50W MH Reef: 2G Vase Pico, 50W 14000K HQI + ATO & Skimmer

[ma_sha1]

Super cool!

 

Where did you find the bulb and ballast?

 

There is no 50W MH bulb for reef. The highest kelvin 50W MH bulb I can find is 4-5000K,

Certainly 50W 14000K HQI bulb can be made, but not enough market, so no manufacture will make it.

I am experimenting by taking a standard 14000K 70W HQI & dimming it down to 50W.

 

Metal Halide Can be dim down to 50% by restricting power. There are some companies

actually sell dimming ballasts, but they only available for 150W and above.

A 150W HQI with a dimming ballast can run at three power levels: 75W, 100W & 150W .

That's pretty nice for acclimating corals with gradual increase of light intensity.

But they are very expensive. Also not available for 70W bulb.

 

This is a good article to read on dimming MH.

http://www.aboutlightingcontrols.org/educa...iddimming.shtml

[ma_sha1]

Update:

 

Installed Simple ATO, only two components: 12V Fountain Pump + water level sensor

 

Reef Guppy:

 

Big Daddy: The Bi Color Blanny, he does not like the Reef Guppy

 

My baby clams: One of them is going into the 2G pico as soon as the light upgrade is done:

[Kade]

Don't you think a 50w MH is a little overkill for a 2g? Not questioning your intelligence or anything.

 

Btw, whats a "reef Gupy"? lol

[ma_sha1]

Don't you think a 50w MH is a little overkill for a 2g? Not questioning your intelligence or anything.

 

Not if you want to keep a Crocea clam, there's no such thing as too much light for a Crocea,

If anything, it might not be enough.

[ma_sha1]

Finally, my 50W MH Ballast Arrived. It's time to test my theory on underdriving the

70W 14000K bulb.

 

It worked!

 

 

I can't believe my eyes, It's an overwelming feeling that I believe I have finally solved my problems

on Low Watt Metal Halide for Pico.

50W MH 14000K, isn't she beautiful!

 

last Pic, from across the room.

[121a]

is the fan blowing directly on the bulb?

 

If so it should not be, metal halides might become discolored and die out sooner if they are, they need to have a cool surrounding not a direct coolness

[OceanNano]

Looks GREAT What is you total cost for the DIY MH light kit?

[ma_sha1]

Yea, i'll get a second opinion when i regain my sight

hmm, i wonder how it is compared to a full 70w metal halide light, cuz it sure looks bright

 

Yes, it's still very bright to the eye, but both light output and heat are greatly reduced vs full 70W.

See this chart: MH Light output vs. Power reduction

 

50W MH Ballast is restricting 70W bulb power about 29%, with 71% power left to power the HQI bulb.

Assume the curve apply to 70W MH (The curve is from 400W MH, but no data for 70W).

My 50W HQI should give out ave 60% light output of original full 70W HQI.

(Light output line (the solid line) goes down faster than power reduction (dotted line))

 

a 70W 10,000K HQI is about 5000 lumens

a 70W 14,000K HQI is about 3500 lumens

My 50W 14,000K HQI should be 3500x0.6 = 2100 lumens.

This is about the same lumen output as a 35W, 10,000K HID bulb, or about 30% more output than 35W, 14,000K HID bulb

(That's if you can get a true 14,000K HID. HID bulb are not regulated well in kelvin ratings, you can get up to 20,000K HID bulbs on ebay, but their color claims can not be trusted).

[ma_sha1]

Looks GREAT What is you total cost for the DIY MH light kit?

 

I wanted to do this cheaper than my HID 35W, Now the cost run down:

 

Ballast: 50W Electronic Ballast, $24.95, Ballastwise.com

Bulb: 14,000K, 70W HQI, $12, ebay

Fixture: Stainless steel antique stripe light, $10, ebay

(Paid $20 but it's 20" long, I only used 9" , enough left for another one)

Socket: 300W Halogen Fixture work Light, $10,

(buy the work light & take out the socket, Home Depot or Lowes)

12V fan & 12V power supply, about $12 for both: Ebay.

UV Glass: 4x6 glass taken from picture frame from 99cent store. $1

Power cord: Cut from existing power cords with plug, Free.

 

Total cost: $69.95. I might have the record on the lowest cost MH DIY with this one.

All cost included shipping except the Ballast, which I don't remember how much was the shipping.

My 35W HID MH fixture cost me 2-3 times of this amount when all is done.

[IceTurf]

I wanted to do this cheaper than my HID 35W, Now the cost run down:

 

Ballast: 50W Electronic Ballast, $24.95, Ballastwise.com

Bulb: 14,000K, 70W HQI, $12, ebay

Fixture: Stainless steel antique stripe light, $10, ebay

(Paid $20 but it's 20" long, I only used 9" , enough left for another one)

Socket: 300W Halogen Fixture work Light, $10,

(buy the work light & take out the socket, Home Depot or Lowes)

12V fan & 12V power supply, about $12 for both: Ebay.

UV Glass: 4x6 glass taken from picture frame from 99cent store. $1

Power cord: Cut from existing power cords with plug, Free.

 

Total cost: $69.95. I might have the record on the lowest cost MH DIY with this one.

All cost included shipping except the Ballast, which I don't remember how much was the shipping.

My 35W HID MH fixture cost me 2-3 times of this amount when all is done.

