Sunlight Supply - URI 18 inch 30w VHO

[mattgreene22]

Anyone know anything about these?

http://www.sunlightsupply.com/aquarium/products/fluorescent_lamps.shtml#fl_lamps_atiaquablue

According to URI's website:
Very High Output:
Super Actinic R - FR15T12/03/VHO 15/03/V 30W 18"
Actinic White 12K- FR15T12/ATW/VHO 15/ATW/V 30W 18"
Aquasun 10K - AQUASUN 1/VHO 1/AQ/V 30W 18"

I was inititially looking for a simple NO 18 inch replacement for a strip light I plan to use as supplemental/dawn-dusk on a 20 inch long tank. After seeing these, I wonder what it would take to move on up to VHO with the 30w lamps. I don't think I can use my existing strip light...but what would it take to rig a VHO system.

I was planning on using an existing 96w PC quad (8.5" wide) and a strip light (4' wide") over my 30g cube that has about 14" of usable width. Down the road, I might go halide...but now that I know VHO would fit...??

Anyone with experience...or general thoughts?? Also, how does the 180 degree internal reflector work here?

thanks

 

[mattgreene22]

Could I run one or two of these bulbs efficiently with this?

http://www.hellolights.com/22elarovhoba.html

 

[Entropy]

Yeah that would work, or a Workhorse 7 ballast. Kind of overkill on the ballast, but the price is right.

 

[mattgreene22]

Thanks Entropy...I see you use URI bulbs...do you use any additional reflector beside the one in the bulbs? And assuming your bulbs are T12, how much width should be allowed for each bulb?

Also, I'm new to ballast terminology. How many 18" 30w URI bulbs do you think I could run with one ARO AS-220 or Workhorse 7 ballast? I don't really like the PCs...so maybe I could peice together a VHO replacement.

Fool of questions here.

 

[Entropy]

16 feet worth or 220w which ever comes first. In theory you could run 7 of them if you put them in series, or 4 if you put them in parrallel. You need about 3 inches IMO for each bulb, and I use a huge flat (18 wide x 48 long) reflector on mine, but it is also share by the halides. IMO you don't have to have one, but it doesn't hurt to have one, or at least paint the inside of your canopy white.

 

[mattgreene22]

Wow, so I should be able to run 4 parallel ioff this one ballast in about 12" of width? That might still give me room for another controlled light doing dawn-dusk.

So you shield your VHOs to protect them from splash? If not, how far above the water should they be placed for safety's sake?

 

[Entropy]

I have mine six inches off the water, but only because of the way my canopy turned out. I have my halides and my VHO's mounted at the same level and I didn't want my halides any closer than the 3.5 inches they are now, so the VHO's being lower profile ended up farther away. I originally had my 4x110w VHO setup laying directly on top of the tank (1 inch above the water) and never had a problem. I would get them as close as you can. VHO and T5 bulbs are very resistant to splash since they don't get as hot as the halide bulbs. I can touch my VHO's without getting burned even at the end of the day (11 hours of being on). I don't shield them at all.

 

[mattgreene22]

hey, anybody got any good links to figuring out VHO ballast to bulb configurations. I want to be able to read up on how you match them....so that I can figure out what ballast to get depending on how many 30w bulbs. personal experience is great...but also want to reference material for later if you got it.

thx!