DIY Metal Halide

go4broke44 · 02/27/2006, 01:18 PM

I'm working on a custom built hood/ MH setup for my tank, and I have a few simple, probably "idiot" questions.

1) for a 29 gallon, I think 175w is probably the most sensible choice. Does anyone have any reccomendations on wattage for a tank of this size?

2) for the ballast, people tend to all be keeping it in a metal box. Is there any functionality reason for this, other than grounding? I was wondering why it has to be contained in a metal box, rather just open air, or a wood/plastic enclosure.

thats all for now, I'll post pictures of the setup once its finished!

dougchambers · 02/27/2006, 01:29 PM

Quote:

1) for a 29 gallon, I think 175w is probably the most sensible choice. Does anyone have any recommendations on wattage for a tank of this size?

Depends on what you plan to keep in the way of livestock. If you are pushing for SPS and clams, consider a pair of 250W for minimal price difference and better light penetration.

Quote:

2) for the ballast, people tend to all be keeping it in a metal box. Is there any functionality reason for this, other than grounding? I was wondering why it has to be contained in a metal box, rather just open air, or a wood/plastic enclosure.

Assuming that you are building a magnetic style ballast, they get HOT. I would not recommend wood or plastic for the enclosure. I've seen people run open air, but it isn't very safe and every one I've seen has rust and scale all over it.

-Doug

mcox33 · 02/27/2006, 01:40 PM

put it in the metal box and put some kind of feet on the bottom to raise it alittle so heat can disapate better. They get pretty hot, mine will burn you after about 3 hours of the lights coming on.

go4broke44 · 02/27/2006, 01:58 PM

thanks for the info

I think I'm gonna go with an Icecap 250w ballast, with a XM 15,000K bulb. I was gonna go with the 10,000K XM due to its high PAR output, but I think I'll like the color of the 15 better. Hopefully now I'll be able to keep some clams! If only they weren't so damn expensive... haha.

You guys don't think 250w is too much for a 29 gallon tank? thats my only concern, don't want to fry anything, thats all.

LUCKY42032 · 02/27/2006, 02:31 PM

As long as there are no heat issues, 250w should be fine. I have a 250w over my 20 gallon and have had no frying.

samc99us · 02/27/2006, 07:21 PM

I have heard of bleaching problems with 250 watts. I myself run a 150 watt de, and feel a little more light (like one or two t5's) would be perfect. The best part is, if you can get a M102 ballast off ebay, the 150 watt regent retro is cheap and farely high quality. oceanencounter has an electronic 250 watt de pendant for $225, which is an excellent deal imo.

Sam

dascharisma · 02/27/2006, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by go4broke44
thanks for the info

I think I'm gonna go with an Icecap 250w ballast, with a XM 15,000K bulb. I was gonna go with the 10,000K XM due to its high PAR output, but I think I'll like the color of the 15 better. Hopefully now I'll be able to keep some clams! If only they weren't so damn expensive... haha.

You guys don't think 250w is too much for a 29 gallon tank? thats my only concern, don't want to fry anything, thats all.

Do a search on the XM 15k before you buy them.

Brad

samc99us · 02/27/2006, 08:22 PM

10k Coralvue Reeflux, or the Phoenix

dodo99 · 02/27/2006, 09:00 PM

Mt 29g has a 400w SE (standard batwing reflector) about 14" off the water's surface. A 12" fan keeps the water at about 80.2 to 80.4F. DOn't think about any softies... lol I run a Venture/PFO 10K.

samc99us · 02/27/2006, 09:44 PM

Thats way more light than needed. A 250 watt de with 10k is PLENTY!

Sam

go4broke44 · 02/28/2006, 12:11 PM

so you think 10k will be a better color? according to the tests, the XM 10k puts out the highest PAR, although the phoenix wasn't tested i don't think. I guess i will go with the 250w then, along with moving my softies to the bottom of the tank (ricordias and blue shrooms). Right now i am running the home depot 175w mercury vapor light, and although it is alittle green in color, with some actinic supplementation, it actually doesnt look that bad, although its still a tad on the yellowish side. I like the positive response i got from all my corals and anemones, which weren't doing as well with the small CP fixture i had on there previously.

on another note, i recently modified my mag7 return into a spraybar with 6 or 7 3/8" holes across 12 inches or so. I like the wider flow range, along with less focused agitation, hopefully now my sand will stop making dunes on the bottom.

