PLEASE...Show me the light!

[ChaseQ]

First hello! I must warn you this will be the first of many stupid questions.

Im setting up a 2.5 nano tank. And Im trying to get as much lighting in it as possible.

After reading I went to Hellolighting.com for the 13 watt PC set.
My question is, can I order one retro kit with ballast, and a aditional cap abd bulb and hook up 2 13 watt PC to the one balast that it comes with?

If so is there any weired wiring that needs to be done?


Thanks ahead of time!

 

[Rikko]

I'm not 100% sure what exactly you're trying to do (or what it'll look like), but if you're buying single bulb ballasts (some ballasts can fire multiple bulbs by having many output leads, but nevermind that for now), then you simply need to match one bulb to one ballast and that's pretty well the end of story.

It sounds like you wanted to buy one new ballast and then also use the one that comes with the unit you're already buying?

 

[ChaseQ]

8O Didnt mean to be so confusing. Ill try to explain.

I ordered the 13 watt retro kit.
comes with:
1 ballast
1 end cap
1 bulb
1 reflector.

What I need to know is if I can order a second cap and bulb and hook it "inline" with the other bulb to the one ballast...will it work.

Another words can I have 2 13 watt bulbs running off the single balast that it will come with.

 

[Anonymous]

Nope. Ballasts have a wattage rating. So you'd have to change out the ballast, or just add another whole setup.

Welcome to RDO. Stick around, there's lots of good information here!

B

 

[ChaseQ]

Thankx Bingo, Kinda what I thought. I guess Ill be calling Hellolights and having them add a balast to my order.

Back to the reading....

 

[wetworx101]

I would do a dual 13watt setup. Then you can use an actinic with a 10,000K...you wont regret it. You can pick up a kit from ahsupply.com as well.

 

[Anonymous]

heres a good suggestion
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... 004+113176

18W, but has a cute little housing..i was gonna pick one up for a future project that fell through..(sounded good in my mind :wink: ) for 2.5 gal, thats pretty cool

I currently have 23W of PC over a .68 gal aquarium..(it used to be 30 8O )

 

[Anonymous]

I used that light on my 2.5 for a while, but it does have it's drawbacks with a heat issue. I also wanted the tank to look nicer. So I had a hood special made, got another of those fixtures, tore them apart and mounted in special hood and added a fan. Now that's nice.

Now I want to add a 70w mh and remove one set of pc lamps. Crap, that means another fan! Oh well, at least it'll look good.

 

[Anonymous]

I have the fixture that Lord Nikon showed in a reply above. Excellent little ditty but I am under some consternation attempting to locate or craft a set of legs that will elevate it off the glass about an inch.

 

[Anonymous]

and that would be the only issue i see with it..i was gonna get one for work...im thinking of picking up a 2.5 mini bowfront (ugghhh another acrylic deal) for work and using one of those light fixtures...

 

[wetworx101]

ORRRRRR.... LED lighting has come a long way. There are many on nano-reef.com that have DIYed their own from high intensity luxeons, or made arrays from 5mm LEDs. The results have been impressive. The greatest part is the wattage...about 1/2 that of halide with all the intensity.

Now, Im an EE, but I just dont have the time to mess with another project...so I looked into ready made LED lights...and look what I found...

120 led cool white spotlight for $35 bucks. Add a couple 60 LED blue LEDs spotlight for $25 ea... should be plenty for SPS in a 5.5g. All you have to do is add the enclosure (no reflector needed) and some regular medium bulb sockets and youre set.
http://autolumination.com/home.htm

 

[bleedingthought]

ORRRRRR.... LED lighting has come a long way. There are many on nano-reef.com that have DIYed their own from high intensity luxeons, or made arrays from 5mm LEDs. The results have been impressive. The greatest part is the wattage...about 1/2 that of halide with all the intensity.

Now, Im an EE, but I just dont have the time to mess with another project...so I looked into ready made LED lights...and look what I found...

120 led cool white spotlight for $35 bucks. Add a couple 60 LED blue LEDs spotlight for $25 ea... should be plenty for SPS in a 5.5g. All you have to do is add the enclosure (no reflector needed) and some regular medium bulb sockets and youre set.
http://autolumination.com/home.htm

Anyone else tried LEDs for nanos?

 

[wetworx101]

look over at nano-reef.com... there are many over there who have hade arrays for nanos.