Cheap lighting - ODNO

[GulfCoastAquarian]

Originally Posted by PikeLee

1. I would be able to use the T8 Bulbs with the T12 endcaps that are provided with the AGA dual light strip, correct?

Yes, the pin spacing is the same on T8 and T12 bulbs.

Originally Posted by PikeLee

2. Should I worry or upgrade the endcaps that are on the AGA Dual Light strip to newer ones if I were to OD them?

If you have a glass cover, the regular endcaps will be fine. If they are exposed to the water surface, definitely go for the waterproof endcaps as kor suggested.

Originally Posted by PikeLee

3. I only want to have about 160-170 Watts for this tank. I was told that if I had anymore than that, even though it’s a 2 feet deep tank, that I would accumulate algae and require CO2. That being said, and I since I want to stay away from CO2, Should I OD each bulb with it’s own ballast (4x)? Or should I just use 1 4F32T8 ballast to overdrive both of the bulbs(2x)? (How would the wiring for this?) :?:

I commend you for resisting the temptation for just technology and limiting your light. You could always start with a single 4F32T8 ballast and 2X OD each bulb and buy an additional ballast in the future if you find it isn't bright enough. If you're targeting around 160 watts of light, you better go with the two 4F32T8 ballasts. Better yet, for the same price as a 4F32T8 ballast, get a Fulham Workhorse 5 ballast. You can find them at local lighting distributors but Pet Supply Liquidators has them here for $25 a piece:
128w WH5-120-Long Case ballast

Originally Posted by PikeLee

4. In replacing the AGA ballast with the new one. All I would have to do is disconnect the old ballast, and then attach the new one by splicing the wires together and using a twist nut, correct? Is there a particular twist nut I should get?

Correct. Get a few sizes of wire nuts. Sometimes you'll be splicing just two wires together. Sometimes you'll be splicing four, and need a bigger wire nut.

Originally Posted by PikeLee

5. Last one. :lol: Has anyone used the OD setup with the F32T8 ballast with T12 bulbs yet? Just wondering on what their outcome was.

Yes, I'm using this setup right now on my tank. I have a 4F32T8 ballast 2X OD'ing a pair of Sylvania Gro-Lux F40T12 tubes in that same AGA twin strip fixture you have. It's definitely brighter than it was with the original magnetic ballast, but not twice as bright. OD'ing 4x would definitely achieve that.

[kor4ever]

Yeah, what I meant about the endcaps(sorry I didn't clarify, I've had midterms in microbiology and now greek and latin roots, so very tired), if you have those rubberized endcaps that fit around the light tube, they have separate ones for T8 and T12 bulbs.

Felix

[PikeLee]

Gulf/Kor, Thanks for the replies. I knew what you meant by the endcaps and the evaporation. Good thing I won’t need that. I have a glass cover hood for my 90g. So my light strip won’t get wet from the evaporated water.

All of things got cleared up, thanks much, but then a couple of things got a little foggy.

So since the T8 and T12 can use the same endcaps, I will not be replacing them with new ones.

I’ll be getting a couple of wire nuts as you suggested. I wasn’t too sure if there were various kinds of wire nuts. When I bought my PC setup from www.ahsupply.com, the instructions given had different wire nuts for a specific purpose. I’m going to try and find those instructions and see if those wire nuts were just for size purposes or for actually current limitations that are going through it.

I’m glad to hear that you have the same light strip as I. That way I can relate my situation to yours and learn from your 1st hand experience.

OD
I’m surprised that you are using the T12’s on the F32T8 ballast. Didn’t you mention that this sucks up more energy and is not as efficient? Regardless, what would you say your dual light strip output is equivalent to? 120W, 160W…

I read somewhere in this post that a one 4x OD T8 Bulb is equivalent to 125w (but only consumes 80w)

Would you happen to know what one 2x OD T8 Bulb is equivalent to?

The same questions for one T12 bulb. 4x and 2x?

Sorry for all the questions. I’m really short on cash and would like to get the most for my money. That plus, if I use more light for a non CO2 tank, I’ll get an algae bloom.

Tom Barr Recommended that in a Tank of 3wpg or more CO2 is necessary. My 30g have a 96w PC bulb on it. My Hagen system ran out of CO2. And I learned that it ran out of CO2 from the bloom of algae. So that’s the reason for my resistance of going for more light. The 90G is going to be an attempt in a low-tech setup. High light goes too quick for me.

PC
When you suggest this ballast, 128w WH5-120-Long Case ballast, isn’t this for a PC light setup? It looks exactly like what I got on my 96W PC from ahsupply. It also looks like I can use this ballast for 2 PC 55W PC bulbs too.

Are you suggesting going the PC route, or hooking this ballast up to the T8 or T12s? My apologies for the ignorance. As I mentioned before, I don’t have a clue when it comes to these things.

Well, that’s it for now. Thanks a lot for the replies and the patience. Hopefully the light will soon flick on in my head when it comes to OD. :idea:

Cheers.

[GulfCoastAquarian]

Electronic ballasts are extremely versatile. Some people even use those 4F32T8 ballasts to run 55w PC's, but they're a little weak. The WH5 can run two 55w PC's, but not to full power. I am using one WH5 for each 55w PC and it overdrives them to around 65 watts.
One WH5 connected to two F40T12 bulbs will drive them at around 50 watts a piece. My sister is using this setup on a 55g with CO2 and getting incredible growth with Gro-Lux tubes. She claims to be able to actually see the plants grow before her eyes, haha.

