What do I need to make mh lights?
- Thread starter cynelson
- Start date
teresaq1
Member
tankgirl1
Member
Is there a more specific link on this board, or a book that anyone can refer me to on this subject? I am still trying to figure out the acronyms and what each thing is. I want to upgrade the lights I inherited (which I have no idea what they are, some standard flor. lights) to some that will support a reef. I currently only have a FOWLR.
How do I know what wattage I need. Also, I had heard the rule of thumb that was 2W per gallon of water...is that true? Any help? :needhelp:
How do I know what wattage I need. Also, I had heard the rule of thumb that was 2W per gallon of water...is that true? Any help? :needhelp:
clamp
Member
The rule is really 3 - 5 WPG.. some even go upto 12WPG... Check out this thread
Lighting Post
Post some of the acronims you are confussed on, and maybe I can help.
Clamp
Lighting Post
Post some of the acronims you are confussed on, and maybe I can help.
Clamp
tankgirl1
Member
Thank you for the information!! I am taking serious notes. When people say 10k daylight and 03 actinic for anemones, what does that mean? Where do I get these lights...when I got to the LFS I look like a walking-wallet to them, I am sure.
I want to avoid being taken advantage of. I have read about Coralife lighting, but when I research them on the internet they are so hard to identify with (how do I know what I need). Money is not an object, just getting the basic knowledge. I don't want to go out and buy yada-yada because someone said to, I want to seriously understand the needs of my pets. I am ready to begin building up my system, and even considering getting a small 10 or 12 gal nano tank for starters. I need resources, and I love this site :happy: !! Everyone is so helpful!
I want to avoid being taken advantage of. I have read about Coralife lighting, but when I research them on the internet they are so hard to identify with (how do I know what I need). Money is not an object, just getting the basic knowledge. I don't want to go out and buy yada-yada because someone said to, I want to seriously understand the needs of my pets. I am ready to begin building up my system, and even considering getting a small 10 or 12 gal nano tank for starters. I need resources, and I love this site :happy: !! Everyone is so helpful!
clamp
Member
TankGirl
The K you see on lighting stands for the Kelvin rating of the light output. Kelvin is of course a temperature.. so think of it as a color temp rating.. from what I understand the range is from 0K to 20,000K... The colors start out in the ultraviolet -> red (0K) and go to white and then to blue (20,000K.. Atinic). Our sun puts off somewhere between 6500K and 10,000K.
Your job, as the aquarist, is to pick the color spectrum that best suits the animals you are trying to keep.
Heres what I built. ... I knew I wanted intense (high Lumen) output, so I got a 400MH Ballast and a 6,500 K Iwasaki lamp. this unit is supposed to simulate the intense sun durring mid day. I then got 4 standard 40W flourescent lamps that would compliment the MH lamp. These are to all be Atinics, or 20,000K lamps (very blue).... The combination allows me to run the blue lamps in the morning and evening.. simulating sun up and sun down.. and everything on durring the mid day hours.. simulating a noon time intense sunlight.
I hope that helps some
Clamp
The K you see on lighting stands for the Kelvin rating of the light output. Kelvin is of course a temperature.. so think of it as a color temp rating.. from what I understand the range is from 0K to 20,000K... The colors start out in the ultraviolet -> red (0K) and go to white and then to blue (20,000K.. Atinic). Our sun puts off somewhere between 6500K and 10,000K.
Your job, as the aquarist, is to pick the color spectrum that best suits the animals you are trying to keep.
Heres what I built. ... I knew I wanted intense (high Lumen) output, so I got a 400MH Ballast and a 6,500 K Iwasaki lamp. this unit is supposed to simulate the intense sun durring mid day. I then got 4 standard 40W flourescent lamps that would compliment the MH lamp. These are to all be Atinics, or 20,000K lamps (very blue).... The combination allows me to run the blue lamps in the morning and evening.. simulating sun up and sun down.. and everything on durring the mid day hours.. simulating a noon time intense sunlight.
I hope that helps some
Clamp
tankgirl1
Member
Clamp, you are the best! Thanks for all your help on this.
One more, really dumb I am sure, question --
so I got a 400MH Ballast and a 6,500 K Iwasaki lamp. this unit is supposed to simulate the intense sun durring mid day. I then got 4 standard 40W flourescent lamps that would compliment the MH lamp
You got a new ballast to support this amount/output of lights? Where does one get this type of ballast/support? My current "ballast" is what came with my tank, and it has two flo. lighting ports/outlets. I know that I need to begin with defining my needs, then getting the ballast that will support those needs. That right? Then, I need to find a place to get the ballast....any suggestions?
