hid?

**oldpunk78** · 01-02-2009, 02:32 AM

this might be a dumb question, but i'm gonna ask anyway.

could you use an automotive hid bulb to light an aquarium. i don't know how may of you have noticed, but those things are wicked bright, and you can get them in in just about any K temp you want. you could mount it like a mini MH pendant. all you'd have to get is a 12v source, ballast, and some sort of reflector...

let the debunking begin...

fshfanatic · 01-02-2009, 03:38 AM

You can use just about any light source you can think of for an aquarium. Whether or not you get the results you are after, that is the question.

**Hoppy** · 01-02-2009, 04:53 AM

I googled this and the thing that stands out it that they are very expensive! So, just as you can make a good light with LED's, there is no doubt in my mind that you can also make a good light with HID lights. But, in both cases you would be spending a lot more money than a T5 light of comparable intensity would cost.

**oldpunk78** · 01-02-2009, 05:22 AM

i'm just saying, that with a little work and about 150 bucks you could have about 5000 lumens(spell?) with just one 55w bulb. too much?

**hooha** · 01-02-2009, 06:18 AM

I'd bet that the main issue would be heat - much like the halogen fixtures.....

spinycheek · 01-02-2009, 07:00 AM

I wonder about the life of the bulb. Aquarium bulbs are on every day for 8+ hours, car headlights for most people are occasionally on. And if they're an expensive bulb, it might not be economical to replace it frequently.

But experimentation is how great discoveries are made.

**oldpunk78** · 01-02-2009, 03:09 PM

xenon gas hid bulbs are designed to last the life time of the car in most cases. there is no fillament(sp?) just a pocket of gas inside the bulb. they do tend to move up in the K range after a few years though. most are rated at 3000 hours.

as far as the heat issue goes, imagine a bulb smaller than a regular headlight bulb suspended over your tank. you can also get a pair of 35w bulbs/ballasts (around 3000 lumins each) for around $100 bucks. even if you had to replace the the bulbs once a year thats only like $45 year for bulbs. how much is one new hqi bulb and how long does it last?

i have no idea here - how much light (lumins) do you get from one 150w hqi setup? and how long does it last?

**hooha** · 01-03-2009, 02:29 PM

I unfortunately don't have an answer to your questions, but there was an ad in on of the fish mags that had a HID lighting fixture. I'll have to look it up later today and get the URL for the site....

spinycheek · 01-03-2009, 06:36 PM

Give it a try I say, would be interesting to know how it worked.

**oldpunk78** · 01-03-2009, 07:06 PM

i will need pressurized co2 first, lol (still saving...)

i was thinking if anything a really small pendant for a nano would be cool.

t0p_sh0tta · 01-03-2009, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hooha

I'd bet that the main issue would be heat - much like the halogen fixtures.....

In an automotive environment, a 35w Xenon/HID lamp runs cooler than a 55w halogen.

If you're interested, I can get HID kits at $90 shipped. However, at that price, I'd rather find a 70-150w MH pendant or pick up a T5 fixture.

Craigthor · 01-03-2009, 08:15 PM

These jsut came out and are using HID lighting:

http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/group/5950/product.web

Saw them in the catalogue.

Craig

**oldpunk78** · 01-03-2009, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t0p_sh0tta

In an automotive environment, a 35w Xenon/HID lamp runs cooler than a 55w halogen.

If you're interested, I can get HID kits at $90 shipped. However, at that price, I'd rather find a 70-150w MH pendant or pick up a T5 fixture.

remember that you are getting 2 bulbs and 2 ballasts for 90 bucks. how much does a MH fixture cost? (i haven't looked yet. it's on my to do list...)

**hooha** · 01-03-2009, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craigthor

These jsut came out and are using HID lighting:

http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/group/5950/product.web

Saw them in the catalogue.

Craig

yup, that's the one's in the magazine ad as well.

www.aquaticlife.com

t0p_sh0tta · 01-03-2009, 09:37 PM

I'm aware of the cost differential, but when it's all said and done, it's easier and likely cheaper to just pick up a MH (I'm referring to pendants).