I think today i'm gonna go out and buy some small hinges so I can make the front of the hood open, a minor detail I neglected while building it (oops). That should make it much easier to feed the tank, heh.

more info to come (maybe even some pictures!)

go4broke44 · 02/28/2006, 12:18 PM

wow, upon searching, the XM 15k have less PAR than the 20k. hard to figure out how that works, but its like 187 as compared to the 540 for the 10K. looks like 10k it is, which also means it looks like i'll be supplementing with actinic

thrlride · 02/28/2006, 12:44 PM

The ballasts do get hot. I have m80 ballasts for my DE Phoenix's and I measured the temp of the ballast. It reaches 200 f!

samc99us · 02/28/2006, 03:14 PM

The 10k coralvue reeflux has an excellent color. Crisp white with no actinics needed. Some people feel they need the actinic to get rid of the HINT (I can barely see it) of pink. The bulb tends to run more in the 14k spectrum with the par of a 10K. I have not tested the XM's, but sanjay has and from what it sounds like the 15k's are junk, while the 10 and 20k's are decent. You just can't beat the coralvue reeflux for price and color imo.

Sam

02/27/2006, 01:18 PM	#1
go4broke44 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 71	DIY Metal Halide I'm working on a custom built hood/ MH setup for my tank, and I have a few simple, probably "idiot" questions. 1) for a 29 gallon, I think 175w is probably the most sensible choice. Does anyone have any reccomendations on wattage for a tank of this size? 2) for the ballast, people tend to all be keeping it in a metal box. Is there any functionality reason for this, other than grounding? I was wondering why it has to be contained in a metal box, rather just open air, or a wood/plastic enclosure. thats all for now, I'll post pictures of the setup once its finished!

02/27/2006, 01:40 PM	#3
mcox33 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Nitro, West Virginia Posts: 2,261	put it in the metal box and put some kind of feet on the bottom to raise it alittle so heat can disapate better. They get pretty hot, mine will burn you after about 3 hours of the lights coming on. __________________ Mary Current Tank Info: 90 Saltwater Reef, 2 x 400 watt MH, 4 x 65 watt PC, 1 x 24 watt 48" T-5 + 4 blue led's, Dual chamber MRC Calcium Reactor, Huge DIY Kalkwasser reactor (made by someone else) Auto Top Off and Aquatecture Plus Skimmer

02/27/2006, 01:58 PM	#4
go4broke44 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 71	thanks for the info I think I'm gonna go with an Icecap 250w ballast, with a XM 15,000K bulb. I was gonna go with the 10,000K XM due to its high PAR output, but I think I'll like the color of the 15 better. Hopefully now I'll be able to keep some clams! If only they weren't so damn expensive... haha. You guys don't think 250w is too much for a 29 gallon tank? thats my only concern, don't want to fry anything, thats all. __________________ "Only those who dare to fail greatly, can ever achieve greatly. " -RFK Current Tank Info: working on a 90g tall, in the mean time: 29gal full of nuisance algae w/ 10g sump and 5.5 refugium/"time out" tank

02/27/2006, 07:21 PM	#6
samc99us Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Southern Maryland Posts: 129	I have heard of bleaching problems with 250 watts. I myself run a 150 watt de, and feel a little more light (like one or two t5's) would be perfect. The best part is, if you can get a M102 ballast off ebay, the 150 watt regent retro is cheap and farely high quality. oceanencounter has an electronic 250 watt de pendant for $225, which is an excellent deal imo. Sam __________________ 29g tank, 150 watt de mh, 10k coralvue reeflux, CSS65 Current Tank Info: Mixed/SPS 29 Gallon

02/27/2006, 08:22 PM	#8
samc99us Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Southern Maryland Posts: 129	10k Coralvue Reeflux, or the Phoenix __________________ 29g tank, 150 watt de mh, 10k coralvue reeflux, CSS65 Current Tank Info: Mixed/SPS 29 Gallon

02/27/2006, 02:31 PM	#5
LUCKY42032 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Grayslake, Illinois Posts: 298	As long as there are no heat issues, 250w should be fine. I have a 250w over my 20 gallon and have had no frying.

