DIY Metal Halide
- Thread starter saknick16
- Start date
- Status
rustybucket145
New member
Sure is, you can buy the retro ballast kits from hellolights.com Then you need to either buy or build a reflector. Be careful who you ask on here, b/c I have been blasted by people for trying to build my own reflector. But you can do a google search for lumenarc reflectors and after some digging come up with pretty decent plans and cutting patterns. Or you could just go with purchased parabolic reflectors. They usally run somewhere around $30/ea.
After that you just need to decide what color bulb you want.
After that you just need to decide what color bulb you want.
rustybucket145
New member
They don't carry them in my area either. Check with your local electrical supply house. They will have them.
adnup
New member
I found this one on Ebay, any good?
http://cgi.ebay.com/250-watts-ADVAN...ryZ58144QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/250-watts-ADVAN...ryZ58144QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
BruiseAndy
New member
Thats what you need if you can find an f-can ballast that would be preferable for ease of mounting. The one you are looking at there is called a cap and coil ballast.
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
I suppose I would be one of those people that you should not ask.
Bending polished aluminum in an arc inside your hood is not going to get you anywhere near the light in your tank that even a modest pendant will get you.
Reflectors are a science, just like camera lenses, eyeglasses, telescopes, radio antennas, satellite dishes, tv projectors, or anything else that reflects and focuses electromagnetic waves.
Most of us try to eek every photon of light out of a setup that we can. DIYing a reflector goes directly against that concept. Other than the "feel good" factor of doing something yourself, there really is no benefit.
Most of us do NOT DIY reflectors for the same reason that we do NOT DIY lightbulbs. To do it, and do it better than what can be purchased is simply not attainable for most people.
Of course there are plenty of garbage reflectors that are sold, and with some effort you can make one that is on PAR (no pun) with one of them.
However, for around $100 you can get a highly efficient reflector that will put to the efficiency of anything you build to shame.
A look at Sanjays reflector study will show you that subtle differences in shape make a HUGE difference in overall efficiency. Most of the reflectors he tested were computer designed. In other words guessing at a shape and tossing it together is certainly not going to get you anywhere near where you need to be.
You (the OP) asked about DIY for SPS. It is therefore assumed that you want the MOST light for the LEAST cost. SO do yourself a favor and buy GOOD pendants and save yourself money in the long run. Spend the DIY cash on a skimmer, CA reactor, or something that you can actually gain a benefit from building.
That said, if you build a fairly decent lumenarc copy (scaled to the proper dimensions) you can get decent efficiency. Even at that the SLS aquaria versions are less than $150 each and you can get the full size versions from the police auction sites for as little as $50. In both caes, they will outperform anything you build.
Lets put this another way. I can do with 250W of light and a GOOD computer designed, precision bent reflector and engineered surface what YOU will be able to do with 500W of light and a DIY reflector. I will spend $200-$300 and you will spend $100. I will easily save what I spend in energy costs. That is the bottom line.
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
What does education have to do with it? I am well educated and have a fairly detailed understanding of reflector design. That said, I still do not have the skills to design one that comes anywhere close to what I can buy. Even if I had the software to do the design work, I do not have the tools to bend the reflector to the tolerances needed to make it work as designed.
Some things are easily attainable via DIY other are not. What would you say If I asked you about the feasibility of building a DIY powder coating gun and oven instead of buying one? What about formulating and mixing my own powder coating material?
I see you list your occupation as a "powdercoater"
What would you then say when I told you that I wanted to do it cheap and wanted to get results that were comparable to the pro stuff? I mean after all it is just a negative ion generator with compressed air a paint jar and a nozzle right?
I am sure that the DIY gun will do everything your setup does and do it just as well with the same amount of effort.
T-bone never once did I say or assume anybody was uneducated. If you have something useful to add to the conversation, then please do so. If your only reason for posting here is to start a fight, then please go someplace else.
My posts are an attempt to help people understand something that they may not be exposed to or fully understand. I learn when people explain things to me that I have not been exposed to or fully understand.
If you do not agree with what I have said, then show why. Using hard science or documented proof will certainly help your cause and may help us all to learn. Accusing me of calling people uneducated and bashing DIYers is certainly going to help nobody.
Some things are easily attainable via DIY other are not. What would you say If I asked you about the feasibility of building a DIY powder coating gun and oven instead of buying one? What about formulating and mixing my own powder coating material?
I see you list your occupation as a "powdercoater"
What would you then say when I told you that I wanted to do it cheap and wanted to get results that were comparable to the pro stuff? I mean after all it is just a negative ion generator with compressed air a paint jar and a nozzle right?