The balasts in automotive applications can get very hot. All do not handle moisture well. They draw LOTS of current during warmup (can reach >20A in some cases). My main concern would be finding a suitable reflector. That's a lot of light coming from a very small bulb. Getting it to diffuse over the area of a tank would be another issue.

01-02-2009, 02:32 AM	#1
oldpunk78 Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (102/100%) Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Redding, CA Posts: 4,477	hid? this might be a dumb question, but i'm gonna ask anyway. could you use an automotive hid bulb to light an aquarium. i don't know how may of you have noticed, but those things are wicked bright, and you can get them in in just about any K temp you want. you could mount it like a mini MH pendant. all you'd have to get is a 12v source, ballast, and some sort of reflector... let the debunking begin...

01-02-2009, 03:38 AM	#2
fshfanatic Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (24/100%) Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Arizona Posts: 5,279	You can use just about any light source you can think of for an aquarium. Whether or not you get the results you are after, that is the question. __________________ Ehfipimp #273 ( Eheim Classic: 2260, 2217, Eheim Ecco: 2236, 2232 ) Fluval FX5

01-02-2009, 04:53 AM	#3
Hoppy Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (57/100%) Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 17,287	I googled this and the thing that stands out it that they are very expensive! So, just as you can make a good light with LED's, there is no doubt in my mind that you can also make a good light with HID lights. But, in both cases you would be spending a lot more money than a T5 light of comparable intensity would cost. __________________ Hoppy

01-02-2009, 06:18 AM	#5
hooha Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (72/100%) Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 973	I'd bet that the main issue would be heat - much like the halogen fixtures..... __________________ Member of PAPAS and GPASI - Pittsburgh Area Planted Aquarium Society and Greater Pittsburgh Aquarium Society

01-02-2009, 07:00 AM	#6
spinycheek Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Lakewood, CO Posts: 379	I wonder about the life of the bulb. Aquarium bulbs are on every day for 8+ hours, car headlights for most people are occasionally on. And if they're an expensive bulb, it might not be economical to replace it frequently. But experimentation is how great discoveries are made. __________________

01-02-2009, 05:22 AM	#4
oldpunk78 Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (102/100%) Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Redding, CA Posts: 4,477	i'm just saying, that with a little work and about 150 bucks you could have about 5000 lumens(spell?) with just one 55w bulb. too much?

01-02-2009, 03:09 PM	#7
oldpunk78 Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (102/100%) Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Redding, CA Posts: 4,477	xenon gas hid bulbs are designed to last the life time of the car in most cases. there is no fillament(sp?) just a pocket of gas inside the bulb. they do tend to move up in the K range after a few years though. most are rated at 3000 hours. as far as the heat issue goes, imagine a bulb smaller than a regular headlight bulb suspended over your tank. you can also get a pair of 35w bulbs/ballasts (around 3000 lumins each) for around $100 bucks. even if you had to replace the the bulbs once a year thats only like $45 year for bulbs. how much is one new hqi bulb and how long does it last? i have no idea here - how much light (lumins) do you get from one 150w hqi setup? and how long does it last?

01-03-2009, 02:29 PM	#8
hooha Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (72/100%) Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 973	I unfortunately don't have an answer to your questions, but there was an ad in on of the fish mags that had a HID lighting fixture. I'll have to look it up later today and get the URL for the site.... __________________ Member of PAPAS and GPASI - Pittsburgh Area Planted Aquarium Society and Greater Pittsburgh Aquarium Society

01-03-2009, 06:36 PM	#9
spinycheek Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Lakewood, CO Posts: 379	Give it a try I say, would be interesting to know how it worked. __________________

01-03-2009, 07:06 PM	#10
oldpunk78 Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (102/100%) Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Redding, CA Posts: 4,477	i will need pressurized co2 first, lol (still saving...) i was thinking if anything a really small pendant for a nano would be cool.

01-03-2009, 09:37 PM	#15
t0p_sh0tta Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (5/100%) Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Connecticut Posts: 668	I'm aware of the cost differential, but when it's all said and done, it's easier and likely cheaper to just pick up a MH (I'm referring to pendants). The balasts in automotive applications can get very hot. All do not handle moisture well. They draw LOTS of current during warmup (can reach >20A in some cases). My main concern would be finding a suitable reflector. That's a lot of light coming from a very small bulb. Getting it to diffuse over the area of a tank would be another issue.

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