Also, I used to run my tank lights after I got home from work, for approx. 6 hours then turn them off when I go to bed....do most people actually run their lights to simulate day and night? I may have been screwing up so badly all along it seems.
Thanks again!
Also, hurt ...
If you are using pendents for the reflectors you won't need a canopy, otherwise you will.
... what does this mean? What are pendents?
One more, really dumb I am sure, question --
so I got a 400MH Ballast and a 6,500 K Iwasaki lamp. this unit is supposed to simulate the intense sun durring mid day. I then got 4 standard 40W flourescent lamps that would compliment the MH lamp
You got a new ballast to support this amount/output of lights? Where does one get this type of ballast/support? My current "ballast" is what came with my tank, and it has two flo. lighting ports/outlets. I know that I need to begin with defining my needs, then getting the ballast that will support those needs. That right? Then, I need to find a place to get the ballast....any suggestions?
Also, I used to run my tank lights after I got home from work, for approx. 6 hours then turn them off when I go to bed....do most people actually run their lights to simulate day and night? I may have been screwing up so badly all along it seems.
Thanks again!
Also, hurt ...
If you are using pendents for the reflectors you won't need a canopy, otherwise you will.
... what does this mean? What are pendents?
clamp
Member
TankGirl
Figureing out the Ballasts I needed was were all of my research went for this project. Everything starts at the Ballast...
My design is the one 400MH and 2 "sets" of 40W flouresents... The MH has its own Ballast, and est "Set" of FLs do too. THis makes a total ballast count of 3
The MH ballast i got on ----. It was really just a replacement kit.. So i got just the internal components, and mounted and wired it up in a breaker box (from local hardware store).
THe two flouresent ballasts i got at the local hardware store too. I ended up with 6 fl ballasts.. some came from ----, one came from work.. i got them all over the palce. They are the same units that are used to operate fl lighting in office buildings, schools, everywhere.
All that being said.. defining your lighting requirements comes first... because you can't just go out and get any old ballast.. There are more models then you can shake a stick at.. some run standard flourecents, some run 2, 4, 6 lamps, all have total bulb length limits.. some are High output, some Very High output....
Your design will lead you into the correct ballast choice.
Metal halide and mercury vapor, and high (or low) pressure sodium sets are all a choice to consider too.. more intesity for deeper tanks... There is alot to it..
Pendants are a units for (usually) Metal halide lamps... They provide a housing and a socket for your lamp.. they include a reflector in the body. They are the whole delivery system for your lamp. they can hang from the cieling, they can be mounting in a canopy.. searching ---- will be a good way to expose your self to all the different stuff thats out there.
Thanks enough for now!
Clamp
Figureing out the Ballasts I needed was were all of my research went for this project. Everything starts at the Ballast...
My design is the one 400MH and 2 "sets" of 40W flouresents... The MH has its own Ballast, and est "Set" of FLs do too. THis makes a total ballast count of 3
The MH ballast i got on ----. It was really just a replacement kit.. So i got just the internal components, and mounted and wired it up in a breaker box (from local hardware store).
THe two flouresent ballasts i got at the local hardware store too. I ended up with 6 fl ballasts.. some came from ----, one came from work.. i got them all over the palce. They are the same units that are used to operate fl lighting in office buildings, schools, everywhere.
All that being said.. defining your lighting requirements comes first... because you can't just go out and get any old ballast.. There are more models then you can shake a stick at.. some run standard flourecents, some run 2, 4, 6 lamps, all have total bulb length limits.. some are High output, some Very High output....
Your design will lead you into the correct ballast choice.
Metal halide and mercury vapor, and high (or low) pressure sodium sets are all a choice to consider too.. more intesity for deeper tanks... There is alot to it..
Pendants are a units for (usually) Metal halide lamps... They provide a housing and a socket for your lamp.. they include a reflector in the body. They are the whole delivery system for your lamp. they can hang from the cieling, they can be mounting in a canopy.. searching ---- will be a good way to expose your self to all the different stuff thats out there.
Thanks enough for now!
Clamp
bwilson
Member
Clamp,
I am intrested in more about your light set up. How is it working? Detail about your balast. I looked at your profile and it seems that you have a 110gl tank. I am in the process if setting one up and was just going to go out and pop for the $600 set however your post has me thinking. I could just purchase balast and hardware and then off I go?
I have always been a DIY however I am new to SW. How are you dealing with heat? Could you post a picuture of your set up?
I was thinking of attaching two sets of FL and two MH? What do you think? Mabey I dont need two MH?
My wife and I are going to do a mixture of reef and reef safe fish.
BW
I am intrested in more about your light set up. How is it working? Detail about your balast. I looked at your profile and it seems that you have a 110gl tank. I am in the process if setting one up and was just going to go out and pop for the $600 set however your post has me thinking. I could just purchase balast and hardware and then off I go?
