[Tkouz]

Ok, to all u guys and gals out there, life can be pretty hard when it comes to lighting... I found that there is a way to make it easier .....

I make my canopy according to how big the tank is, then I mount this cool reflector I saw on e-bay, its called the "cool tube". It is a cooling and lighting system for your hood. The best thing about this unit is that you can slide the halide bulb up and down the tube to accomidate your center position. It is very solid aluminium and glass construction.

Install attinic and 1500K to the hood for your dusk and dawn, and your done. It works perfect, I have it setup on mine.

[NATIVEVAMAN]

I dont see where the cooling part comes in.Please explain.

[glampka]

Bad picture Native - try this link: COOL TUBE GROW LIGHT REFLECTOR 400 600 1000 watt hps mh - (eBay item 180186431172 end time Dec-06-07 19:15:00 PST)

I'm guessing that's what it is.

[NATIVEVAMAN]

Thats a cool system.It could save a lot of fish from becoming fish soup.

[pogodzib]

I don't think that the "cool tube" unit would work that great for several reasons. Yes, the shape of the reflector MAY allow you to blow the air through the reflector and out of the canopy easier, but the reflector doesn't look like it would reflect light as well as the new MH reflectors out there these days. The ballasts also appear to be geared more toward HPS bulbs than MH bulbs. A couple of the units say HPS & a MH conversion bulb , which is not a true MH bulb and they are at either 400w, 600w or 1000w, all of which is more than most of us use.

[Tkouz]

I dont konw what your talking about, but I have one on my reef, and it is better than having the bulbs exposed, and the balast I use is a remote balast, so the heat from that is outside the hood.

That reflector will accept any size MH you put in there... it is not geared for HPS bulbs.....The link that was posted by "Glampka" is the 19" version which sux,,, The version I was talking about is the 48" that accepts two bulbs.


Reflector: Reflector, Dual Bulb, 48" Air Cool Tube, 6" Diameter - (eBay item 290151457812 end time Dec-15-07 11:21:54 PST)

Ballast: SUN SYSTEM GALAXY ELECTRONIC BALLAST 250 WATT FREE SHIP - (eBay item 130092668066 end time Dec-15-07 15:04:26 PST)



Ive had reef tanks for over 8 years, and I have built all the tanks that I have had my self, so I know what I'm doing, as far as the temp is concerned, I only have 1 x 250 MH in there and it is at 77F with outside temp being 77F.

I dont run any fans on my hood, but when I install the second halide, I will have to install 1 6" cooling fan going from the hood to the cool tube...

as far as my fish turning into soup I aught to be specific of the dementions of the tank..... it is a 72Gallon / 20gal sump & 20 gal reefegium, 60"L x 12"D x 22"H... so there is enough water to keep it cool.

I will be posting up pictures of my setup. besides, you guys are saying it wont work, When I already have it done on my tank.....

[NATIVEVAMAN]

I didnt say it wouldnt work.I like it and will recomend it if I cant talk someone out of mh,s lol.

[Tkouz]

The cooling part is the 6" opening the tube has to let all the hot air out quickly before it heats up inside your hood. I make my hoods/ canopy from white laminated malamine sheet . 4' x 8' x 3/4" sheets are $20.00 I can make a hood for a 75G tank using 1 sheet.

The hood should have a 6" circular cutout so you can direct the heat from the tube going out of the hood. Like I said I will post some pictures, when I get a chance.

[pogodzib]

The links posted by Tkouz does look better than the one glampka posted since it has a ballast made for 250w MH. I couldn't see anywhere in the original link where they said anything other than HPS or MH CONVERSION bulbs. IMO, If heat is an issue in your tank, the cool tube system may work good, but I'd like to see a par comparison for the light redirected into the tank between those reflectors and the spider MH reflectors. And No, I didn't say that it wouldn't work, I said that I didn't know that it is better than what is currently out there once you figure both heat and light output directed into the tank.

[geekdafied]

That light is not meant for aquariums. Thats meant for being less then 12"s over the plants, not corals. The PAR will be cut down a whole bunch cause of the "cool tube". The SE MH bulbs dont need UV shields cause they pretty much have one already, so by using another glass tube to cover the bulb, it greatly reduces the intensity of it at distances over 12"s.

[NATIVEVAMAN]

Geekdefied,What should the thousands of people do that have purchased fixtures with glass shields over there se/mogul based mh bulbs do?Remove the shields?Throw the fixture away?Or go ahead and use them because the glass shields do not have the great effect that you claim?
Didnt you just say in another thread that people should not be afraid to try new things?

[geekdafied]

Im trying to prevent people from wasting money, unlike other people. If all of the people who give bad information were stop giving it, people wouldnt spend countless hours trying to figure out whats wrong and wasting a small fortune buying all the wrong things based on information from people who dont even have a tank.

[Tkouz]

Ok you see the picture, this setup works great... 6" hole through the canopy, then use the a fan if you want to cool the heat from the tube..

I made a hood / canopy for my 135 @ home, and I used the normal DIY setup for lighting.... and found out the hard way that the cool tube is better..

This setup saved me alot of time and money.....

So the reflector does not include a ballast... I use a remote ballast that I got from e-bay... it is a Digital type made by galaxy. It can be pluged into 240V or 120V. this unit will auto detect voltage, and wattage of the bulb.... say you have a 175 halide.... this ballast will allow you to use a bulb rated less in wattage... The version I have is a 250W and it is THE BEST ballast I ever used, No Noise, No heat, and No worries...

I actually am saving money on the electricity... I have my ballast hooked up to the 240V output, this way it will use half of the amps.

The reflector is designed to give out max sunlight output, it is very bright... in fact, I use a preferated aluminium screen on top of the water so the light will not be too strong in the morning an night..... looking for some fixtures no for my attinic, and 15000K...

so I can setup my halides to be on tor 8 hours a day... I think keeping halides on for 12 hours is too much time...

The only thing that should be on for dusk and dawn is attinic and 15000K..

I hope this information will help people out there that are trying to find a solution to thier lighting system... I will try to keep this post updated....Im hoping to be the problem solver with this " heat in the water issue" as I have experienced it first hand myself.


let me know if you guys want me to post better pics..

[NATIVEVAMAN]

So do you have the cool tube hooked up to a fan? I dont see that in the pic.

[rlcline76]

Geekdafied, NATIVE...this thread is not here for you guys to jab at one another.

Let's stay on the topic.

[Tkouz]

There is a lot of equipment out there that is not meant for the hobby, but people use them anyways....(computer fans, computer power supply, custom wire job....etc...)

What I try to do is use hydroponic equipment for the hobby....Instead of growing plans, they are used to grow corals.... the "cool tube" does what it suppose to do,,, vent the heat out of the source...

I would like to see if there is anyone out there with a better Idea or setup....Pictures anyone??

[NATIVEVAMAN]

Tony,these people cant get enough pics of anything lol.Just send them.The best things to come out of hobbies are inovations.And this hobby was made for DIY guys.Good job.

[Tkouz]

Here is my latest update... I installed 2 x T5 x 48" HO lamps. I will add another pair when I get some more $$$$. this setup cost me $121.00 (1 x ballast, 1 x 1800K & 1 x attinic lamp) @ LFS

The ballast powers 2 lamps.

I put these lamps on for Dusk / Dawn effect, I think some of you out there will agree that it's not normal to just turn on your halides and stun the corals with a high intensity.

I want to replicate nature as much as possible...I think it is important to do so to keep total balance along with a good biotope system and regular maintanance... (having the right equipment and less stress will make for less time on maintanance and more time to enjoy.)