Smart ReefTM +DI (Nuclear Grade DI Color Changing Resin)
1.25 lbs of Resin sealed in a mylar bag to prevent prematurely depletion.
+DI resin color changing is obvious to see. It changes from blue to brown. Some other color changing resins just change shades of color and are hard to determine when they are depleted.
Once the color starts to be mostly brown, use a TDS meter to determine when it is time to change.
i know this could possibly be a fire hazard but has anyone ever used these on aquariums? I’m referring to the HPS and sodium halide floodlights you can buy at homedepot etc…
thanks for the responses…this came up in a conversation i had with a friend the other night…I’m seriously contemplating a DIY metal halide system using the common floodlights…i know this won’t be necessarily very pleasing aesthetically but it could save some $$$
There are going to be a lot more issues than aesthetics. Trust me, if it would work everyone and their mom would be using them! Google the topic. There is a lot of information out there. There very good for refugiums, and people have limited success using shop lights over VERY shallow frag tanks, but your going to be hard pressed to find success using these bulbs on a DT unless your going FOWLR or very low light softies. And if thats the case, your better off overdriving some commercial T12’s or T8’s. Much better coverage and very affordable at the box stores.
ok, absolutely no scientist on lights and what not. but, i read about mercury vapor lights having WAY too much uv radiation. AND most lights found at lowes or home depot are too low of a spectrum to support most corals long term. like i said, no pro here, but research a lot before u invest the $$.
They are correct. There were some threads on RC which converted the Mercury vapor outdoor lights to use a regular MH bulb of the proper spectrum. I would not do it personally. Even if you don’t want to invest $$ look on the Used goods selling of the fish clubs like RC. Fortunately for you (Unfortunately for our economy) many are selling equipment and getting out of the hobby because of unemployment. Its a good time to buy if you have the money.
Actually spectrum isnt really the issue. There are a LOT of different types of bulbs that are available in the 5-7K range. The main issue is going to be PAR. Your just not going to get enough light where you need it. I dont know much about the types of UV associated with different types of bulb or the effects on corals, but what i do know is that UV output can vary drastically from one bulb to the next of the same type. I use mecury vapor bulbs for my reptiles for the heat and UVB. I also know that UVB ratings from mecury vapor bulbs manufactured for home/commerical use(i.e lowes/home depot)have dismal UVB ratings.
I know the cost of lighting sucks but you have to remember that bulbs/fixtures available to the hobbyist are manufactured for our specific use, and ideally, are also optimized for marine life growth/health. Lighting is one of the few aspects of this hobby i wouldnt recommend pinching pennies.
[quote=“logans_daddy, post:9, topic:624”]
Lighting is one of the few aspects of this hobby i wouldnt recommend pinching pennies.[/quote]
This is quite true. Decide what you want to keep, then get a good setup for that type of stuff. It doesnt have to be a store bought fixture, you can DIY lights that work just as well but there is a reason everyone uses MH lights and not HPS. I’m not saying you have to use MH, PC’s, VHO’s and T5’s are all good options depending on what you want to keep. I know we have at least one member here who is getting quite nice SPS growth using just 4x110W VHO’s over a 75g tank.
i apprectiate all of the input…I’m gonna end up with t5’s just was curious if anyone had ever used the common floodlights in this way…i might consider using one fixture to supplement light in my main tank in the future
Yes, i remember long, long time ago lots was talked about using outdoor lighting. the results were poor. The issues mentioned above, Spectrum, reflectors, and UV all are problems. but can be solved by using reef bulbs with built in UV blocking glass. and reef reflectors, but still the weakest link is the ballast itself. they are not high performance or electronically controlled to adjust to bulb output and aging. just basic ballasts. and sodium vapor ballasts have different starting methods to fire the bulbs. in the long run we are better off getting the reef ballasts. you can save money and get reef core and coil ballasts. they run hot, dont adjust, burn bulbs faster, and use more power . so the good electronic reef ballasts are the way to go for MH lighting.
has anyone heard about these ballasts being used? im not sure they are still in business, or supplying PFO and others. how about a nice computer addressable MH electronic ballast. http://www.vb1000.com/
just pop on line with your mobile devise and check up on or change your light settings.
What about using some of these bulbs to creat a shimmer affect on our tanks that us T5 guys don’t have? I love the look of metal halide, but hate the costs/heat. Any ideas on that?
Yeah Joe, thats a good DIY LED project, but true,DIY still costs more than buying a polaris. the home source for LED components is Luxeon. they got new and better stuff all the time. http://www.luxeonstar.com/
Hmmm, 6 of them REBEL STAR led plugs would be like a 4 foot 32 watt T8 lamp, lumen wise.
