Need help getting high wattage 48" bulbs....

[Batmanjay28]

Need help getting high wattage 48" bulbs of rmy 55G tank. Right now I have about 1.5 WPG. I really would like to get the up to about 3 WPG.

I need help finding a high watt bulb on the internet becuase my LFS doesn't carry anything over 40Watts. So if anyone has any suggestions on what kind of bulb and where I can find one that would be great.

Thanks

 

[aardvark1]

Pretty sure 40 watts is the highest wattage you can get with a 48" T12 bulb...

 

[GirlieGirl8521]

^^I agree. You aren't going to find higher watt 48" normal fluoro bulbs. Your best bet is to buy a new light fixture or retrofit a new ballast and end caps into your existing hood.

 

[Rex Grigg]

It's not that simple. You can't just change out the bulb. You can get 48" 110 watt VHO bulbs. But they will not even light up unless you also change the ballast.

Your best bet is to head to www.ahsupply.com and get a 2x55 watt upgrade kit. Rip the guts out of your strip light and mount the kits in there. Yeah I know it's only 2 wpg but you get almost every bit of that light into the tank. And you can't say that about most lighting solutions.

 

[Mgamer20o0]

if your not going with ahsupply.com try t8 bulbs and ondo the bulbs.

http://www.gwapa.org/articles/ODNO/

 

[Batmanjay28]

What would you guys get ifyou were in my shoes?

Would you go with the www.ahsupply.com and get a 2x55 watt upgrade kit or go for the http://www.gwapa.org/articles/ODNO/ with the Overdriven Normal Output Lighting?

I would really like some unput becuase I really want the best for my tank. Thanks for helping......Also, I looks cheaper to go the Overdriven Normal Output Lighting but I'm not sure.

Also, whwn I was reading the Overdriven Normal Output Lighting page I was wondering if all I have to do is buy that stuff, put it together, and I will have a 112 watt light over my fish tank? Is that all? And this will only cost me $30?

 

[Mgamer20o0]

if you have the money ahsupply is the place to go. if you dont have the money go with 4x 32w t8 bulbs. if you need more growth try 2x ODNO.

Special Note on T8, For ODNO Lighting use
Watts x .75 for ODNO2x
Watts x .666 for ODNO3x
Watts x .5 for ODNO4x

 

[Rex Grigg]

Note that ODNO has some risks.

And even with ODNO you still have no reflectors. You might get 112 watts over your tank but you are not getting 112 watts into the tank.

As I state in my Guide....

any idiot can cram a bunch of light over a tank. But the real secret is getting that light into the tank.

 

[Batmanjay28]

So I think I'm going with the www.ahsupply.com and get a 2x55 watt upgrade kit. Is that all I need for the lights? I know that it's going to cost me about $110 for the lighting and I hope it's worth it.

 

[Rex Grigg]

Get the 2x55 watt kit, two bulbs and you are done. No trips to the hardware store for little parts.