I am sure that the DIY gun will do everything your setup does and do it just as well with the same amount of effort.
T-bone never once did I say or assume anybody was uneducated. If you have something useful to add to the conversation, then please do so. If your only reason for posting here is to start a fight, then please go someplace else.
My posts are an attempt to help people understand something that they may not be exposed to or fully understand. I learn when people explain things to me that I have not been exposed to or fully understand.
If you do not agree with what I have said, then show why. Using hard science or documented proof will certainly help your cause and may help us all to learn. Accusing me of calling people uneducated and bashing DIYers is certainly going to help nobody.
Last edited:
t-bone2
New member
well first off i wasnt saying that you were not educated second if the engineering off a reflector is so percise then why are there so many styles simply because there is more than one way to skin a cat that doesnt mean with a little experimenting some one cant do it. Its amazing how the world got along without computor aided designs and as far as powdercoating you can diy all of it it all in how big you want to go.
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
Why are there so many styles? Because SO MANY companies sell SO MUCH junk.
Of course there is more than one way to skin a cat. But a little experimenting is not going to get you there in this case. If you want to maximize the efficiency of a reflector, then it needs to be computer designed. The OP is looking to maximize a reflector.
Take the SLS and ICECAP T5 SLRs. They are just slightly different shapes, both computer designed. One beats the dog snot out of the other. Both would beat the dog snot out of anything a DIYer could bend. It is that simple.
If you want the most light for the least amount of electricity, then you need to get the best reflector that you can afford.
No magic here, just that simple fact that reflectors are not simple devices, even though they outwardly appear to be as simple as a bent piece of metal.
What is the difference between a $20 cameral lens and a $10,000 camera lens?
Why is your shop not running DIY guns? There are many ways to skin a cat aren't there? Why did you (or your boss) buy the guns he did when there are so many styles available?
The reason so many people have so much trouble wrapping their heads around this is because reflectors just do not seem to be complicated. Looks are deceiving.
Of course there is more than one way to skin a cat. But a little experimenting is not going to get you there in this case. If you want to maximize the efficiency of a reflector, then it needs to be computer designed. The OP is looking to maximize a reflector.
Take the SLS and ICECAP T5 SLRs. They are just slightly different shapes, both computer designed. One beats the dog snot out of the other. Both would beat the dog snot out of anything a DIYer could bend. It is that simple.
If you want the most light for the least amount of electricity, then you need to get the best reflector that you can afford.
No magic here, just that simple fact that reflectors are not simple devices, even though they outwardly appear to be as simple as a bent piece of metal.
What is the difference between a $20 cameral lens and a $10,000 camera lens?
Why is your shop not running DIY guns? There are many ways to skin a cat aren't there? Why did you (or your boss) buy the guns he did when there are so many styles available?
The reason so many people have so much trouble wrapping their heads around this is because reflectors just do not seem to be complicated. Looks are deceiving.
thriceanangel
New member
Is it possible to vote someone off this board? I am tired of reading all the shoot downs coming from one's general direction. Its really affecting this board, to the point that people don't want to ask or post DIY ideas, or thoughts because "someone" is always there to make them feel as though the thought is just stupid. I mean why in the world would anyone try to DIY a OM 4 way, or even for that matter the maxi mods area a waste of time and effort!
Give it up!
Give it up!
OnlyCrimson
New member
Yes its possible to make a diy halide for very cheap. I just built mine over the weekend with an m58 and i ended up buying a reflector. Looks great and seems to work fine. Does any one have data comparing reflectors?? I'm curious. If someone has the capability to they should test some.
t-bone2
New member
The guy is trying to light his 36 gal tank not the state aquarium. Everybody that took science in school knows about the angle of incident equals the angle of reflection no doubt you want the best also thats the same difference with the coating I'm not doing one a piece I'm doning tens of thousands besides it was buy the oven get the gun free. I'ts not the ball your pitching is the way your pitching it.
hesaias
Premium Member
Bean
You are talking down your nose at everyone here. Your pompous attitude sucks and I would think that just that fact will make folks ignore you rather than listen. That fact alon, if you really care about helping others and not about making others feel belittled, should make you rethink your reply. How about giing us something to go by other than your word? Maybe a link about reflectors? How they are made, etc.
ever think that with $200 I can get as much light with my bent aluminum flashing as I could get with $300 spent on a pendant, and get more coverage across my tank? How about $100? Well I can. 2 250 w MH bulbs, with ballasts for $100. Thats the point of DIY.
As far as your paint gun, or your camera lens , if you can get the performance out of what you could by, for much less, you would do it. If I am painting bicycles, I make my own gun, and get the performance your pro gun offers for my application. If I am restoring classic hot rods, I get a pro gun.
