VHO Shop Light?

[mikeniccy]

I'm just setting up my first saltwater tank and I have decided that I need more light. I have a shop light that needs a new ballist. Could I replace that with a VHO ballist? Then use a couple VHO bulbs? Thanks in advance. BTW 1st post......

[davejnz]

YOu can but its not cost effective IMO.That 4' shoplight uses 40wNO flourescents.My shoplight uses a cheap electronic ballast built into it,these are instant start which requires the bulbholders/endcaps to be jumpered.VHO ballasts are often programmed start and don't use a jumpered configuration.Another thing,the endcaps/bulbholders on these shoplights are not rated @1500mA that VHO's use.Furthermore,you can actually get equal if not more light from your shoplights with a decent replacement flourescent e-ballast that will overdrive them.The daylight VHO bulbs SUCK IMO/IME,many aren't even true tri-phosphor bulbs.Your $5 GE 6500k NO flourescent availiable at HomeDepot is.It also has a good spectral plot capable of growing corals IME.Let me find you some links on the subject and for a replacement ballast,I'll respond back in a bit.

[davejnz]

BTW,i just noticed this was your first post.Welcome aboard to the greatest reef site on the net.Glad to have you as a member

[mikeniccy]

Ok so you think I would be better off just using NO florecent? I Have a 50 gal tank depth is about 17 inches from sand bed to top of the water. I was interested in eventually keeping some anenomys and such I thought NO florecent wouldn't give me the light I would need.

[dakar]

Running NO output bulbs at thier Normal output will not do very well, however overdriving them with more ppowerful ballasts can do some really magical things, increasing their output to near double! At the expense of a shorter lifespan of the bulb... but if you are going to burn stuff up, those cheap bulbs are a great canidate, they'll actually stay pretty stable as far as color output even when pushed to their limits.

Ok so you think I would be better off just using NO florecent? I Have a 50 gal tank depth is about 17 inches from sand bed to top of the water. I was interested in eventually keeping some anenomys and such I thought NO florecent wouldn't give me the light I would need.

[iVgOnMaD]

this is a cool link you will all like.

sammyxp.tripod.com/html/id16.html

All you need to know, to get all the light you need, cheap!

[jojo22]

that seems to be a bit of a fire hazard if you ask me, but I am always weary of changeing electrical stuff from it's intended purpose.