Very nice, can't wait to see it over the pico

[ma_sha1]

Very nice, can't wait to see it over the pico

 

Well, here it is, some Full Tank Shots with the light directly sitting on top of PIco,

inside my freshly built Carbon Fiber Hood. Water Temp is 78 degrees constant.

I went home to check during lunch break, house has not being burned down. Got less heat then I expected.

 

Not much live stock yet, plan to move clam in next week after the bulb get burned in a bit.

Then add sone SPS slowly, there's not much room in there.

 

FTS-1, Tree Hugger Pico

 

FTS-2, Drunken Pirate Pico

 

FTS-3, Drunken Chinese Pico

[Lalani]

Very cool! You should post directions on how to make this mini-MH fixture in the DIY section.

[Kade]

The tank looks REALLY nice. Kinda jealous

haha, and I love how there's a different bottle next to the tank after each FTS.

[ma_sha1]

Very cool! You should post directions on how to make this mini-MH fixture in the DIY section.

 

Thought about that but changed my mind. Did you see the disclaimer at the begining?

 

 

 

 

The tank looks REALLY nice. Kinda jealous

haha, and I love how there's a different bottle next to the tank after each FTS.

 

Thanks Kade

[Lalani]

Lol, I just read the "could explode" part.

[Kade]

Btw, I forgot to ask. What is the material you used for the base and top of the Pico? It's really cool looking.

[ma_sha1]

Btw, I forgot to ask. What is the material you used for the base and top of the Pico? It's really cool looking.

 

 

Kade,

 

It's Carbon Fiber. People use it a lot in modding cars. I got these for wrapping my car wheels

but it didn't workout. So I had it laying around a while & then thought it would be cool for

wraping a column pico.

 

I am glad the plan worked out.

[Reeferton]

I use a jeweler's saw and blades for cutting everything from plastic to steel, aluminum, and of course all the non-ferrous metals. Just swap the blades out as they dull, they're cheap and can do interior cuts.

Since you do a lot of DIY you might consider picking one up. For steel I would use #1 size or larger blades.

[Neto]

Hey, nice job! looks really good.... but why didnt you buy the 70w ballast?

[ma_sha1]

Hey, nice job! looks really good.... but why didnt you buy the 70w ballast?

 

For 3 Reasons:

 

1, I put my existing DIY 70W 14,000K over my 2G, it was way too bright & hurting my eyes looking at the tank.

 

2, 70W is a norm, being done to death. I have done several already, both with Iwasaki eye 6500K

single end(Highest PAR 70W MH, period) & with HQI. My first was done about 6-7 years ago, way before

the HQI 70W becomes popular DIY. I took a 70W MH flood fixture & swap out the bulb to Iwasaki 70W

6500K & it worked. (The bulb had a review long times ago as giving more PAR than some 150W)

 

3, Maybe the most important reason: I like to take calculated risk & get my fun from leading, not following, 50W reef MH has never being done before, that was one of my top motivations to start this 2G Vase.

[Neto]

For 3 Reasons:

 

1, I put my existing DIY 70W 14,000K over my 2G, it was way too bright & hurting my eyes looking at the tank.

 

2, 70W is a norm, being done to death. I have done several already, both with Iwasaki eye 6500K

single end(Highest PAR 70W MH, period) & with HQI. My first was done about 6-7 years ago, way before

the HQI 70W becomes popular DIY. I took a 70W MH flood fixture & swap out the bulb to Iwasaki 70W

6500K & it worked. (The bulb had a review long times ago as giving more PAR than some 150W)

 

3, Maybe the most important reason: I like to take calculated risk & get my fun from leading, not following, 50W reef MH has never being done before, that was one of my top motivations to start this 2G Vase.

 

sweet. Im sorry but I have to buy/build this for my 5.5g..... Do you think a 70w would be much better for it?

 

So if I wanted to full power the bulb, I should buy the 70w ballast right?

[ma_sha1]

sweet. Im sorry but I have to buy/build this for my 5.5g..... Do you think a 70w would be much better for it?

So if I wanted to full power the bulb, I should buy the 70w ballast right?

 

For 5.5 G, I would suggest full 70W 14,000K.

Yes, you'll need 70W HQI bulb +70W MH Ballast.

[ma_sha1]

Finally, The Crocea Clam has moved in!

 

I can't get a good piture, I had to turn down the exposure, as the

light around the clam is too bright. I just added a 3x 3W Cree LED spot light (500lm spot)

over the clam as well, I thought the 50W MH might not be enough for the crocea clam.

I am going to have to buy a slightly better camera, sick of taking crappy photos.

 

This might just be the smallest tank with clam, as the whole takn is only

2 gallon & the front viewing area is just about 1.6 gallon.

 

Are there any smaller Pico with clam out there?

 

[clownfish1124]

Wow! that's so cool.

What's a reef guppy??? is it still in there?

[ma_sha1]

Wow! that's so cool.

What's a reef guppy??? is it still in there?

 

That was a 10 cent Guppy from LFS, it was already in Saltwater at the store.

I think they used it as feeder fish in saltwater tank.

 

If it's slowly aclimated (I don't think my LFS did) they are suppose to be fine living in salt water.

Mine lasted a week.

 

But if you have the patience, slowly raise salt content in 2-3 days, you can get a group of fancy Guppy

living in Picos cheap.