Von digity Posted December 31, 2003 Share Posted December 31, 2003 Well, I found thislink that explains how to diy a cheap mh/mv using iwasaki bulbs and a mercury vapor ballast. Apparently, from what I understand, Iwasaki bulbs are actually MV, not MH, but MH ballasts can run MV w/no problem, so people have been using them as MH. Also, they burn bluer (7400k or something) on MV ballast. Ok, my question is this; I have a 175 watt MV security light that I can bastardize. All I need is the Iwasaki bulb. My current set up looks like this. Its a single 250 watt se mh over a 20 gal long. Now, should I build a new canopy or pendant and add the 175 watt mv? Do you think its overkill? Its so tempting.. so very tempting.. mmmm... 425 watts.. What do u guys think? Link to comment
2manytanks Posted December 31, 2003 Share Posted December 31, 2003 does 'saki make a 6500K 175 ? I don't think your MV 175 ballast will fire a 10K..... then again, I'm no electrician.... Link to comment
Von digity Posted January 1, 2004 Author Share Posted January 1, 2004 Thanks for pointing that out. I just did a search and wasn't able to find 175 watt 6500k iwasaki bulbs. Does anyone know if the 10,000k will work. I assume they would as long as its the same wattage. Maybe I should just go look for a cheap 250 watt mv system to make my bastard child of a lamp out of....lets see, that would give me 500watts over a 20 long?? Link to comment
Chronicles Posted January 1, 2004 Share Posted January 1, 2004 10,000k is just the temp of the light color, it has nothing to do with if a ballast will fire it or not. As long as it's the same type of bulb and same wattage it'll work. Link to comment
serjuanca88 Posted January 1, 2004 Share Posted January 1, 2004 iwasaki only makes a 6500k bulb. Your corals wont look very good, but you will get amazing growth. Link to comment
Von digity Posted January 1, 2004 Author Share Posted January 1, 2004 Thanks for the insight Chronicles. I'll have to do somemore research b4 I decide to do this or not. It only cost a few bucks more to set up a MH anyways, PSL sells 175 watt ballasts for like 50 bucks. I'd like to use what I have lying around though, thats what is so appealing about this project. Link to comment
Von digity Posted January 1, 2004 Author Share Posted January 1, 2004 wait, so I guess Iwasaki doesn't make a 175 watt bulb? serjuanca88, the guy who wrote the link says that If you run an iwasaki on a mv ballast they run a bit bluer. I think I'd be happy with it 6500k anyways since I'd be adding it to my existing 20k 250 watt mh. Link to comment
Von digity Posted January 1, 2004 Author Share Posted January 1, 2004 Crud, I can't fire a 150 watt iwasaki on a 175 watt mv ballast, huh? I know advance makes a metal halide ballast that can fire both (part#71A5570-001D). I guess this plan has gone down the drain. Unless anyone knows something special that i'm not seeing. Link to comment
2manytanks Posted January 1, 2004 Share Posted January 1, 2004 Originally posted by Chronicles 10,000k is just the temp of the light color, it has nothing to do with if a ballast will fire it or not. As long as it's the same type of bulb and same wattage it'll work. this would be true..... however.... since we're talking about firing a MH bulb on a MV ballast, the Iwasaki "EYE" bulbs are the only ones that are capable of this. Iwasaki only makes 6500K bulbs in 250W and 400W...they make a 50K bulb in 150W. They make no 10k bulbs in any wattage... hence the statment.."I don't think your MV 175 ballast will fire a 10K".... my error in not elucidating fully.... Link to comment
bamann345 Posted January 1, 2004 Share Posted January 1, 2004 The MV ballast will only fine Iwasaki bulbs, these bulbs (if I remember right) are actually MV bulb and not MH, hince needing a special ballast to run these bulbs. If I do MH, I do things right and spend a little more, that way I know the bulb would "blow up" or damage anything else. But that is just me! Link to comment
Von digity Posted January 1, 2004 Author Share Posted January 1, 2004 thanks 2manytanks. Its clear that this ain't gonna work for my application. I would rather spend the money and diy a 175 or 150 watt mh, than build a 250w MV from scratch. I really am not looking for 500 watts over my tank. I was just trying to make do w/ what I had lying around. Its still a pretty decent project, if you had either the 250/400 watt"eye" bulb or the 250/400 MV ballast lying around to use. a 250 watt MV 7000k or something set-up for a little over 100 bucks is pretty good IMO. but then again, a diy metal halide only costs a few bucks more. Link to comment
2manytanks Posted January 1, 2004 Share Posted January 1, 2004 Originally posted by Von digity ......I really am not looking for 500 watts over my tank. just think of all the acros you could grow.... actually, I had 2x150 HQI and 110w Act 03 over my 30g. Heat in the summer and evaporation issues forced me to remove. The corals were doing fine.. I bought a chiller and a 20gal tank for topoff soooo... I fully intend to re-install over my new 43 gal...in addition to my existing 250W...... you can never have too much light...hehehehe just too much heat.. Link to comment
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