halide advice anyone

hey fellow reefers i have been currently looking into a different lighting setup. halides of course are what i want, but which to buy with the cash i have? i am considering current USA sunpod HQI 36" fixture. is anyone running this or have info? possibly odyssa but that is a gamble. any thoughts for my tank would help. thanks

 

Check out the Hamilton Reefstar HQI halide pendant or the Aqua Medic Ocean Light HQI halide pendant. Pretty affordable though they don't come with the pc/t5 actinic combo or moon lights. I purchased them separately- 110 watt actinic pc strip and moonlights from Lebos.com(ask BRUCE about them).

 

cool thanks coral reefer i will check it out, karma to ya!!!

 

anyone else have info on sunpod or any other descently priced brand?

 

Well I have done some research and looked at one of my LFS, as they have done it also on 1 or 2 tanks. That is make your own MH lights. http://aquarium.union.rpi.edu/articles/DIY_MH.html
that site gave me the idea, I am going to head over to a light supplier near me and see what they have for ballists. Going to make 2 - 150w MH's one for each side of my tank as I have a bar down the middle of my tank for support (36" tank). Once I get the parts and start building I will post pics for everyone to see.

 

The article is accurate but not very technical. Iwasaki bulbs are very yellowish in color and if that doesn't bother you then go for it.
What the article doesn't mention...
If you are going to the trouble of ordering and wiring, ballast's,capacitors and buying wiring enclosures, cord grips, wirenuts,etc. Then you must feel fairly confident in electrical wiring abilities. Right? That article is not a step by step procedural guide.
Plus if you are going to do it all from scratch. (I did )
Why go with an Iwasaki yellow bulb and a mercury vapor ballast? You can buy all the parts for the same price or maybe less and use a standard M58 Magnetic ballast that will fire about 3 times more reef friendly bulbs than just the one Iwasaki bulb suggested in the article.
Just my two cents worth

Jim

 

Yeah DIVER, you git it on the head! If you aren't knowledgeable in electronics etc., I wouldn't risk it by trying to save a few bucks. I would purchase a complete light pendant already made up, plus you help to cut down on electrical failure or possible fire threat!!!
And yes IMO, Iwasaki's are very yellow/green and not very attractive. The 10000k and up is more eye appealing and also cuts down on the algae brought on by the red end of the spectrum. Just my opinion though. You can go into different websites and look at a tank under different light spectrum colors to assist you on aesthetics(eye appeal)!

 

this all sounds pretty cool guys, does anyone here know how a dual 150watt 14000K setup looks. i am curious of how blue it is w/o assistence of fluourescents since this is what sunpod runs. also the ballast is in the fixture, sounds hot and heavy to me. anybody know?

 

IMO you do not want a fixture with the ballast in the fixture itself!!!! Too heavy and alot more heat generated by the ballast! I like the pendants myself.

 

yeah it seems like the ballast inside would generate too much heat. but i do like the rest of the fixture design. i am looking for a fixture that has dual halides but nothing over 500 watts is necessary. anyone know of a good one?