02/27/2006, 09:00 PM	#9
dodo99 Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Posts: 316	Mt 29g has a 400w SE (standard batwing reflector) about 14" off the water's surface. A 12" fan keeps the water at about 80.2 to 80.4F. DOn't think about any softies... lol I run a Venture/PFO 10K. __________________ DoDo99 Current Tank Info: 29gal reef Starting up 02/01/06, 400W MH XM 20K, CSS65, Seio 1100, Hang-on fuge

02/27/2006, 09:44 PM	#10
samc99us Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Southern Maryland Posts: 129	Thats way more light than needed. A 250 watt de with 10k is PLENTY! Sam __________________ 29g tank, 150 watt de mh, 10k coralvue reeflux, CSS65 Current Tank Info: Mixed/SPS 29 Gallon

02/28/2006, 12:11 PM	#11
go4broke44 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 71	so you think 10k will be a better color? according to the tests, the XM 10k puts out the highest PAR, although the phoenix wasn't tested i don't think. I guess i will go with the 250w then, along with moving my softies to the bottom of the tank (ricordias and blue shrooms). Right now i am running the home depot 175w mercury vapor light, and although it is alittle green in color, with some actinic supplementation, it actually doesnt look that bad, although its still a tad on the yellowish side. I like the positive response i got from all my corals and anemones, which weren't doing as well with the small CP fixture i had on there previously. on another note, i recently modified my mag7 return into a spraybar with 6 or 7 3/8" holes across 12 inches or so. I like the wider flow range, along with less focused agitation, hopefully now my sand will stop making dunes on the bottom. I think today i'm gonna go out and buy some small hinges so I can make the front of the hood open, a minor detail I neglected while building it (oops). That should make it much easier to feed the tank, heh. more info to come (maybe even some pictures!) __________________ "Only those who dare to fail greatly, can ever achieve greatly. " -RFK Current Tank Info: working on a 90g tall, in the mean time: 29gal full of nuisance algae w/ 10g sump and 5.5 refugium/"time out" tank

02/28/2006, 12:18 PM	#12
go4broke44 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 71	wow, upon searching, the XM 15k have less PAR than the 20k. hard to figure out how that works, but its like 187 as compared to the 540 for the 10K. looks like 10k it is, which also means it looks like i'll be supplementing with actinic __________________ "Only those who dare to fail greatly, can ever achieve greatly. " -RFK Current Tank Info: working on a 90g tall, in the mean time: 29gal full of nuisance algae w/ 10g sump and 5.5 refugium/"time out" tank

02/28/2006, 12:44 PM	#13
thrlride Aka lemmywinks Join Date: May 2003 Location: Harrisburg, NC Posts: 8,017	The ballasts do get hot. I have m80 ballasts for my DE Phoenix's and I measured the temp of the ballast. It reaches 200 f! __________________ Beer Snob Current Tank Info: 210 gallon FOWLR (H&S 200a-1260 , panworld 50px-x, 2x Vortech w/ WWD)

02/28/2006, 03:14 PM	#14
samc99us Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Southern Maryland Posts: 129	The 10k coralvue reeflux has an excellent color. Crisp white with no actinics needed. Some people feel they need the actinic to get rid of the HINT (I can barely see it) of pink. The bulb tends to run more in the 14k spectrum with the par of a 10K. I have not tested the XM's, but sanjay has and from what it sounds like the 15k's are junk, while the 10 and 20k's are decent. You just can't beat the coralvue reeflux for price and color imo. Sam __________________ 29g tank, 150 watt de mh, 10k coralvue reeflux, CSS65 Current Tank Info: Mixed/SPS 29 Gallon