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Re: [APD] Over driving lights



Paul Gray writes:
I am currently over driving a few NO lights. I have been most impressed
with this as a cheap alternative to getting very good and intense light. I
was wondering how many people on this forum are doing the same?? What are
your experiences??

I'm using overdriving on my All-Glass 35 gallon tall hex. The way the hood
is set up, you pretty much have to use their light fixture, with uses an
18" fluorescent. I gutted their fixture which gave me enough room to put in
two F15T8 bulbs. I then overdrove both of those using a 4-bulb electronic
ballast, and tying pairs of wires together. A white paper reflector was
small enough to fit into the housing too.

It's been working great. The tank has mostly Rotala rotundifolia in the
substrate and Java Fern on the cork walls, both of which have been growing
very well. I was concerned that even overdriven bulbs would be inadequate
given the tank depth, but that hasn't been a problem.

I would never buy a tall hex tank now (this tank is several years old), but
the overdriving is what made the tank useful. I have about fifty or sixty
swordtail fry in there along with some invertebrates, and the plants soak
up so much nitrogen that even with frequent feeding NO3 remains around 5
ppm with no water changes!

- Jim Seidman


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