PVC hood and metal halides

kakulo83 · 01-07-2006, 08:31 PM

Ohla, I found this site http://www.reefrancher.com/diy/halfpipe/ and was considering constructing a few. Would metal halides get hot enough to melt the plastic? What do you guys think, is this design practical? Thanks

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**Rex Grigg** · 01-07-2006, 11:17 PM

It will work if you can isolate the heat from the plastic. MH lights easily get hot enough to melt PVC.

dissident · 01-08-2006, 02:37 AM

Honestly.... if you are going to retro expensive MH bulbs you might as well build your own pendants out of wood so they don't look like whatever "That" is...

Even if you painted the PVC I couldn't imagine it looking any better... it would just look like painted PVC with a few hundred $$$ of lighting in it... kinda like buying a DVD/LCD for a $3000 GEO

Spend the $30 for the wood and do it right.

DarkCobra · 01-08-2006, 05:00 AM

See where they've attached the reflector to the PVC with bolts? Put a spacer on the bolts to separate the reflector from the PVC a bit. The air gap will help keep the PVC cool.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dissident

Honestly.... if you are going to retro expensive MH bulbs you might as well build your own pendants out of wood so they don't look like whatever "That" is...

LOL! I don't think it looks *that* bad, and with a decent black paint job it would look pretty good. If you must have the wood look, you could always steam some veneer and glue it to the PVC. Or even some wood-patterned contact paper. No one is going to notice, they'll be too busy looking at the tank.

kakulo83 · 01-08-2006, 10:19 AM

thanks for the replies, I will try with both wood and PVC. I think a PVC pendant might look rather nice

Cheers

frloplady · 01-20-2006, 07:13 PM

Update...what did you end up doing?

01-07-2006, 08:31 PM	#1 (permalink)
kakulo83 Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: May 2005 Location: Oakand,CA Posts: 59	PVC hood and metal halides Ohla, I found this site http://www.reefrancher.com/diy/halfpipe/ and was considering constructing a few. Would metal halides get hot enough to melt the plastic? What do you guys think, is this design practical? Thanks

01-07-2006, 11:17 PM	#2 (permalink)
Rex Grigg Curmudgeon and CO2 Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (65) Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Portland Orygun Posts: 9,588	It will work if you can isolate the heat from the plastic. MH lights easily get hot enough to melt PVC. __________________ The Original Custom CO2 Regulator Dry Ferts Link to my Guide Purveyor of the Brutal Truth In Heaven We Were Formed... In Hell We Were Trained... On Earth We Were Released... United States Marine Corps!

01-08-2006, 02:37 AM	#3 (permalink)
dissident Honest Bender (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1) Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: MKE-WI-USA Posts: 323	Honestly.... if you are going to retro expensive MH bulbs you might as well build your own pendants out of wood so they don't look like whatever "That" is... Even if you painted the PVC I couldn't imagine it looking any better... it would just look like painted PVC with a few hundred $$$ of lighting in it... kinda like buying a DVD/LCD for a $3000 GEO Spend the $30 for the wood and do it right. __________________ 110Xgal Planted 65gal Planted 8gal nano-hex Planted First planted tank ever Retired 2003

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01-08-2006, 10:19 AM	#5 (permalink)
kakulo83 Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: May 2005 Location: Oakand,CA Posts: 59	thanks for the replies, I will try with both wood and PVC. I think a PVC pendant might look rather nice Cheers

01-20-2006, 07:13 PM	#6 (permalink)
frloplady Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2) Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Cowiche, WA Posts: 95	Update...what did you end up doing?