I have always been a DIY however I am new to SW. How are you dealing with heat? Could you post a picuture of your set up?
I was thinking of attaching two sets of FL and two MH? What do you think? Mabey I dont need two MH?
My wife and I are going to do a mixture of reef and reef safe fish.
BW
clamp
Member
BW
You ask how is it working... Its working very well.. If i had it to do over, I would change alot of it. Maybe early next year, ill rebuild it.
To deal with heat, I picked up 3 110VAC fans.. They came out of old Xerox copiers, and they move heat like you wouldnt believe. My tank's temp hasnt risen one degree yet.
My biggest mistake was to go with a suspended canopy design.. bad idea.. build sonething to sit ontop of the tank. Hanging it was too hard, and too much light escapes.. Im starting to get used to it, but its not everything it could be..
It works like this... 3 cords go into the canopy.. one for the MH ballast (which is actually a Mercury Vapor balast.. be careful about that).. the next runs the two fl ballasts, and the last cord runs a solitary fan mounted blowing room temp air into the canopy. Everything has on off switches.. one on the MH ballast box (which I also mounted a huge fan onto to keep it cool), ane switch for the fan, and one swith for the 4X40W FLs.. This allows me to power up/down just the units i want at any particular time..
When its time to turn the halide off for the night, ill snap some pictures of what this thing looks like.
my MH/MV ballast is a magnetek 1030-93-500K
and im running twin universal 446LSHLTCP for the Fls
Clamp
You ask how is it working... Its working very well.. If i had it to do over, I would change alot of it. Maybe early next year, ill rebuild it.
To deal with heat, I picked up 3 110VAC fans.. They came out of old Xerox copiers, and they move heat like you wouldnt believe. My tank's temp hasnt risen one degree yet.
My biggest mistake was to go with a suspended canopy design.. bad idea.. build sonething to sit ontop of the tank. Hanging it was too hard, and too much light escapes.. Im starting to get used to it, but its not everything it could be..
It works like this... 3 cords go into the canopy.. one for the MH ballast (which is actually a Mercury Vapor balast.. be careful about that).. the next runs the two fl ballasts, and the last cord runs a solitary fan mounted blowing room temp air into the canopy. Everything has on off switches.. one on the MH ballast box (which I also mounted a huge fan onto to keep it cool), ane switch for the fan, and one swith for the 4X40W FLs.. This allows me to power up/down just the units i want at any particular time..
When its time to turn the halide off for the night, ill snap some pictures of what this thing looks like.
my MH/MV ballast is a magnetek 1030-93-500K
and im running twin universal 446LSHLTCP for the Fls
Clamp
bwilson
Member
Ok so you would change allot?
Suspended canopy? Are you saying you built the lights into the canopy and you would prefer to hang them from the ceiling?
What else would you change? My main reason for asking this is we have a PC on our fresh watter 80wide. I could make one of thoes plexi glass cover and all with no problems If I knew what would work best for our tank?
BW
Suspended canopy? Are you saying you built the lights into the canopy and you would prefer to hang them from the ceiling?
What else would you change? My main reason for asking this is we have a PC on our fresh watter 80wide. I could make one of thoes plexi glass cover and all with no problems If I knew what would work best for our tank?
BW
rainfishy
Member
Wow, this has been really helpful.
Clamp, how much did it cost you to set up that lighting system.
I'm going to upgrade lighting soon, on either my 20 gallon long, or my 30 gallon.
What would you recommend for this/these size tanks?? Don't really want to grow SPS, just enough light for anemones.
Thanks
Clamp, how much did it cost you to set up that lighting system.
I'm going to upgrade lighting soon, on either my 20 gallon long, or my 30 gallon.
What would you recommend for this/these size tanks?? Don't really want to grow SPS, just enough light for anemones.
Thanks
clamp
Member
My set up probably cost around $300 after all was said and done. I bought more stuff then i ended up needing.. The whole hting was a learning process. I could probably do it for $225 - $250 the next time around.
That said.. I never sat down and calculated the final cost.. I know it did take alot of my time. The project which really is incomplete, took me 6 weeks to complete (not dedicated time, spare time).. and alot of work and rework.. I must have built and re built it 5 - 7 times before i liked it..
I drank alot of beer and smoked many packs of cigarettes durring the research, design and build.
Clamp
That said.. I never sat down and calculated the final cost.. I know it did take alot of my time. The project which really is incomplete, took me 6 weeks to complete (not dedicated time, spare time).. and alot of work and rework.. I must have built and re built it 5 - 7 times before i liked it..
I drank alot of beer and smoked many packs of cigarettes durring the research, design and build.
Clamp