where to buy DIY lighting parts

jacksonpt

jacksonpt

New member
I've started thinking about lighting for my upcoming 30long build. I've got a few options that I'm pricing out but I can't find the parts I need. Where are some good places to buy DIY lighting parts (70w ballasts are what I'm having a hard time finding).

I want to price out a 36" setup consisting of two 70w 10k MHs and two super actinic 36" 39W T5s. I doubt I'll be able to afford it, but if I DIY it who knows.

Thanks.
 
perhaps I should clerify...

I can't find a 70w ballast on any of the aquarium supply sites I generally look at, but they are easy to find in general electronics/lighting websites. I know bulbs aren't the same at Home Depot as they are at a pet store, but are the ballasts?
 
two 150s over a 30g tank??? IMO that overkill and would be a nightmare to control the heat.

I want 2 bulbs for better coverage side to side.
 
No one ever answered your question, just gave their opinions. Try hellolights.com they have stuff for the DIYer. :)
 
werent you doing a 30 breeder??? that is round 30-36inch long correct? you will need 2 bulbs if you are going with normal reflectors. as far a 70 vs 150 the heat will be just about the same from both. with the 150 you will get better coloration from the corals on the bottom of the tank becasue it has much better penetration than the 70w.

i do believe you would have some shadowing because of the lack of light from the 70w near the edges of the tank.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12810660#post12810660 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by timnnell
No one ever answered your question, just gave their opinions. Try hellolights.com they have stuff for the DIYer. :)
Click to expand...

we are givingour opinions becasue we dont want him to make a mistake and have to go back and buy stuff twice.
 
Re: where to buy DIY lighting parts

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12810415#post12810415 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jacksonpt
Where are some good places to buy DIY lighting parts (70w ballasts are what I'm having a hard time finding).
Click to expand...

I've bought electronic ballasts from BallastWise.
They have a 70w MH ballast for $30.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12810753#post12810753 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fatrip
we are givingour opinions becasue we dont want him to make a mistake and have to go back and buy stuff twice.
Click to expand...

Vince is right. Why would you let someone make a bad decision. I thought that was what this forum is about guideing and helping people out. Jackson appears to be on a tight budget so why let him waste his money on something that won't work for his setup. Again 2 150's wold do the trick. As far as retailers adam's list is pretty good. Myself i have had good luck with hellolights.
 
A few questions/responses to what has been posted thus far...

Yes, I am on a budget... though I also know the value of doing it right the first time. I'm pricing out a few options, this is only one of them.

I find it hard to believe (thinking logically about it) that two 70w bulbs will generate basically the same amount of heat as two 150s or two 175s. Is that really the case?

A few of you I'm unclear on your recommendation - are you saying I should go with one bigger bulb (either a 150 or a 175) or two?



So here's why I'm thinking what I'm thinking... those of you who think I'm making a bad decision, I'd love some counter points (not because I don't trust the board, just for my own education).

First off, the tank is a30long (36x12x17).

I want 2 MH bulbs because...
I've always heard that the effective light from a MH is only about 1' to 1.5' square. That's not to say that it won't light up the entire tank, but you only get MH quality light in that area. Also, I don't want to be governed where I put corals based on light (i.e. sps only in the middle directly under the MH, etc.).

I was thinking 70w bulbs because...
The tank is not very deep. I have a 70w halide over my 12g Aquapod and it does wonderfully. It is ~16" deep, so light penetration from a 70w bulb over the 30g should be the same as over my Aquapod. A 70w bulb, from my experience, is enough to keep SPS and clams. Two 70w bulbs will give a nice even light over the entire tank - any coral can be placed almost anywhere in the tank.

I was thinking two actinic T5s because...
Mostly for coloring. I want to go with 10k MH bulbs because they seem to promote better growth. I could probably do actinic VHOs as well, but T5s seem to be more efficient, so...


And BTW... thanks for all the advice. This has gone from what I thought to be a pretty straight forward question to a good conversation. This sort of thing reminds me that I don't know as much as I sometimes think I do.
 
the heat will be a little more on a 150 that a 70 but nothing noticable esp if you have a canopy you can have a fairly silent fan running over them.

we are reccomending 2 150w mh. i was also saying 1 175 with a lumenarc reflector but that wont work after i thought about the dim of the tank.

OK you are entering an entirly new relm...i guess i was under the impression that you were only have these 2 lamps on the tank which would have made you go with a 14 or even 20k bulb for the actinic blue look. that is why i reccomended the 150s but if you are planing on 2 t-5's for actinics i would suggest the 70w with 10k bulbs. also with the t-5's dont get actinic bulbs, you will get the same effect with an 18k ATI t-5 and you wont loss the Par. also go with good t-5 bulbs. i have made the mistake before with going for cheep bulbs and got exactly that cheep bulbs...lol...

also the reasoning behind the 150w is that you wont get as much shadowing at the edges of the tank. with a 70w i believe the bulb is a smaller source point of light there for can't spread over a larger area like the 150 would be able to.

I would go with a electronic ballast or the 10k bulb will be yellow and not look as good. also they are more effecent and will save you money in the long run.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12828561#post12828561 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dave VG
How did you make out jackson. Did you find any good deals? Would love to see a build thread hint hint.
Click to expand...
Still looking around, thinking about my options.

I'm not sure the tank will warrant a build thread, but I'll definitely post tank specs and what not.
 
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