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Re: More Light recommendations



"Steve Bansee" <tvg at icenter_net> wrote:

> Thanks Ivo,
>
> About the ballast, I asked the sales rep for Phillips here in Manitoba,
and
> he said that I should use an electronic ballasts rated for 32w t8.  I had
> question him on this (because I read on the APD about the different types
of
> T8's), and he said that it should work.  The ballast that I have is a
Osram

Ivo wrote:

I just asked because the Aquarelle bulb comes in odd wattages (for the US
market anyway).


I write:

I am not at all sure that is the best ballast for those lamps. I think that
that lamp is similar to a GE T8 plant and aquarium bulb which is a 40 watt
lamp. That lamp runs on a regular ballast that is used with T12 40 watt
lamps. It looks to me that the 36 watt lamp could run on either a ballast
for T8 lamps or a ballast for T12 lamps. I am speculating that the T12
ballast would slightly overdrive the lamp which IMHO is quite desirable
while on the T8 ballast the lamp is quite likely to be underdriven. There is
no point in installing a T8 lamp if it is going to be underdriven. You need
to ask the sales rep. what the ballast factor will be when that T8 ballast
is driving these lamps. If he doesn't know then I would tend to believe the
worst.

I did notice that the Philips thinks that the blue component of this lamp
will somehow oxygenate the water by encouraging photosynthesis in plants. I
think that is complete nonsense and sounds like a sales pitch that would be
better directed at someone who keeps corals. I think the only thing this
lamp brings to the table is the fact that it should show up fish colors
quite well. For three foot tanks, take Ivo's advice and buy a 3' power
compact.

Wayne