Lighting from Home Depot?

[saltfan]

Originally Posted by milomlo
Not sure if you are talking to me or not. I already have a MH fixture. I am trying to find something for a PC fixture at Home Depot or Lowes. Can this be done?
Yes. HD and Lowes sell even HO fixtures, you will have to mount them above the water about 6" to keep the water off them. But what you don't know is that a T-12 is the same as a T-5 and a T-8 as far as that they can all be used in athe same fixture. the 12,8,5 are just the dimensions of the bulb. As far as the Metal Halides go, just buy a fixture that has one with a reflector in it and gut the thing when you get it home. You'll want to re-wire it so that the ballast is not in the fixture, so you can remote the ballast to where you want to, but all you need form that unit is the mogal (ceramic part for the bulb) and the reflector, then you can attach these to a piece you are going to set up over the tank, or to the hood.

 

[milomlo]

So I could by a T12 fixture and use a T-12 or T5 aquarium bulb? Is that what you are saying?

 

[fraggle_a]

Yes, I belive thats true.
You can use a T5 in a T12 fixture, but I dont think you can use a T12 in a T5.
(i think t-? is the radius or size of the tube??. I might be wrong.)

 

[milomlo]

Cool - that will be much cheaper. I was thinking of actually using a piece of plexi glass between my lights and my tank itself. You guys think that will work?
Any of you actually buy a T-5 or T-12 set up from Lowe's or HD and are using it? I would like to hear experiance from someone.

 

[saltfan]

Yes. I do run a T-12 fixture on my tank right now ( from Lowes), for the time being as one of my other units took a dump. With 20k and a actinic light in it. I used Tin Foil for reflection into the tank more, don't get the foil to close to the ends of the bulb though.

 

[j-bird]

You will not get full spectrum or intensity from running a T5 in a T12 fixture from home depot.

 

[milomlo]

We will get the right bulbs from the LFS, but if the fixture works for it why not? It is cheaper
Saltfan can you post a picture or email it to me? Email is miketracyowens at entouch dot net
Is there any particular fixture that you get or any one that runs T12 (what bulbs at the LFS will run on this)? T-5?
Oh also what wattage do you have on it and how long is it? I am looking for something maybe 48" and 110 watts or so, so they offer something like that in T5 bulbs??

 

[celacanthr]

IDK, it seems that this person has had wonderful luck with HD lights,
personally I would add some actinics.
NOT MY PIC

 

[milomlo]

SaltFan - what size bulbs do you use in your fixture? I am looking online at HD and found a T12 fixture that is 48" but it says T12 bulbs. I looked at the LFS today and they only have T10 or T8 bulbs. What do you buy???
What wattage is best?

 

[dankoos]

If the tank is drilled and you have a sump, can't you just keep top of tank covered w/ plexiglass or glass so that water cannot get to the light??? W/ a sump, no equipment would have to be hanging outside the tank, therefore, you could enclose the whole top...right??

 

[saltfan]

Originally Posted by J-Bird
You will not get full spectrum or intensity from running a T5 in a T12 fixture from home depot.
T-5 IS A RELATIVE TERM! You have to put HO in front of that in order to make it HIGH OUTPUT. T-5 is just the dia. of the bulb........Just like T-8, and T-12.......

 

[saltfan]

Originally Posted by milomlo
We will get the right bulbs from the LFS, but if the fixture works for it why not? It is cheaper
Saltfan can you post a picture or email it to me? Email is miketracyowens at entouch dot net
Is there any particular fixture that you get or any one that runs T12 (what bulbs at the LFS will run on this)? T-5?
Oh also what wattage do you have on it and how long is it? I am looking for something maybe 48" and 110 watts or so, so they offer something like that in T5 bulbs??

you will have to buy a fixture that will run HO T-5, and yes they sell a HIGH OUTPUT ballast fixture for the T-5, in the bulb range of T-12, but they interchange, so you can use the HO T-5 from the LFS.

 

[saltfan]

Originally Posted by milomlo
SaltFan - what size bulbs do you use in your fixture? I am looking online at HD and found a T12 fixture that is 48" but it says T12 bulbs. I looked at the LFS today and they only have T10 or T8 bulbs. What do you buy???
What wattage is best?
You can buy the HO fixture, and put in T-12 or T-8 or T-5, they all interchange. The 12,8,5 are just dia. of the bulb. T-5HO are hihg outputs, but the HO will run T-12, T-8 and T-5, they bulbs are all double pin bulbs.

 

[fraggle_a]

Home Depot and Lowes have some amazing equipment if you search for it.
Hears an example.
You can pickup a duel Flourecent kit for about $20.
Then go grab a replacement Ballast for it. They sell Ballasts that will power anything from 7Watt to 50Watt and the ballasts are usualy Duel setups that will fit inside the $20 fixture. Those ballasts usualy run about $30 - $40. So, for $60 you can get a pretty sizable 100Watt light fixture. All you need is the ability to swapout the ballast.

 

[nytrillium]

Do they have T-5 HO ballasts though? I never really looked... :notsure:

 

[reeferdawg]

Originally Posted by SaltFan
The fixtures themselves are ok, its the light thats different. The HQI you buy from the LFS are made for aquariums, other than that, buy the fixtures there, I did. They work great.

the truth

 

[fraggle_a]

If they sell the light itself (i belive they do) then yeppers, they sell the HO Ballast.
If memory serves, Lowes sells GE ballasts, so Iv go visit their site and check for the part number before you go running to Lowes and then spending 50 minutes looking for a store person to ask.
I havent got a clue who makes the Ballasts Home Depot makes. I thik its a generic brand, but they have a part conversion chart for GE / Sylvania and the other larger brands.
(question, why do both of these stores keep the bulbs and tubes at least 5 or 6 isles away from the actualy fixtures? you usualy have to go past the freaking paint to get to them... LOL)

 

[nytrillium]

I think the categorize the ballasts as hardware maybe? IDK the HD here has the fixtures and ballasts semi-together.... Ill have to look into that. I would like to do t5 HO actinics in addition to my halides.

 

[saltfan]

Originally Posted by NYTrillium
I think the categorize the ballasts as hardware maybe? IDK the HD here has the fixtures and ballasts semi-together.... Ill have to look into that. I would like to do t5 HO actinics in addition to my halides.
Yes, Home Depot and Lowes both sell a High Out put ballast, as you guys want it for a T-5HO, the answer is yes, they have it there. But, the price is not all that great compared to what you can get an Ice Cap for, that is a much better ballast. But thats just me. But for the Compact PC, and such, yes, I do use the ones from Lowes.

 

[criminal]

ok so i want to get HO T-5 bulbs for my set up. so i can get the fixtures and balasts at either HD or Lowes? and then get the bulbs from the internet or my LFS.