Lights: Metal Halides

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Pufferpunk
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Re: Lights: Metal Halides

Post by Pufferpunk »

How long are the bulbs good for? What's their par?
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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DarkStorm
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Re: Lights: Metal Halides

Post by DarkStorm »

they last 100,000 hours and rated at 6000-7000K Blue = 450 nM
**theres a few peeps on ebay not happy with this seller but lots other sellers with similar products. i have 3 panels i got off him before working same as i bought 4 month ago,**
alexk3303
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Re: Lights: Metal Halides

Post by alexk3303 »

Those LEDs look awfully nice, I'll probably get those. I did also have a guy who is willing to sell me a used PC fixture like this one http://www.petsolutions.com/Current-USA ... 01713.aspx he says the bulbs are pretty new and he is asking $75. If I'm correct though, aren't PCs a little outdated? If I don't get LEDs then I might go with this PC unless you guys think otherwise.
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Re: Lights: Metal Halides

Post by alexk3303 »

Those LEDs look awfully nice, I'll probably get those. I did also have a guy who is willing to sell me a used PC fixture like this one http://www.petsolutions.com/Current-USA ... 01713.aspx he says the bulbs are pretty new and he is asking $75. If I'm correct though, aren't PCs a little outdated? If I don't get LEDs then I might go with this PC unless you guys think otherwise.
Eager Newbie
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Re: Lights: Metal Halides

Post by Eager Newbie »

Sorry to burst your bubble, but I think those LEDs are phoney.
You NEED drivers and power supplies for LEDs, you can't just run them in a circuit directly from a wall outlet.
Let me explain..
The voltage from a wall outlet is alternating current. It means that the voltage is kept constant, but the current can change.
LEDs are current driven, meaning that the voltage can change, but the current is constant.This is why LEDs last so long. To do this you need drivers and power supplies, you cant hardwire it directly for use in a wall socket.

Also, the leds pictured do not look like high powered leds. They look like the 5mm LEDs you can buy for 2 cents each. These are not the type of LEDs you want to use. They produce only 1/2 watt per LED.

I think this light you be perfectly suitable for a freshwater aquarium or a FOWLR SW setup, but for coral growth in mind, this won't work.
Last edited by Eager Newbie on Mon Dec 14, 2009 7:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Pufferpunk
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Re: Lights: Metal Halides

Post by Pufferpunk »

I thought they looked a little off...
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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yunachin
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Re: Lights: Metal Halides

Post by yunachin »

I love using metal halides, but they will run up your electric bill. I was running three at once for about 12 hours a day and it cost me 1000$ for electric. I was using them to grow out corals though.
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alexk3303
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Re: Lights: Metal Halides

Post by alexk3303 »

So no on the LEDs?
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Pufferpunk
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Re: Lights: Metal Halides

Post by Pufferpunk »

I have a friend using LEDs who is thrilled about them.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
alexk3303
Dwarf Puffer
Posts: 79
Joined: Wed Mar 25, 2009 11:47 pm
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My Puffers: 25g saltwater with 3 percula clownfish and a falco hawkfish. Currently has 1 large turbo snail with more invertabrates to come.
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Re: Lights: Metal Halides

Post by alexk3303 »

Bit not the cheap ones? Just the high quality ones?
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Pufferpunk
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My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
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Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles
Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Re: Lights: Metal Halides

Post by Pufferpunk »

Sorry, I just don't know enough about them.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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soggydrysuit
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Re: Lights: Metal Halides

Post by soggydrysuit »

Just a thought on the lighting, I have kept loads of soft corals under T5. My tank for this is a 39 by 16 by 16 inch tank, I have drilled the plastic hood that came with it and added two 55W power compact twin tubes made by Interpet - 50/50 white/actinic. Could also run the original hood's T8's alongside so did a 50/50 with that too.

I did have to take the front flap off the hood and add a double fan unit to cool it, but it worked. Grew mushrooms, a toadstool leather a foot wide, cabbage leathers, green star polyps and sun corals.

This was until 'wallpapergate', Pufferpunk...
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DarkStorm
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Re: Lights: Metal Halides

Post by DarkStorm »

/shrug bogus or not they work great . growing corals Idunno they reach same wave length as your 1000$ metal halide system.
and cost me 25$
alexk3303
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Re: Lights: Metal Halides

Post by alexk3303 »

Ok thanks, i think I'm going to buy these and just mount it over my tanks with the extra overhanging. This way if I want to keep corals I have something I know will work. Tell me what you think about them please. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... K:MEWAX:IT
Eager Newbie
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Re: Lights: Metal Halides

Post by Eager Newbie »

Looks good. If you find yourself down the road wanting light-intensive corals, you might want a second on of these, but but two acintics in one and two 10k daylights in the other so you can control a dusk/dawn effect. For now this should be fine. Good luck!
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