Modding a Coralife Aqualight Pro?

[wun68]

Hi,

Has anyone ever heard or seen someone modify the aqualight pro's actinic 03 to a ho or vho T5 light. I though since there are 4 bulbs for actinic 03, I can change 2 of the 4 to T5 and have more diversity. Good idea or bad? What's your opinion?

 

[sfsuphysics]

Depending upon what type of ballast is used for the PC bulbs you could toss T5s in there.

 

[xcaret]

I do recall someone modding an Odyssea fixture, basically the same thing, with some T5's but no SLR if you install single T5 the ballast should be good enough but for double on each reflector, a different ballast would be needed.

 

[iani]

Like Mike said, depending on the ballast you may not have to change it out. ie. workhorse ballasts run both CF and T5HO.

 

[wun68]

Sounds good, I'll give Coralife support a call and see if this is possible. Thanks for the advice, everyone!

 

[wun68]

Just got a response from their Support guy and the CF ballasts only supports CF bulbs. Looks like I will be looking for replacement ballasts for T5's.

 

[iani]

You can go cheap with a workhorse ballast or go a bit better with a triad ballast. One thing I would do is put in an icecap ballast, I don't think that fixture has adequate cooling.

 

[sfsuphysics]

Icecap ballast? Or Icecap fans?

Icecap ballast is not designed for T5s either, and will over drive them making it even hotter

 

[Gomer]

One thing I would not do is put in an icecap ballast, I don't think that fixture has adequate cooling.

/fixt

 

[wun68]

I'm starting to think it will be much easier to just add a retrofit instead of replacing. Still doing some research to see if there is an easy way to mod this fixture.

 

[iani]

Yeah what Tony said. I forgot the not. haha

 

[sfsuphysics]

Oh ok... I was sitting in my office, a bit drowsy with allergy meds when I typed that. I thought maybe I misread it just now