crazywolf Posted May 31, 2005 Share Posted May 31, 2005 I was looking at getting this http://www.hellolights.com/2xbalkit1.html and installing 2 18W bulbs because of length. This should overdrive the bulbs to 2x28watts. I'm just wondering if anyone has done this with a 6g NC to get more light in the same space? I have not gotten my 6g yet to do any measuring but it looks like it will fit in the hood ok. The ballast would be mounted remotely. Thanks for any info! Link to comment
artarmon42 Posted May 31, 2005 Share Posted May 31, 2005 Couldn't find any data points about overdriving PC bulbs. Would be interested in what you find out, so bumping along for the ride Link to comment
Kool-cat Posted May 31, 2005 Share Posted May 31, 2005 Over driving bulbs shortens the life of the bulb, so you would have to replace it more often.... Link to comment
crazywolf Posted May 31, 2005 Author Share Posted May 31, 2005 Yeah but say it kills it twice as fast. If I'm only replacing the bulbs every 6 months I can live with that My main issue is the 18w is about as long as you can go. They are 9" long and the 28w bulbs are almost 13" long. Now maybe I can mount one diagonally. I need to get my 6g to do some measuring and investigation. I'm not trying to be as pioneering as artarmon42 with the 70W MH but I would like to keep some nice corals and maybe a clam. I dunno I'm new to this. However I would rather over-mod to an extent looking to the future. I also like to rip things apart and reengineer them. When the CF's are dying will there be a noticable decrease in light? I'm definitely willing to try it out and see what happens though. Ordering and modding will keep me busy during my cycle zzz Link to comment
artarmon42 Posted May 31, 2005 Share Posted May 31, 2005 Originally posted by crazywolf When the CF's are dying will there be a noticable decrease in light? Problem with CFs are that they don't "die". They shift spectrum (which your eyes are not likely to pick up because it happens so slowly), rendering them useless to corals and extremely beneficial to bad algae. Originally posted by crazywolf I'm definitely willing to try it out and see what happens though. Ordering and modding will keep me busy during my cycle zzz Modders are the foundation of moving this hobby (not just Nano Cubes) forward. Just be safe when doing it, and as Chris says "post alot of disclaimers" Link to comment
crazywolf Posted May 31, 2005 Author Share Posted May 31, 2005 Definitely agree on the disclaimers. I'm going to try and document the whole process. So I guess watching carefully for the beginnings of an alge bloom to see when they die? I know my FW growth bulbs turned more pink than white when they started to go bad. Dunno trial and error I guess. I might email a few companies and ask. Of course the most likely response is not to overdrive the bulbs. However I've been looking at some good pics of the 6g and not sure how much space I'm going to have. It should be interesting. I was hoping to mod the stock reflector but I might have to gut the whole hood to do what I want. I'm going to be going nuts all week. If anyone has a 6g and can post good pics of the inside of the hood sans splash guard I would most appreciate it. Measurements would be killer too. It's hard to tell how much space will be had from gutting it. I'm also trying to figure out my mix of actinic and 10k lighting. How much space I have will decide what I can run as well. I would rather have the actinic on a different timer. Or at least have supplemental actinic on a different timer. Then run 2x24w 50/50's and a smaller actinic to cut on before and after my photo period. Link to comment
rickjg Posted June 1, 2005 Share Posted June 1, 2005 tinypic.com is not loading well today Good luck on the mods Link to comment
jmt Posted June 1, 2005 Share Posted June 1, 2005 I have a feeling the excess heat and shortened bulb life will in no way be worth the small amount of excess light that will come from overdriving the bulb. Good luck anyway. Link to comment
artarmon42 Posted June 1, 2005 Share Posted June 1, 2005 From a heat perspective, always try to put the ballast outside of the hood/tank... Link to comment
crazywolf Posted June 1, 2005 Author Share Posted June 1, 2005 definitely remote mounting the ballast. They say they come with a 11' cord from the endcaps to the ballast. Seems long but I can extend it if thats actually like 11" Heck looking at those pics remote mounting will have to be done just to get the room to mount both bulbs and a few fans. As far as the small gain if I go from 18W to 56w that seems like a pretty decent gain. Now of course if the bulbs last like a month or so then I agree. However if they even last 6 months I would be fine with that. Otherwise it doesn't seem like the 6G NC has alot of options for lighting that will fit. I'm going to try it as soon as I get the cube so I will document and post the results. Time will tell how long the bulbs live. Rick J G, thanks for the pics. That helps alot. I think I will have to order new reflectors as well. Link to comment
artarmon42 Posted June 1, 2005 Share Posted June 1, 2005 Might be a prime candidate for LED-powered lighting. Whatever happened to that LED tank that was posted a few years back ??? Link to comment
jmt Posted June 1, 2005 Share Posted June 1, 2005 You won't go up to 56w. My guess is you'll get about 20% more light, 40% more heat, and 50% off the life of the bulb. You should consider installing a chiller. Link to comment
