Mercury Vapor light Questions

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beermanic

Medium Fish
#1
Feb 5, 2003
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I was looking at Home Depot today and saw that they sold 4 different outdoor fixutres for mercury vapor lights. The prices ranged from $24.97-$57.85. Can I use these lights for my reef tank or not?

Does anyone know what type of light spectrum these mercury vapor bulbs put out?

How do they compare to VHO tubesor Metal Halide bulbs?

How many Lumens will I need for a 220 Gallon tank?

I just have not found much information on these types of bulbs. I do know some people use them. It sure would be nice to be able to use these type of lights and not have to spend so much on metal halide or VHO ballasts.

All comments are greatly appreciated.
*celebrate
 

D

dattack

Large Fish
#2
Oct 22, 2002
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Those mercury vapor bulbs put out really yellow (low spectrum)/low K. If you want to grow an algae farm, then it's your bulb.

The only MV bulb that people use is the Iwasaki 6500K bulbs that are sold in aquaria.

I suggest you keep on reading and saving up money and get the real thing. Do it right the first time, so you don't have to spend more money covering for shortcuts/mistakes. I have learned this the hard way in the past.
 

B

beermanic

Medium Fish
#3
Feb 5, 2003
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Thanks for the info on the MV bulbs. I have also been doing some calling on the Workhorse 7. I have not been able to find a dealer in Ohio that sells them. The only one I found is charging $48.65. You said that they are ripping me off but I really don't have too many options, except to call around to other states and find a better deal but then I have to deal with shipping and I am back to the same price again.

Do you know of any other cheap ballasts that will work for VHO bulbs? Maybe a different manufacturer might have different distributors that are more reasonable.

Thanks in advance for all your help so far.
 

D

dattack

Large Fish
#4
Oct 22, 2002
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#4
I got my WH 7 for $32 + $5 shipping. Call around every state if you have to. LOL.

What are you using the fulham ballast for anyways?

VHOs? or Power compacts?
 

D

dattack

Large Fish
#5
Oct 22, 2002
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Or you can do a DIY Metal Halide.

I would definitely look into a used system. Go to the classifies on www.reefcentral.com

It's probably cheaper to buy a used lighting system then to make one yourself sometimes.

Be sure to check user feedback before dealing with anyone.
 

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beermanic

Medium Fish
#6
Feb 5, 2003
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Thanks for the insight. I guess it is better to spend a bit of time setting things up the right way and save some money in the process than hurry up too much and later find out I spent way to much on something.

I think I am going to use the 4 - WH7 with VHO's. Then I am going to use 4 - shop lights with Blue spectrum lights. Maybe down the road when I have enough money I will find or make a MH setup. I have several freshwater aquarium's and I can always upgrade one of these setup's. Only my plant tank has sufficient lighting for the freshwater tanks. The others have the 40W that comes with the setup. It is not really a problem since they contain plastics but since my plants have started to really grow, I might want to transplant some down the road.
 

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nick fowler28

Medium Fish
#7
Oct 22, 2002
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#7
or u could just steal a security light most are 1000 watt mh. the blue ones not the orange ones those are hps. *note the auther is not responsible for any illegal activities* no seriously though home depot has some mh security lights for pretty cheap. also u can wire ur own 400watt for less than a hundred dollars. i could give u some sites that help but they dont have much to do with fish. peace

nick
 

B

beermanic

Medium Fish
#8
Feb 5, 2003
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#8
Yes that would be great. Hopefully the parts will be easy to get. I was looking into getting VHO Workhorse ballasts but It was almost impossible to find a local dealer that carries them. And if you have to pay for shipping you pretty much loose a lot of the savings.

Thanks again
 

B

beermanic

Medium Fish
#10
Feb 5, 2003
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dattach,

Unfortunately, I called several places and they gave me roughly the same price as my local dealer. I however did not call everyone of the distributors to find the $30 + 5 shipping one. Do you recall which one it was or what city it was in? This would be very useful because it appears they have several hundred different distributors out there.

Thanks in advance
 

D

dattack

Large Fish
#11
Oct 22, 2002
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#11
I think it was this company.

Since Fulham is in California, then it's going to be cheaper around the California area.


CALIF. ELEC. (LONG BEACH)
562-426-3311
LONG BEACH, CA

I think the seller's name is Todd. It should be ony $32 for WH7 and $21 for a WH5.
 

B

beermanic

Medium Fish
#16
Feb 5, 2003
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#16
The tank is 220 gallons and is basically 4-55 gallon tanks all side by side forming a square that sits on an island. They are going to be interconnected with a sump system. Each section is going to be dedicated to one of the following, One for soft corals, One for hard corals, One for fish, One to use as a nursery for propagating corals and for seeding my agroconcrete live rocks, I plan on making.

Sounds kind of ambitious but I think it will be really cool one it all gets going and by making my own live rocks, I can slowly improve my overall tank conditions over time.

The tanks are going to be setup 2x2 to form a square. I was also hoping to save a bit on lighting because I can share the light sources between the tanks. I plan on suspending the lights about 1 foot off the top of the water. Therefore reducing any excessive heating and saving my fixtures from being too close to sea water. It is all going to be setup in the basement, so the tank temperature will stay pretty steady year round. The basement is pretty much 55-60 degrees year round.

Since my project is so big I am trying to save where I can and hopefully I will be able to have what I want in a few years. If my 4th tank works out good, I already talked to the guy at the LFS and he said he would take anything I had off my hands for store credit.(As long as it is healthy)

Hope this helps
 

D

dattack

Large Fish
#17
Oct 22, 2002
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#17
Well, you have to do different lightings then.

Hard corals/clams=Metal Halides
Soft corals=VHOs or PCs
Fish section=normal fluorescents
Propating section=depends on coral propagating.
 

D

dattack

Large Fish
#18
Oct 22, 2002
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#18
Oh if you have trouble finding the fulham ballasts, I can get them for you locally if you want. The Webmaster here (arcab) knows me and he can vouch for me.

:D
 

B

beermanic

Medium Fish
#20
Feb 5, 2003
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#20
I found out that a local fish club is having an auction this Sunday just a few miles away from my home. Hopefully I can find some nice used MH or VHO fixtures at the auction. I will let you know if I don't find anything there if your offer is still open. Thanks
 

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