MH lighting from HD

pat

pat

Member
ok remember reading earlier that there are fixtures and ballasts that will work from a certain home project store that i wont name, but anyways somebody said that the ballasts and fixtures will work, but the bulbs are not the right spectrum. does anyone have specifics on the ballasts and fixtures, names and outputs to be exact?? what abouot vho, do they have ballasts that will work for that too?
 
twoods71

twoods71

Active Member
Never seen HD carry VHO or PC ballasts but have seen MH ballasts that look like they will work. Be careful though some ballasts only work with specific bulbs.
 
johnnysalt

johnnysalt

Member
Hey and for that matter, what's wrong with the mercury vapor lighting from HD? Remember that $100 diy project that Fender gave us a few weeks ago? Here's his info on it:mercury vapor 250w diy for $100. Well, if you wanted more, say 350watts, for cheap why couldn't you just get two of the 175w HD mercury vapor lights (with outdoor fixtures) with bulbs INCLUDED for only $20 each?! If that'll work, I'd buy 'em and take the fixture off and use that! $60 cheaper....if it won't work/wrong type let me know! :cool:
 
sonny

sonny

Member
The lamps sold at HD stores are the wrong color temperature. They are about 4000 k. Most reefers like the higher "k" lamps, 10,000k, or even 20,000k (more blue in color). The Mercury vapor ballasts don't run most metal halide lamps. While you may be able to run some MH lamps with a Mercury Vapor ballast, it won't run at top efficiency, meaning you're wasting power and not getting all you can out of the lamp. The lamp will also not last as long with the wrong ballast. You're better off getting a real metal halide ballast from an electrical supply house, and order the lamps from a real aquarium store. I got a 400 watt MH ballast at a local electrical supply house for $66. The lamp I chose was the Iwasaki 6500K lamp, $59. (I will be using VHO actinics with these) So, for $125 I got a 400 watt MH ballast with lamp. Of course, the lamp will need to be replaced about every 12 months. Be sure to factor that into your cost. Most residential lamps don't even put the color temp on the lamp (or box for that matter), because nobody cares what the color temp is for a lamp in the yard. The 4000 k lamps do a fantastic job of growing hair algae!!! Don't waste your money on those types of lamps or fixtures. I've tried it before, and it doesn't work.
Sonny
 
dburr

dburr

Active Member
A for the vho ballist, I read a thread on another board and someone used a ballist for 2 96t12es lamps. They said it fired them. I did not try it. I don't know how long the bulbs last. But the ballist is only 35 bucks.
My e-mail is dburr@quixnet.net
good luck
dburr
 
sweetjesus

sweetjesus

Member
In the above post that is exactly what i was thinking, The ballast is $40.00 runs two 110 watt 96 inch bulbs. I see no reason why it could not run two 110watt 48 inch bulbs? anyone have a clue on that?
 
pat

pat

Member
here's what i found, a ballast for
(2)F96T12/HO, (2) F84T12/HO, (2)F72T12/HO
(2) AND THE (2)97W-8FT T12/HO <----would that be 2 97 watt 8 foot?? if so, like in the previous post would that maybe work for 2 96watt 4 foot?? is that VHO? if you can explain more please do, i'm not an electrician but if it explained i can get the job done. :D
 
dburr

dburr

Active Member
MagneTek electronic ballist
model B260I120RH for use with 2 F96T12ES lamps.
$34.97
good luck, let us know.
 
pat

pat

Member
hey i was wondering IF it is possible. money is tight here after i bought a new couch and dvd, so i was wondering if it was even possible. anyone?
 
twoods71

twoods71

Active Member
HO (high output) and VHO (very high output) are 2 different things.
There are some HO bulbs out there with the correct spectrum but not many.
I'm not sure if an HO ballast will light a VHO bulb but even if it did you probably would not get the full potential of the bulb.
 
