ODNO lighting

[rich_dog_22]

I just read this thread on overdriven normal output flourescent lights and was thinking about trying it out.
http://www.plantedtank.net/bb/viewthread.php?tid=194
You guys here seem to know what you are talking so i figure i would try and run it by you. i would like to know if any of you had tried this or heard things (good or bad ) about it. IT SURE WOULD SAVE ME A POCKETFUL OF CASH!!

Rich_dog_22

[karfixer]

Looks pretty good, I wish I'd found that before I dropped $200 on dual 96W PC's. :( Steve

[GulfCstAquarian]

Well although you could have gotten a 2 x 96w PC lighting setup for less than $200, it would be hard to replicate that much lighting with ODNO technology. This is the kind of thing that helps out in a pinch on smaller tanks (up to a 55, at most). Above that, you end up needing 4-6 ballasts (each one to a bulb) and at $25 a pop, you're better off shelling out a little extra for the PC's.

I'm using ODNO on my 20g reef and growing LPS corals. It only cost me $25 for the ballast and $30 for four two foot bulbs. I'm also using it to boost the output of my F40T12 Gro-Lux bulbs on my 55g planted tank.

[karfixer]

That was a dual kit from AH Supply-including shipping. OH, well I've got the lighting now and will consider the ODNO for future tanks. The impression that I got from that- quite long- thread was that "For a planted tank - you can consider each F32T8 bulb to be the equivalent of 125 watts - enough to grow most plants in a 55gallon tank. Two of these bulbs (each with their own ballast) would be enough light on even a 75 gallon to grow intense light plants."

[NJ Devils Fan]

Let me get this straight. I can buy one of those bulbs and go from 40 watts to 125 watts?

[GulfCstAquarian]

Incorrect, Overdriving a four foot bulb 4x will result in about 6000 lumens, which is about twice what a normal F40T12 puts out (so the equivalent of 80 watts.) but only slightly more than what the more efficient 55w PC bulbs put out (5000 watts).

As you pump more power into a regular fluorescent tube, it's efficiency decreases drastically. As a matter of fact, overdriving the bulbs only 3x (leave one wire off) will produce only somewhat less than 6000 lumens with a noteable increase in bulb life and decrease in heat.

[NJ Devils Fan]

Wow, I am confused, nevermind ;).

I do have 15 more watts now because I put the light from my little tank on top next to the big light. It looks like crap, but hey, it's still more light.

[GulfCstAquarian]

Put simply: With a $20-$25 electronic ballast from Home Depot, you run a cheap four foot 40watt tube and make as much light as a 55watt power compact light. The main savings is in bulb replacement. $5 vs $15-$30 once a year.

[NJ Devils Fan]

I want to go to home depot and get a new ballast for my tank that has about 3-4 bulbs so I can get some descent lighting.