View Full Version : Will this work?
pseudoblond
06-20-2007, 4:53 PM
So the guy who was gonna sell me the jbj fixture disappeared and won't return calls or emails (I love the reliability of craigslist), so I found another light online. Its 380w total, 24" fixture with 250w mh HQI 15k daylight bulb, and 2 65w pc bulbs. It has 4 LED moonlights. My tank is 65g, 39" across. Would this smaller light of decent wattage still work? Or do I keep on searching? This is getting so frustrating...
Reefscape
06-20-2007, 5:02 PM
by the sounds of the light, its a single halide lamp unit...The thing to bear in mind here is that a single halide unit is only enought to light2 foot of tank length..So, quick math tells me that your tank, 39" is about 3 foot...so, you are going to experience low light areas at each end of the tank..
Yes, it could be used, but anything that requires the halide will need to be central in the tank, which of course, poses another issue if you have a centre brace in the tank, as this will also limit the light in the centre as it will reduce the light penertration in to the tank...
Personaly, i would carry on searching, and if you can, find a dual light MH unit...250w each and actinics would be a bonus if you found the right one..
Just an opinion
Niko
Just to give you a bit of hope, I was able to find a deal on (2) 250watt MH for $200 through my local reef club. If you don't have any luck with Craigslist or Ebay you might check all the forums like AC and your local reef club as well.
pseudoblond
06-20-2007, 6:21 PM
I have been through every forum I can find, and every listing on ebay and craigslist. I'm watching a few, but I can't spend over $200 right now, and realistically unless I want to be right on the cusp of being overlimit on my credit card I shouldn't spend more than $125...
yeah atnixon, I'd love the dual halide and dual actinic that outer orbit has, but I can't sell my kidney off fast enough :P
Maybe I should make a sign..."Street Walking for Metal Halides" or "Will Do Anything, and we mean ANYTHING, for 8 wpg"?
New Reefer
06-21-2007, 10:51 AM
... I can't spend over $200 right now, and realistically unless I want to be right on the cusp of being overlimit on my credit card I shouldn't spend more than $125...
I'd love the dual halide and dual actinic that outer orbit has, but I can't sell my kidney off fast enough :P Maybe I should make a sign..."Street Walking for Metal Halides" or "Will Do Anything, and we mean ANYTHING, for 8 wpg"?
:grinyes: :grinyes: :grinyes:
Have you ever thought of DIYing two metal halide fixtures. You can buy the ballasts, starters and lamp holders (or complete luminairs, for that matter...) from an industrial lighting supplier. This will work out *much* cheaper than buying a unit from a LFS, and you can make it to fit your setup exactly. If you are interested in DIYing, just shout, and I, for one, will be only to glad to advise/help as far as I can.
If you don't want to DIY, you could always buy the unit you're looking at, and add another MH at a later stage.
Hennie
Germanman
06-21-2007, 1:57 PM
sounds like a good deal just keep in mind when making a reef spend the extra mula on the lighting always. and never get Jbj...they are pure crap to put it nicely.
Reefscape
06-21-2007, 3:25 PM
yeah atnixon, I'd love the dual halide and dual actinic that outer orbit has, but I can't sell my kidney off fast enough :P
Maybe I should make a sign..."Street Walking for Metal Halides" or "Will Do Anything, and we mean ANYTHING, for 8 wpg"?
ROFLMAO - you gotta love this hobby....
pseudoblond
06-21-2007, 6:33 PM
OK, got a light that will sustain me for awhile, 36" 96wx2 and 12 led monnlights. $100 including bulbs. Husband has been informed of the outer orbit mhx2 96wx2 + led's (mmmm...supreme wattage) that Santa is expected to have under the tree this Christmas, lol.
So yay, no street walking necessary and hopefully my polyps make it, they are sooo pissed off right now from no light...