fender

fender

Active Member

The Mercury vapor ballasts don't run most metal halide lamps. While you may be able to run some MH lamps with a Mercury Vapor ballast, it won't run at top efficiency, meaning you're wasting power and not getting all you can out of the lamp. The lamp will also not last as long with the wrong ballast. You're better off getting a real metal halide ballast from an electrical supply house

Sorry Sonny but I disagree....
You can only use MV ballasts with Iwasaki bulbs - Which are Mercury Vapor Lamps NOT Metal Halide.
And contrary to what was said above the Iwasaki's work better on MV ballasts.
They are whiter, brighter, and last longer on MV than on MH.
Check out PFO's website. They Manufacture "special" ballasts just for Iwasaki. Guess what...These special ballasts are Advance MV ballasts in a nice PFO housing.
EYE - Mercury ballast designed to operate the Iwasaki lamps optimally.
From the PFO website - PFO Ballast comparison
If you decide to go with Iwasaki's and they are a great choice, then save $$$ and go with the Advance MV ballast.
[ October 12, 2001: Message edited by: fender ]
 
sonny

sonny

Member
You didn't read very carefully. I readily admit that some MH bulbs will run on MV ballasts, but not all will. It really sucks when you get the ballast and an expensive bulb, and it won't burn. Then, the money you saved on the cheap MV ballast was wasted. The Iwasakis will burn on many types of ballasts. I don't know about them being MV, but they are different from most MH lamps. I'll have to read the label on the box mine came in. If you have run them with MV, then I believe you. Mine runs on a MH, and looks very good.
Sonny
 
fender

fender

Active Member
I did read. And I stand by what I said. They are running over my tank.
I was stating that IWASAKI's are the ONLY Bulb that will run on MV, because they are MV. So the Iwasakis will last longet, look bluer, and brighter on the MV ballast.
Nowhere have I ever suggested that this will work with any bulb other than Iwasaki's.
My point is that technically MH ballasts are wrong for Iwasaki bulbs because the bulbs are MV. (But they will work on MH very well)
If you are planning to use the Iwasaki's the MV ballast is a great choice for the price, but only if you use Iwasaki bulbs.
Follow the link to PFO's website and read carefully....
Also for those interested there is a very detailed analysis regarding this setup on places that I can not mention here.
Please don't think I am being an jerk, I just want to make my point clear, and I am sorry if I came off combative. Not my intention.
[ October 18, 2001: Message edited by: fender ]
 
sonny

sonny

Member
I'm not trying to be combative either, I just want to know what will work the best. I just got off the phone with a guy from the electrical supply house I bought my MH ballast from. I asked if he also sold the MV ballast, and he said he could get it, but that the electrical industry was moving away from both the MV and High pressure sodium types of ballasts. I plan to stay with the MH ballast for my application. What I will do is investigate the PFO "EYE" ballasts. I believe you that you're running the Iwasaki's on MV ballasts, and wish you the best. I am curious if you have seen the Iwasaki's run on both types of ballasts, and if you can actually see a difference? Or measure it with a light meter? Let me know. What wattage are you using?
Although I have a fish only tank now, I am still in the planning stages for my reef tank. I am taking a long time to do it, but hope my patience will pay off with a very successful reef. I have been buying parts along for the past year, and one thing I have is the ballast and lamp setup.
My point all along has been that it is unwise to go to HD or Lowes and buy a streetlamp and try to put it over an aquarium. That is what I tried years ago, and it did not work. It always looked green with the lamp that came with it, and it would not run the coralife bulb I tried. I would also be wary of buying the HO ballast for running a VHO tube that is shorter. I don't doubt that you could run the lamp, but without the right kind of equipment to test the spectrum, I would not trust my tank to it. A good Icecap VHO ballast will last a long time. You'll save some money now, but will it be lost with the high cost of replacing bulbs over time???? It's hard to know who to believe about the life of bulbs, because the people who sell them would obviously like to sell more of them. For VHO, I have understood it should be 12-18 months if you have the Icecap, and 6-8 months with a magnetic type. The Icecap is also supposed to run much cooler. MH's should be replaced every 12-18 months.
Thanks,
Sonny
 
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