HID Reef: 4G 35W 10,000K MH Crocea Pico

[Reef Chicks]

any recommendations for a good reflector?

[ma_sha1]

Any high polished aluminum reflector would do. No need to pay for expensive reflectors,

You get a big piece & cut to shape. I got mine on ebay, made several DIY out of it.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Mirror-finish-batwing-...7QQcmdZViewItem

 

any recommendations for a good reflector?

[nyguardian21]

Will using a car jumpstart battery charger be enough to power a single bulb 35w HID??

[bfedick]

I've been playing around with power sources for mine. I've tried a single bulb on a 5 amp 12 volt power supply and it fired and ran just fine. The ballast buzzed a bit, so I took it out and rigged it my my truck, ballast made the same buzzing noise. I'm giong to run 4 bulbs with a 20 amp charger over my 35 gal.

[ma_sha1]

Will using a car jumpstart battery charger be enough to power a single bulb 35w HID??

 

 

Yes, it's fine to run but can only go for two hours before you have to charge again. Even you plug in the jumper power.

 

It's won't charge it fast enough to keep it going.

That's what I used when I started. Then I left it plugged in & & forgot to turn it off, it killed the jump pack.

 

 

 

I've been playing around with power sources for mine. I've tried a single bulb on a 5 amp 12 volt power supply and it fired and ran just fine. The ballast buzzed a bit, so I took it out and rigged it my my truck, ballast made the same buzzing noise. I'm giong to run 4 bulbs with a 20 amp charger over my 35 gal.

 

 

I did start up with 5A 12V as well, I thought I mentioned in one of my earlier post.

But I was worried on long term safety, for example, If it's stuck at the starting stage for some reason

& kept trying to start which draws 23A, then it could melt the 5A wire if no one is around.

 

That's why I got the 26A power supply just to be safe. However, someone said 25A computer power supply could be held for $30, have not tried that.

 

If you run 4 bulbs, if only one bulb get stuck at the starting stage & keep drawing 23A, you'll

run over your Power supply limit for prolonged period of time, may be risky. You should look for a 100A power supply for safety reason. Safety first!

[bfedick]

I agree about a larger PS ma_sha1. I didn't get to it last night. When I do start assembly I'm going to play around with my multimeter and see what the ballasts actually do draw when firing. I need to talk to my electrician buddy about ballasts and find out how they work. The 23 A should just be a pulse, but I'm not sure how the ballast creates it, if it's a serious surge from the PS or if it's like a static shock that the ballast somehow creates. If needed I'll get a battery and run it with that and a charger till I find a suitable PS.

[ma_sha1]

Here is my 9" T4HO by itself (6W Actinic T4 Over driven by 9W DIY ballast):

 

Another first of it's kind:

[ma_sha1]

Here, I finally found the Japanese site that sells small MH for Reef,

It's a 24W spot light. They have a 10000K & an other one looks like 20,000K.

 

 

Here is the site if you can read Japanese.

http://www.kamihata.co.jp/light/l_0403.html

 

The problem is, it does not look very efficient, 24W at 750lm, only 31 lm/W.

maybe that's why no one wants to make small MH?

 

In contrast, my 35W 10,000K HID is rated at 2500lm, that's 71 lm/W, not bad!

70W MH 10000K is around 4000lm, 57 lm/W

70W MH 6500K is around 5000lm, 71lm/W

70W 14,000K MH is around 3000lm, 42lm/W

[evilc66]

I agree about a larger PS ma_sha1. I didn't get to it last night. When I do start assembly I'm going to play around with my multimeter and see what the ballasts actually do draw when firing. I need to talk to my electrician buddy about ballasts and find out how they work. The 23 A should just be a pulse, but I'm not sure how the ballast creates it, if it's a serious surge from the PS or if it's like a static shock that the ballast somehow creates. If needed I'll get a battery and run it with that and a charger till I find a suitable PS.

