Might be getting MH's

[wocka]

my dad works for the movie business and he says there are alot of pendant lights laying around that he could take home. is it possible for me to get a mh light for my 22g tank and put it into the pendant, he says he has mogul based lights but that would be too strong for my tank. any suggestions on what bulb?

 

[viper_930]

If he can find any 70 watters, 150w, or 175 watts I think that would be good for your tank and wouldn't be too strong. You probably would have to replace the bulb though, because it's the wrong spectrum.

 

[thegrog]

Ia gree with Viper. Aim for a 150 or 175 and suspend it about 8-9 inches above the water surface. You will need a new bulb though with the right spectrum.
make sure the pendants and ballasts are meant for metal halides of the same wattage you are using.

 

[wocka]

im planning on getting the 150w 6,500k medium base MH light. i plan on switching out the bulbs and replacing it with that light.im pretty sure the pendant he is going to get can support this much wattage, becuase he said he had moggul based pendants and the ones for lower wattage.

 

[donahue]

i have a good idea. have your dad get one for me too!

 

[wocka]

teehee.. ill talk to him about maybe getting another pendant so i can sell it to you
can i just plug my pendant with the 150w bulb into the wall socket?

 

[thegrog]

Originally posted by wocka
teehee.. ill talk to him about maybe getting another pendant so i can sell it to you
can i just plug my pendant with the 150w bulb into the wall socket?
Only if it has a built in ballast!! If it does, that is going to be a heavy pendant!

 

[wocka]

what do u mean, i need a ballast, pendant, and light?

 

[thegrog]

Originally posted by wocka
what do u mean, i need a ballast, pendant, and light?
A metal halide bulb is not just a big light bulb.
Metal Halide lights do not simply plug in as would a normal light bulb. They are much like flourescent lights in that they need a balast to "fire" the bulb and supply the correct power to the bulb. They need this initial pulse of energy to start the chemical/physical reactions that produce light.
A ballast also provides the correct amount of voltage at a set rate to keep the bulb going. The voltage of a balast is far more than the voltage from your 120v plug in your house. So, a ballast also converts the voltage from your house into the correct voltage for the light.
Without the starting pulse and the correct voltage, a MH bulb will simply not work.
This explination is perhaps over simplifying, but in general is correct.:yes:
I suggest doing a search for MH and read up on them to learn more before starting this.
Hopethis helps.

 

[wocka]

well if they use other 150w lights that are not based for a fishtank, wont they need a ballast too?

 

[viper_930]

Fish tank-based or not, MH bulbs need a ballast to run it. So the ones you are getting, if they are the complete set, should come with the ballast.

 

[wocka]

alright cool. they have to have a ballast at the set with them too then.. aweomse, now i only need the bulb

 

[donahue]

yeah that would make sense. And to answer one of your earlier questions. a 150w mh ballast will properly ignite a mh bulb whether its made for aquarium use or not. there are some brands that wont work with others. i think you will be good to go though

 

[wocka]

alright cool. ill need these MH lights asap becuase my RBTA split 2 nights ago.. w00t

 

[wocka]

well after my dad looked around on the light website, he says the MH lights are expensive and he doesnt think they are necessary because my LFS told him that my lights should be enough.. so are MH lights needed to keep an anemone?

 

[donahue]

what kind of lighting do you have now?

 

[wocka]

2x65w 50/50 Power Compact. 130w total