18" bulbs with high wattage

[finfan]

background: my eclipse system 2 hood holds 2 18" Fluorescent bulbs that are 15watts each, i am thinking about replacing them with something with a higher wattage for my plants

1) what are some of the higher wattages i can get in an 18" bulb?  

2) please give me some specific names so i can look for them

2) i have looked around LFS and seems like almost all of the 18"s are 15watts, where can i get the higher watt 18" bulbs?  internert?  what sites?

thanks in advance for your suggestions/advice

[eklikewhoa]

Re: 18" bulbs with high wattage

none the ballast on that thing can only hndle so much and if you overdrive the ballast it will burn out and worst case set fire.....vice versa works though but will shorten the life of the bulb.

Drsfostersmith.com and AHsupply sell retrofit kits that will convert it to Compact Fluorescent which is what I would look into if you are seriously wanting to up the lighting and not much more then what you would spend on buying two new bulbs.

[finfan]

Re: 18" bulbs with high wattage

thank ek, i definitely don't want any fires, i guess i will just have to wait to completely change the top like i originally planned, it is so hard to, because it won't be until late november or late january, just was hoping there was a way to get around limited lighting in the meantime, patience is virtue - hehe

[Somefishguy]

Re: 18" bulbs with high wattage

shine a light in through the side  

[eklikewhoa]

Re: 18" bulbs with high wattage

There's a feeding door on the tank right? where you could shove another light temporary?

If there is an opening that allows for it you can go to HomeDepot and get one of their shoplights for $20 and just lay it over the opening to help blast it with a bit more lighting.

[eklikewhoa]

Re: 18" bulbs with high wattage

Forgot to add the shoplight I am referring to is the yellow corded work lights which are compact fluorescent....

[eklikewhoa]

Re: 18" bulbs with high wattage

The problem with shining a light through the side is that the plants will probably start growing towards the light. Also not really pleasing to the eye.

[HoustonFishFanatic]

Re: 18" bulbs with high wattage

Do you think you could squeez in a AH Supply CF kit in there?

[eklikewhoa]

Re: 18" bulbs with high wattage

Hell yeah you can squeeze it in there! but they also make retrofit kits specifically for that hood  


I have the std fluorescent tube light fixture from All-glass over my 5.5g and guess what......I rigged it so that it would house the 20w tube and a 13w compact fluorescent tube  8)

[HoustonFishFanatic]

Re: 18" bulbs with high wattage

Hell yeah you can squeeze it in there! but they also make retrofit kits specifically for that hood  


I have the std fluorescent tube light fixture from All-glass over my 5.5g and guess what......I rigged it so that it would house the 20w tube and a 13w compact fluorescent tube  8)

I did not know that they make retrofits for that hood. Kool.

[finfan]

Re: 18" bulbs with high wattage

thanks ek, i think i will make a trip to homedepot tomorrow :)

[finfan]

Re: 18" bulbs with high wattage

went to home depot, did not exactly find what ek was talking about, but i bought this light fixture that has 3 50watt halogen lamps, i am going to attach the fixture from the ceiling and direct the lights towards the opening of the eclipse hood, it will be about 18"s above the tank, but hopefully some of that light will help!

[eklikewhoa]

Re: 18" bulbs with high wattage

Halogen produces a lot of heat.

[finfan]

Re: 18" bulbs with high wattage

do you think it will affect the tank even 1.5foot above the tank?

[Somefishguy]

Re: 18" bulbs with high wattage

ide moniter the temp