 

All ballasts (MH, T5, PC) all work the same way by generating a high voltage internally. This high voltage is used to start the arc across the two electrodes in the lamp. When it is cold, the gas has a higher resistance than when it is hot, and needs that extra kick to get things lit off. MH needs a much higher voltage than T5 or PC, but the principle is the same. Once the lamp warms up (very quickly with MH, but not full operating temperature), the voltage returns to a normal running level. The reason you see that jump in current is because of the high voltage generated. The current required at the bulb is always the same, but to get the higher voltage at the same current on the output, you need higher current on the input (power in = power out).

 

Some of you may have caught onto something in what I just stated. The change in resistance of the gas as it heats up is one reason why a great number of MH ballasts will not hot start a lamp. The high voltage at high gas temps can do some major damage. Some ballasts are smart enough to know the difference (like car ballasts).

[bfedick]

Evil you truly are a master. Thanks for the info.

 

As for my light I changed my setup design last night and need to pick up some more parts today. Going to put all the lamps on switches inside a box. Hopefully will get the build going tonight.

[ma_sha1]

New update: Just added a blue acrylic background.

 

I like the color a lot. It also allows me to see MH shimmer much better. You can see the shimmer captured by the camera as white light reflection patterns off the blue acrylic backwall.

 

The clam is doing amazingly well, started growing & is now showing about 2mm white shell growth since

I got it from LFS. The clam was in LSR for about 2 month when I got it, where there's no sign of growth,

probably because the store housed it under PC lighting.

 

The color has improved a bit, but not much, I still have 3x3W 500lm Cree LED spot light coming just for the clam. Hope that'll improve the color.

[Reeferton]

Out of curiosity I looked for the 9", 6 watt T4.

I found them and T5s in daylight 64K, and then "blue," which could just be painted though.

Is yours a true actinic?

[IceTurf]

New update: Just added a blue acrylic background.

 

I like the color a lot. It also allows me to see MH shimmer much better. You can see the shimmer captured by the camera as white light reflection patterns off the blue acrylic backwall.

 

The clam is doing amazingly well, started growing & is now showing about 2mm white shell growth since

I got it from LFS. The clam was in LSR for about 2 month when I got it, where there's no sign of growth,

probably because the store housed it under PC lighting.

 

The color has improved a bit, but not much, I still have 3x3W 500lm Cree LED spot light coming just for the clam. Hope that'll improve the color.

Looks awesome

[ma_sha1]

Out of curiosity I looked for the 9", 6 watt T4.

I found them and T5s in daylight 64K, and then "blue," which could just be painted though.

Is yours a true actinic?

 

They are not labeled true actinic, just blue, but looks similar to Actinic PC though.

Not a painted tube. This is where I got it from, only $15 for the fixture with tube.

But not very bright, that's why I am over driving it with 9W PC DIY ballast.

https://www.lighting681.com/s/?c=86&p=104

 

I am also getting the CADlight 8" 6W T5 actinic, I will compare the two.

 

I suspect there's no regulation on the claim of actinic, if a reef store get their hand on these blue T4 tubes,

I won't be surprised if they label it actinic. It does make coral fluorescent, but not as intense as the

4W led Actinic Current USA Power bright does. The LED fixture gave the most intense fluorescence

than any PC actinic I've seen (I think it has more to do with the LED is spot light, so it litght up teh coral & the surrounding remains dark) my crappy P&S camera simply can not capture the image.

[ma_sha1]

Just took some pictures of my two other crocea clams in my 46 gal tank:

They are 12" under 1x 70W MH 10,000K+1x70W MH 14,000K + 1/2 of the 65W Actinic PC.

~173W total.

 

Baby Green Crocea: 2.5"

 

Fatty Blue Crocea :3.5"

 

Sorry I could not get it focused sharp, my P&S camera does not have manual focus,

the water surface interferes with AF function.

[Tanque Verde]

Has anyone seen my Heineken Light?

 

(Seriously, that's a cool pico.)

[ma_sha1]

Has anyone seen my Heineken Light?

