Cheap MH fixtures

[jeepjon]

Hey Guys,
I'm still confused as to which MH fixtures you can use for aquarium from the commercial/industrial places...could I use this ballast combo for a 175 watt MH bulb over a tank? I probably would pick something like this up locally...and I wouldn't be building very soon. But I just was wondering.

http://www.lightingcloseout.com/prod...3&CategoryID=3

I don't know the M-57, M-58, etc. numbers, and what they mean. I'm just very confused. I basically want to DIY for my own satisfaction from now on...and I want to have an idea of when I do want to setup my 45 gallon cube again (once I move into a house), how much it would cost.
Thanks guys.

[darthteddy]

If memory serves which i belive it does...ANSI M-57 is a way of rating Metal Halide balasts or rather all balasts of that nature. M-57 ballasts are made to run bulbs like the ones for reefs. Im sure they run others but all probe or pulse start (wichever one that does not have the starter on it) magnetic balasts that are 175w will run any bulb that is a 175w MH bulb EXCEPT!!!! the 10,000k USIHO bulbs. They are ment to be run on the balasts that have the igniter wired onto them and are not warrentied on the kind without an igniter. But thankfully thats w hy there is a larger selection of bulbs then just USHIOs

[Geoff]

as long as the fixture says a wattage and a bulb type. as in MH or sodium or MV. you have all the info you need. i have a 400w street light that i got from HD for $30 that i was using for my tank. you have to replace the bulb with something more reef apropriate, but other than that if it says MH and is the wattage you are looking for, than that is all you need to know.

word of caution though. the cheaper the fixture the greater the chance that the ballast will be a loud hummer. if the ballast will be in the basement or in a crawlspace like mine than it does not matter. if you plan on having in the living room than it may not be worth it. some of them can be quite loud.

G~

[SmokinReefer]

I found a fish website that sells a 175 watt metal halide kit bulb included for 75 dollarsplus 10 for shipping. PM if interested

[wharyat]

Welcome to TRT smokin'


Check out ebay; every once in a while a good bare magnetic will come through for around $30 shipped. HD will sometimes have a few good deals on their MH fixtures, that's another option.

The numbers are ANSI codes, M-57 is a 175 watt magnetic ballast, M-58 is 250, M-59 is 400. MH ballasts will also run an equal wattage mercury vapor bulb and vice-versa, so keep a look out for cheap MV fixtures (although these are usually the very loud ones)

[darthteddy]

Actually vince i have a thread about that on nano-reef.com. I would not advise using MV balasts for MH bulbs. The difference is in a extremely hard to buy unless commercially capasitor that is a must for MH. MV lights dont need a Cap in line because they are built differently on the inside and cand allow the Hz and stuff to fluxuate. Thats the humming you hear i belive is the power fluxuating from high to low. Could be wrong about the humming part but everytthing else is true. I blew 2 very expensive bulbs on a MV balast

[scleractinian]

Originally Posted by Geoff

as long as the fixture says a wattage and a bulb type. as in MH or sodium or MV. you have all the info you need. i have a 400w street light that i got from HD for $30 that i was using for my tank. you have to replace the bulb with something more reef apropriate, but other than that if it says MH and is the wattage you are looking for, than that is all you need to know.

word of caution though. the cheaper the fixture the greater the chance that the ballast will be a loud hummer. if the ballast will be in the basement or in a crawlspace like mine than it does not matter. if you plan on having in the living room than it may not be worth it. some of them can be quite loud.

G~

Sorry Geoff, but this isn't good advice. The M-xx(x) numbers are the ANSI code that describes how the ballast behaves electrically. You need to know much more than MV or MH and wattage... Match the ANSI code of the lamp to the code of the ballast.

"HQI" (intended for DE lamps) magnetic ballasts, for example, often deliver a high-voltage starting pulse to the lamp that, if used with a single ended lamp, pose at least a theoretical risk of arcing across the lampholder contacts and doing all sorts of nasty things.

An FYI, real electronic ballasts operate in a very different way than magentic (cap and core) ballasts, and a given electronic ballast might carry several (or no) ANSI ratings.

http://members.fortunecity.com/paulerik/id33.htm

[Doug1]

IIRC the MV ballast will run the 6500K Iwasaki bulb just fine