Lighting a 36 gallon tank in my living room? DIY MH set up. 500 Gallon tank in a LFS? Im using manufactured reflectors. I can provide an envirenment in which any coral that requires intense lighting can thrive with my DIY as you can with your engineered reflector.
Thats the point.
You are talking down your nose at everyone here. Your pompous attitude sucks and I would think that just that fact will make folks ignore you rather than listen. That fact alon, if you really care about helping others and not about making others feel belittled, should make you rethink your reply. How about giing us something to go by other than your word? Maybe a link about reflectors? How they are made, etc.
ever think that with $200 I can get as much light with my bent aluminum flashing as I could get with $300 spent on a pendant, and get more coverage across my tank? How about $100? Well I can. 2 250 w MH bulbs, with ballasts for $100. Thats the point of DIY.
As far as your paint gun, or your camera lens , if you can get the performance out of what you could by, for much less, you would do it. If I am painting bicycles, I make my own gun, and get the performance your pro gun offers for my application. If I am restoring classic hot rods, I get a pro gun.
Lighting a 36 gallon tank in my living room? DIY MH set up. 500 Gallon tank in a LFS? Im using manufactured reflectors. I can provide an envirenment in which any coral that requires intense lighting can thrive with my DIY as you can with your engineered reflector.
Thats the point.
rustybucket145
New member
BeanAnimal..... Did a DIY reflector fall on you as a child? 
saknick16... I recently DIY'd a few Lumenarc style reflectors. I would have just purchased them but the models available didn't really seem to fit my needs. So I found some plans online and modified them myself to fit my needs. What I ended up with was a perfect fit with good even light distribution.
And Like t-bone said, I'm not trying to light the state aquarium, just my fish tank. I understand that light is valuable but $120 purchase vs $20 and a couple hours DIY....
I'm not going to post the link to the plans here on RC b/c from what I understand some people got in trouble for building these and trying to sell them. But if you search hard enough you will find them.....
saknick16... I recently DIY'd a few Lumenarc style reflectors. I would have just purchased them but the models available didn't really seem to fit my needs. So I found some plans online and modified them myself to fit my needs. What I ended up with was a perfect fit with good even light distribution.
And Like t-bone said, I'm not trying to light the state aquarium, just my fish tank. I understand that light is valuable but $120 purchase vs $20 and a couple hours DIY....
I'm not going to post the link to the plans here on RC b/c from what I understand some people got in trouble for building these and trying to sell them. But if you search hard enough you will find them.....
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
Stop being a victim. Somebody asked a question and got an HONEST and polite answer. Do you want honest answers or do you want ANYTHING you or ANYBODY says to be validated as a good solution?
Some DIY projects are well within the bounds of the average person with the average skills. Some DIY projects require more skill and or more tooling. There is no difference between a DIY skimmer and a DIY fusion reactor, other than skillset and tools.
I DIY a bulk of the things around me. That includes parts for my aquarium, my woodworking hobby, screenprinting tools, electronics tools and projects, and I build my own high end audio equipment and speaker enclosures. I used to build my own drag racing engines In each case I can explain the benefit of doing it DIY vs Purchasing the item. In many cases certain PARTS were purchased instead of DIYing them.
Why not DIY the endcaps as well as the reflector? Why not roll your own reflective material from billet aluminum? Why not float your own UV Glass? That would all be DIY also. Why not? Because it takes more skills and tools and precision than most of us have.
What none of you who have JUMPED on the bash bean bandwagon realizes is that a reflector is a very precise piece of equipment, not a simple bent hunk of metal. You ALL draw a line somewhere between what you are willing to DIY and what you are resigned to having to purchase. You put the endcaps, bulb, glass, power cord, transformer, capacitor and other parts in the "wow we can't do a good job DIYing those" category, but you put the reflector in the "gosh it is just a bent piece of metal" category. How dare anybody try and tell you that your wrong and the reflector (a good reflector) is on the "wow we can't do a good job DIYing those" category.
By your reasoning if you or somebody asked about DIYing a your own Metal Halide bulbs you would want me and others to say "yeah that is a great idea"? All you need is some basic metal forming tools, a glass blowing setup and some halide based gases? I mean Edison made his own light bulbs didn't he?
Your post here amounts to nothing more than a personal attack. If you do not grasp the concept at hand then take the time to learn. If you want to bristle against learning and attack people, then do it someplace else. If you disagree with my stance, then find a polite way of conveying your feelings and use some logic to prove them.
- Status
Similar threads
- Sticky