 

(Seriously, that's a cool pico.)

 

Thanks, buddy,

 

cheers!

 

BTW, just a follow-up on my order with CAD lights on 8" 6W Actinic bulb.

I called & was told my bulb just got shipped.

 

I was also told that bulb was custom made for CADlight with 420 True Actinic spec.

However, no spectrum available & they don't really have incoming QC. I will swap out

my 6W T4 blue & see what's the difference.

 

They also told me that Their new version of 5G All in one Pico will be ready in April, with

4x 6W T5 stock hood. That's a cool little tank.

[Sushi]

Updates?

[ma_sha1]

Updates?

 

Not much to update at this time. Tanks is doing great, clam is growing 2mm of white edges.

After adding the T4, the hood is over heating a bit & the HID bulb shuts down some times due to that.

So I upgraded the fan last night from 6CFM to a 12 CFM fan of the same size. Will see if it will fix it.

 

I am moving this tank to work in a few days & will build a 2Gal round column shaped tank for home after that.

 

My order of 2 8" 6W T5 arrived from CADlight but they send me the wrong bulbs. I got 2 8W 11.5" bulbs instead after waiting for 3 weeks. My latest call to CADlight was not returned & my request to paypal for re-fund was denied, turns out that paypal buyer protection only works on ebay purchase. As long as I receive something, may it be the wrong bulbs or a bag of poop, paypal does not care, they will only protect item not received, unless it's an ebay purchase. That really sucks.

 

Anyone want some small actinic T5? 11.5". let me know, $20 shipped for both.

You can run the 8W T5 bulb using 9W ballast by breaking one of your home 9W compact fluorescent bulbs.

[intheb0x]

fatex who ever pays 500-800 for a hid kit is out of there mind

i got mine off of ebay for 90$ shipped 10k and its GREAT.

id never pay over 150

 

and ma sha i love the infiniti!

that thing is a beast!

[ma_sha1]

fatex who ever pays 500-800 for a hid kit is out of there mind

i got mine off of ebay for 90$ shipped 10k and its GREAT.

id never pay over 150

 

and ma sha i love the infiniti!

that thing is a beast!

 

Thanks, Buddy. I love my G35, 13.2 down the 1/4 mile & beating M3 was quite an achievment.

I am glad I am done modding my car thou, it's a lot more costly than modding the tanks.

Check out my other ALL-In One Pico Vase tank I am building, I am making the stand out of Carbon Fiber,

which was meant for wrapping my car wheels, now I am using them for my fish tank instead.

[yardboy]

Had to join this thread as I'm thinking of trying to light my 1g pico with something better than a 13W PC.

[ma_sha1]

Had to join this thread as I'm thinking of trying to light my 1g pico with something better than a 13W PC.

 

 

May I suggest 20,000K 35W HID bulbs (on ebay as deep blue)? It'll be small & clean

You won't need to add actinics. You won't be able to keep clam

but you should be fine with all soft corals + some Monti SPS

[yardboy]

You certainly may suggest it! Now I've got to dig through the thread to see exactly how you hooked it up!

I've seen the bulbs and ballasts on E-bay. Now to figure how to rig a DC ballast to an AC circuit. Also, did you make your own socket or use one out of the light fixture on a car?

[ma_sha1]

You certainly may suggest it! Now I've got to dig through the thread to see exactly how you hooked it up!

I've seen the bulbs and ballasts on E-bay. Now to figure how to rig a DC ballast to an AC circuit. Also, did you make your own socket or use one out of the light fixture on a car?

 

 

To save you from digging:

 

I used a 12V 26A power supply from ebay ($75). This provide high current 12V power.

You need >22A rating on the power supply, thats hard to get.

I've heard cheaper alternative: 12V computer power supply, which cost <30 on ebay. Have not tried it.

 

No socket, the all the HID bulb comes with wires pre-connected. All you have to do is to hold the bulb

in place inside the fixture. Because my fixture was for PC, there was a clip in place & I simply inserted the bulb in there.