Diy hqi?

[mwolek]

[Hmmm, I saw a HQI pendant in FAMA last night. I wonder if you could buy a cheap halogen fixture, gut it and use the pendant/reflector of it to house a HQI MH...

Thoughts?]

 

[SamIam]

[Mark,

I made 4 of them this way, and 2 are running over my175 with 250DE bulbs for about a month now. It was easy, and I built the 4 with reflectors for about $90 instead of $500 for the reef optix ones that are 120 each. I took pictures of how I did it,and I'll post when I get time.]

 

[bolis03]

[I really do not know what the HQI pendent you saw at FAMA looks like but I found these MH HQI pendent the other day for I believe is a reasonable price. Look at it and please let me know what you think. I really would be interested if it can adapt to this hobby.

http://www.1000bulbs.com/product.php?product=6033]

 

[mmiller40]

@bolis03 wrote:

[These are even cheaper (99)and the best reflector you can buy.

ROIII 250]

 

[mwolek]

[http://www.esuweb.com/cardfile.asp?ItemNumber=53600&IDProductRelationship=309

That one.]

 

[melev]

[That is one cool pendant. But what does it cost? It looks like the upright ballast comes with it?]

 

[mwolek]

[Yah ballast is included, I haven't seen a price on it anywhere. I was thinking you could probably buy a halogen fixture very similar, gut it, wire it to a HQI ballast, and stick in a bulb...

Not sure what the hanging halogens cost though it may not be worth while.

Found one, $300 each, 150w 10,000K HQI pendant.

http://www.southbroadwaytropicals.com/ItemPages/SWLightingSystems.htm]



Edited By mwolek on 1091997052

 

[melev]

[I just saw that pendant on HelloLights.com last night, and it was $259.

http://www.hellolights.com/15hqicoaqpep.html]

 

[SamIam]

[Here's what I started with:]

 

[SamIam]

[Then I took everything out of the housing, broke apart the metal parts inside the housing (as much as possible, as be carefull, because you can break the back of the case out), cut out the reflector material, mounted it, added the DE housing via bolts and 2 holes I drilled through the housing, I drilled a few holes in the top to allow for ventillation, ran the wiring, soldered/heat shrinked the connections, and added molex quick disconnects to connect to the ballast.

I made 4 of them for about $100 (reflector material may be your biggest expense if your making 1-2), and I have been running two of them for about a month now without any problems.]



Edited By SamIam on 1092072234

 

[mwolek]

[Exactly what I was thinking about, except using a fixture like the one the coralife uses, if you do it right you could probably match it to any halogen lights in your house too ]

 

[66deuce]

@SamIam wrote:

[That's awesome! Where did you pick up the halogen unit at? Also what type of reflector material and where did you get it?]

 

[Jimmy Walls]

[Here is an interesting way to set one up. It has glass to protect from UV but no enclosure.

Pet Suppy Liguidator Custom]

 

[tstaut]

[I think Bolis03 is on to something... this pendant seems to come with a ballast, just no bulb for $135 I think that's pretty good.

http://www.1000bulbs.com/product.php?product=6033]

 

[mwolek]

[That may work nice, would need to gut it and relocate the ballast to the floor / attic...]

 

[cpalmist]

[I saw Sam's lighting and it is well done. That was on my mind when...

I was over at big box hardware for more Marc's Magical Chaeto Grow Lights and saw that I could buy a 250W halogen setup (with extra bulb) for the exorbitant cost of 9.97. I left the 500W halogen setup on the shelf, even tho it was a king's ransom of 8.88 or some such. These are moisture proof, caged, ballasted and the whole bit. Might have to do some remounting but shucks! the cost sure seems reasonable.

So I just don't get *why* aquarium lighting is a car payment and industrial/garage use-designed of the same or more wattage is a six-pack or a couple of dirty martinis...
Is it the 10K, 12K, 14K, 16k, 20K controversy?]