150w HQI Bulb Suggestions?

[brizzo]

Originally Posted by OCDP

Nazerine,

Interesting, I am aware of the lack of UV protection. If I have to stick with Coralife bulbs, then so be it.. but knowing me, I'll have a piece of glass cut either way. Seems like a good way for Coralife to have you purchase their bulbs only!

Was the glass hard to put into the fixture? Getting it under the grill might be a challenge? Anyways, I'll keep this in mind, not too worried about it.

Aha, you have asked the right guy! As you know, the grill is actually removable. Both ends of the fixture you can pop out the plastic end cap, and slide the grill out. Now, the other nice thing coralife was so nice to do, was have mounting pegs at either end of the fixture, so you can install a second fan.

I ended up buying two sunon maglev 3000rpm fans that run @ 6v, 40mm. I can get the part number when I get home. Incoming voltage is 12v, so it works nicely have 2x6v fans = 12v, no extra wiring, wall warts, or under powered fans.

I never actually finished the mod though, it was tough to get a glass shop to order me such a small piece of tempered glass. (Maybe I will check a few places today .. hmm hmm!) I just kept running the glass top on my nanocube, and it really helped with evaporation.

The only reason I wanted to use tempered glass is for the sake of higher heat rating. Glass shop guy said 3mm glass should be good to 165C...

My bulb is about due to be replaced ... My thoughts were....

I'm either going to buy a corallife 20k bulb

OR

Find an old broken 24" fixture, cut it down to fit my tank, retrofit the 150metal halide into it, run a 10k bulb, and retrofit 2x8w actinics into it... I have a feeling it will end up going the DIY route