but it may not last and it my explode upon powerup... no way to tell. Again, this info came to me from a local mfg of lighting, direct from their engineering dpt. (by the way, their bulbs are 103.00!!!)
you can get import 10000k bulbs online with a CRI as high as 83 although most are rated at 65CRI- for about $40.00 (250W)if you really look. (not an auction)wholesaler in alabama. 30day return policy.
Although most are rated at 65CRI.
i found 10000k's at an inside growing plant place in greenwood IN, for #35.00!!!(250w)
swat

 

[shawnts106]

YEAH, but are they true 10K's?.... they may not be, no way to tell unless you have the bulb tested yourself...
Ill just stick to the Blueline or Hamilton bulbs! haaa
Alabama huh? What part,
(Prolly' nerr' muy nek of da wuuds!") lol ! just kidding!!!
anyway!
so does anyone have any say so on the what K of bulbs to use?

 

[tony detroit]

If you're just going to run halides and nothing else, I'd go 14K or more. Anything else will look yellow to you, unless you get one of the "bluer" 10K bulbs, like the coralvue, etc.

 

[acrylic51]

Hey Tony how are the XM10K's?

 

[tony detroit]

Good grower. A bit yellow to run alone though. With supplementals, they'll look good.

 

[swatskee]

well, actual specs say 9900k actual...... they also have 14000k
i just ordered one to go along with my compact 50/50's . so i believe it will look nice. I'll post pics when finished and you decide.
swat

 

[shawnts106]

I plan on running the Blueline 10K + (which is acctually a 14,000K bulb) with VHO suppliments!!! The suppliments are going to be either 50/50 or actinics or Aquasuns, I think Im going with the 50/50s ...
what do you think?

 

[swatskee]

YEAH, 50/50 & MH. that's what i'm running and it looks great. i only have a 55g but i have 130w compact with 250w MH in a DIY canopy. oh yeah, lots of fans!
swat

 

[shawnts106]

LOL LOTS OF FANS.. yeah, I wonder it the double ended HQI's produce just as much heat as the Moguls do?
does anyone have any imput?