DIY HQI...Is there such a thing?

[demakase]

HI! I have a 400 watt ballast labeled "HQI ballast" and I'm wondering if anyone has ever tried switching from a horizontal single ended to a double ended MH unit. If anyone has...I need to pick your brain!

Thanks in advance,
Joy :roll:

 

[reefland]

You have the ballast. You just need the socket and wires and some kind of UV shield. Hellolights.com sells the sockets. Nothing to fancy about the wires. Glass shop can get you UV blocking glass.

 

[Timbo1]

You've got an "hqi" ballast but there are no 400 watt double ended bulbs and you can't use that ballast for 250s...

sorry.

 

[reefland]

Hmm, good point.

 

[dattack]

You can run a nice SE 20K radium bulb.

 

[reefland]

You can run a nice SE 20K radium bulb.

That was my original thinking but the question was: "horizontal single ended to a double ended MH unit." -- of which no double ended 400w HQI bulbs are on the market for the aquarium hobby. (That I know about).

 

[billzie]

MH-DE "hqi" bulbs are available in 70, 150, 250, 400, and 1000w for the aquarium trade. But, the 400w and 1000w are very hard to find. My guess is that if you needed a few, that Premium Aquatics could hook you up, you just have to ask, that's how I've gotten some oddball items from them in the past.
On another note, for us hqi-diy ers, has anyone found the 1500w quartz halogen fixture anywhere? I've scoured the local home/hdwr centers and a few websites, but no luck. I've seen them in use at some store and would make a much better fixture than the Regent 500w.
HTH, Bill.