crazywolf Posted June 2, 2005 Author Share Posted June 2, 2005 Well adding the bulb alone would bring me to 36w's which is 100% increase over stock. So if I get 20% over that is about 22w per bulb so 44w's out of the setup is a nice gain over stock. Now I don't know how much heat the bulbs will put out but the ballast won't be in the hood. I'm sure I can use some adaption of artarmon42's rear scroll fan mod to move the hot air out of the tank. Just like anything else though I won't know until i try. Just like a 70W MH in a 12DX If someone knows of 30watt bulbs that are 9"s or shorter let me know. The 28w bulbs I have seen are 12 without the socket. artarmon42, I might have to resort to LED lighting. I know looking into bike taillights I found a guy who put 90+ led's in the space of a sportbike taillight. If you don't overdrive the led's they really don't put out much heat. I dunno what I'm going to use to drive 1000 LED's but we will see. Maybe a computer power supply hehe mounted behind the cube. :woot: Link to comment
crazywolf Posted June 2, 2005 Author Share Posted June 2, 2005 Guess I will have a better idea tonight!!! My 6g is here!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I didn't think it would get here until Sat Link to comment
crazywolf Posted June 3, 2005 Author Share Posted June 3, 2005 It looks like I can mount 4 of these. That will get me 52W's and should fit in the space I have. I just have to find out if I can change it over to remote ballasts. I'm obviously leary of having 4 ballasts in my hood. This will also give me great options because I can either setup the lights on 4 timers to vary the intensity or wire them together. I also figure based on that picture I can put them so that they run front to back instead of left to right. Most of the bulb should still be behind the nice clear part of the splash guard while the base sits behind the other part. Oh well I'm ordering 4 of them today so should be able to report back sometime next week. http://www.hellolights.com/13watbalkit.html Link to comment
rickjg Posted June 3, 2005 Share Posted June 3, 2005 I finished my lighting mods for now (maybe more later) 2.27+1.18=72 watts +48LED fuge Lighting http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/showthread...&threadid=58141 Rick Link to comment
crazywolf Posted June 3, 2005 Author Share Posted June 3, 2005 Looks nice man! Hopefully mine will turn out that nice. Awesome idea of running the bulbs through the side piece. I was trying to keep the stock splash guard for now so hopefully I can fit what I bought in the same area. What did you use for a relector? Thats my only part that's up in the air for now. I guess not much is really needed since the bulbs sit right over the tank. I found a 24"x10" that I think might work perfectly once I trim it down. I might stop by HD tonight and see what they have for reflectors. I will defintely model mine after yours if I end up needing more light than I will get out of my setup. Originally posted by Rick J G I finished my lighting mods for now (maybe more later) 2.27+1.18=72 watts +48LED fuge Lighting http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/showthread...&threadid=58141 Rick Link to comment
rickjg Posted June 3, 2005 Share Posted June 3, 2005 I pulled an old reflector out of a 2x4 light fixture that was being tossed from an office remodel down the street and cut it to size with tin snips. I punched holes to mount the reflector to the hood and attached the light clips to the reflector. The new lens is from an acrylic scrap I picked up at a local plastic fabricator, so the total cost for the lens & reflector was $1. Link to comment
crazywolf Posted June 3, 2005 Author Share Posted June 3, 2005 Sweet I'll have to check with our building guy and see it he has anything. What did you use to mount everything to the hood? Epoxy? I'm hoping I have some space left over for more lights once I get everything dry fitted. Originally posted by Rick J G I pulled an old reflector out of a 2x4 light fixture that was being tossed from an office remodel down the street and cut it to size with tin snips. I punched holes to mount the reflector to the hood and attached the light clips to the reflector. The new lens is from an acrylic scrap I picked up at a local plastic fabricator, so the total cost for the lens & reflector was $1. Link to comment
rickjg Posted June 4, 2005 Share Posted June 4, 2005 My reflector is mounted to the screw lugs cast into the hood. I cut the reflector to size, then coated the lugs under the reflector with white-out. Push the reflector into place for a minute and the lug locations are marked. Punch out holes as needed to mount the reflector and screw into place. The lamp holder & clips are just attached to the reflector with small bolts/nuts. Link to comment
crazywolf Posted June 8, 2005 Author Share Posted June 8, 2005 Awesome idea! Thanks that will definitely help with mounting that bad boy. I will get my lights this Friday. If I have time hopefully I will have them installed over the weekend and post pics when I'm done. Thanks for your help Rick! Link to comment
rickjg Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 Hey Crazywolf Are you going to enter the OPEN contest? If so, you should have this moved over to the contest forum. GOOD LUCK Link to comment
crazywolf Posted June 8, 2005 Author Share Posted June 8, 2005 nah the way ya'll are going I wouldn't stand a chance. Also this is my first SW tank. I thought about it but I never took a pic of it with a veggie. It's cycling right now so i wouldn't want to empty it to take the pic. I do have some interesting plans but I'm content to watch ya'll duke it out in open. Here are some pics of the tank though. I changed the rock last night however because I didn't like the look of them. I'm following your lighting thread though. http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/showthread...&threadid=59343 Link to comment
crazywolf Posted June 11, 2005 Author Share Posted June 11, 2005 http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/showthread...&threadid=59650 Link to comment
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