Anyway, the reason I go with the less-efficient F40 tubes is because Sylvania makes them in the Gro-Lux phophors. The light output in these bulbs that is beneficial to plants is stunning. Read more about this in the PUR and Lumens topic in this forum.

As for all your questions regarding what equivalent output each particular configuration has, this isn't documented very well. A few advanced reef hobbyists did measure lumens output for a 4x ODNO setup going into a F32T8 bulb and found it to be around 6000 lumens. That same bulb in a regular 1x configuration usually produces around 2000 lumens. Being that output is 3x standard, it is the equivalent of 3 x 32w = 96w.
I don't have these figures for F40 tubes, but expect it to be relatively similar.

[PikeLee]

Decisions, decisions…

That’s pretty cool that your sister has an OD setup. So since your sister has the one WH5 ballast connected to 2 T12 bulbs at around 50W each bulb, and you have the F32T8 OD each T12 bulbs 2x, what setup would you say is more effective?

Have you ever experimented with one WH5 on one T12 bulb?

BTW, I read your post on PAR and Lumens. Interesting stuff. Not quite sure if I understood everything, but any questions I have toward that, I’ll reply to that thread.

Thanks.

[GulfCoastAquarian]

The WH5 drives the T12 pair way stronger than the 4F32T8 does. And it's about the same price. I haven't tried one WH5 with all four into a T12, no, haha. 128 watts into a 40 watt bulb is just a little bit more than I'm willing to try.

[zapata]

can you do the same thing with a magnetic ballast. Also, can you use a F40T12 ballast which is for a 48" bulb on a 24" bulb??

Thanks

Tim

[zapata]

ok i have figured out the answer to my last ?, read through 11 pages of this thread, wheew!!!

Now i have a few questions.
I have a 36" wide tank and currentl;y am using 24" bulbs.
1. Should i continue using the 24" bulbs and stager them, then OD them. If so what ballast should I get and how should i wire them, i read somewhere that it had to be in series, explain on that some please. I would like to run 4 24" bulbs staggered at 4x, all help appreciated.

2. If i want to switch to using 36" bulbs then what kind of ballast do i need to get for them so i can run a few bulbs at 4x


Thanks
Tim

[GulfCoastAquarian]

I would probably run the four F24T12 bulbs staggered. Two pairs in series, each driven 2x off of one 4-F32T8 would provide the equivalent of about 2.4 wpg.

[rdn2]

I 've got a 55 gallon and I picked up a Sylvania 4x32t8 electronic ballest. I had planned on running 4 t8's I already have: 2 Philips TL850 and 2 Zoo Med Flora Suns. But I feel like I'm crouding the top of the tank a little to much. I would like to be in the 2 wpg area as far as lighting goes as I already have a 260 watt pc lighted 75 gallon to trim weekly. So would I be able to OD 2 t8's with just the one 4x32t8 ballest and get about 2 wpg or would 2 ballests be recommended?

Ron

[rossi32s]

I just listed a WorkHorse 7 in the Swap & Shop for anyone that is looking for a GOOD cheap ballast.

220W Compact Flourescent Ballast.
$35 bucks shipped.
http://www.plantedtank.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2725

[jart]

sam the man,

can you please confirm for me? on my 45 gallon i am planning on od'ing two 36 inch tubes 4x. i am also running a 36 inch normal output fluorescent tube. so i am assuming this will give me:

a) two 36 inch tubes 4x odno: approx 60 watts each = 120 watts
b) one no 36 inch tube = 30 watts

total 150 watts (ballpark). correct? sorry for belaboring the issue.

thanks a lot.

[GulfCoastAquarian]

Yep, Jart, ~150w is about what you can expect to get.

[Mini4x]

[quote="GulfCoastAquarian"][quote="PikeLee"]

Originally Posted by PikeLee

3. I only want to have about 160-170 Watts for this tank. I was told that if I had anymore than that, even though it’s a 2 feet deep tank, that I would accumulate algae and require CO2. That being said, and I since I want to stay away from CO2, Should I OD each bulb with it’s own ballast (4x)? Or should I just use 1 4F32T8 ballast to overdrive both of the bulbs(2x)? (How would the wiring for this?) :?:

I am hoping to do this on my 70g tank. I am wondering about running two 4F32T8 ballasts.. He're my thinking:

I have the same AGA 2x40w hood...
I hope to:

Run 2 of the 4F3278 ballasts, but stagger the lighting, one at 11-12 hours, one at about 6-7 hours. Any thoughts on light staggering, is it too much? I do not know IF i need that much light. I am still in the planning phases of my tank, it is setup and running but with only a couple plants and plenty of algae which I think is some type of 'low-light' algae (light spotty greenish brown mostly on glass). Maybe I'll just start with a single ballast and 2x OD them instead.

[GulfCoastAquarian]

Even by overdriving both of those 40w bulbs 4x, you're going to end up with a little more than 2wpg. This isn't intense enough to warrant the need for staggering light times. And when I do stagger light times, it's usually only for an hour or two (11 hr partial light, 8-9 hours full light).