Building lights for a canopy

jakebtc

jakebtc

Member
scsi spank you :) think that may get him going I am def going in the wrong direction. I think especialy w/ that schematic . anyhow, do you know of the site I refered to up there^
with an actual reef tank and many of the main brands of aquarium halide bulbs with and without actinics? in pictures and it also gives spectrum info on each of them???? I need to find it again and I can't. I know someone on here has seen it and actually been able to bookmark it.
 
scsinet

scsinet

Active Member
Originally Posted by jakebtc
example probably very similar to your setup
Whoever drew that made a slight error. The capacitor goes between the ballast and the bulb, not the ballast and the line.
I'm also not sure it's such a good idea to tie the commons together from both ballasts to the bulb. Electrically, it looks okay, but with the voltages involved, I'm not sure it's smart.
 
scsinet

scsinet

Active Member
Originally Posted by jakebtc
scsi spank you :) think that may get him going I am def going in the wrong direction. I think especialy w/ that schematic . anyhow, do you know of the site I refered to up there^
with an actual reef tank and many of the main brands of aquarium halide bulbs with and without actinics? in pictures and it also gives spectrum info on each of them???? I need to find it again and I can't. I know someone on here has seen it and actually been able to bookmark it.
If you provide your email address I can send you the link.
 
milomlo

milomlo

Active Member
I honestly have no idea what that diagram is of. Yes I am a total idiot.
Jake - if I look on that site you told me what if I look at the 400 watt set up. Do I still need to buy 2 of everything? Does it comes with everything in the picture? All I do is put it all in the box I have and then done or what?
 
scsinet

scsinet

Active Member
I don't mean to be curt, but if you don't know what that diagram is of, then it might be best not to mess around with the innards of a MH ballast enclosure. I would personally recommend that you look to purchase a whole new ballast if you decide to upgrade to a 250w MH system.
You should be able to get what you paid for the ballast you currently have because it was bought used. Just sell it on that famous auction site. I'd buy it from you but I just got finished building my 175w system so I have the parts already.

No disrespect intended, but I gather from your posts that you aren't very versed in electricity and I'd hate to see you try to do this and end up pissed off and buying a new ballast anyway because something didn't go right.
 
milomlo

milomlo

Active Member
Originally Posted by SCSInet
I don't mean to be curt, but if you don't know what that diagram is of, then it might be best not to mess around with the innards of a MH ballast enclosure. I would personally recommend that you look to purchase a whole new ballast if you decide to upgrade to a 250w MH system.
You should be able to get what you paid for the ballast you currently have because it was bought used. Just sell it on that famous auction site. I'd buy it from you but I just got finished building my 175w system so I have the parts already.

No disrespect intended, but I gather from your posts that you aren't very versed in electricity and I'd hate to see you try to do this and end up pissed off and buying a new ballast anyway because something didn't go right.

OH RIGHT :mad:
NO just kidding
I personally wouldn't be doing it my husband would be. He knows all about electrical stuff. So I am just trying to figure out what lights would be best light set up for our system and the CHEAPEST of course.
Why does everything have to be so darn expensive.

I am listening to you all and steadily searching to see what is out there.
 
jakebtc

jakebtc

Member
I would say the easiest and least expensive would be to leave it how it is and change bulb color temp to the 10k or 14k and grab a 2 bulb 110 watt vho kit used as actinics
and you and your husband can check it out together so you both know whats going on together :)
and yes everything with this hobby is pricy
 
jakebtc

jakebtc

Member
but your husband would probably understand stand some of the things above about the internal re wiring of the ballasts
 
jakebtc

jakebtc

Member
my original thoughts were, change to 2 250's because then your only buying 2 new bulbs a year rather then 4 or more and use 14 k so all the needed light will be there but your tank length has to be taken into account too since 24" is the main usable light area for a halide and with the vhos it'll help add light to where the mh are lacking a bit
 
milomlo

milomlo

Active Member
Yeah I think I got confussed and was thinking I would still need to have more lights (for actinics) even if I upgraded to 2x250. I don't know. Maybe I will do what is suggested and keep my current set up and view it with 14K and see how I like it and then I can decide whether to change it completely or just get some VHO's on it.
What are thoughts on T5 or T12 lighting instead of VHO to supplement lighting (or is this going to start a whole new problem...LOL)
 
jakebtc

jakebtc

Member
its all relative
lmao
with those just know u want the most watts for the length
and longest that wil fit the length for your tank
i would try the 14k idea for a while
 
milomlo

milomlo

Active Member
GOOD GRIEF - I hear ya!! I think that is what I will do and then go from there. HA
I am rolling on the floor
 
milomlo

milomlo

Active Member
Originally Posted by jakebtc
wasn't aiming to confuse or be a big dictionary of BLAH BLAH BLAH!! lol

Yeah you know that teacher on the Peanuts (Snoopy)
wha wha wha wha wha wha.....
:hilarious
:hilarious
:hilarious
 
scsinet

scsinet

Active Member
Ok now that's messed up. I was watching a tape with a bunch of Simpsons episodes recorded on it. I don't know how much you know about the Simpsons, but there is an episode where Homer goes to a chili cookoff and eats a bunch of "Guatemalen Insanity Peppers" and starts tripping out. He looks at Mrs. Krabapple and her voice sound just like that... I guess they were making fun of Charlie Brown. The really wierd part is that it happened about 5 minutes ago, at almost exactly the same time you posted that.
 
milomlo

milomlo

Active Member
Originally Posted by SCSInet
Ok now that's messed up. I was watching a tape with a bunch of Simpsons episodes recorded on it. I don't know how much you know about the Simpsons, but there is an episode where Homer goes to a chili cookoff and eats a bunch of "Guatemalen Insanity Peppers" and starts tripping out. He looks at Mrs. Krabapple and her voice sound just like that... I guess they were making fun of Charlie Brown. The really wierd part is that it happened about 5 minutes ago, at almost exactly the same time you posted that.

That is too funny!!
I have actually seen that episode too. Now I am psychic :scared:
 
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