Underdriving fluorescent bulbs?
 

Just wondering if you can underdrive a fluorescent bulb? I'm looking at getting vho's. The 5' vho bulbs are 140 watts each. Can I use a ballast that would drive it at 110 watts? My main lighting is halides, I'm just thinking of supplementation. I have a 5' tank and I hate the shadows at the ends using only a 4' bulb. Thanks in advance.

Dez I have done it and had no problems you just wont get that much light remember. I did it with my 280 gal a along while ago... it worked great with actinics thou.

Thanks Mike.

The wattage really doesn't concern me, it's just covering the entire 5' that concerns me cause I don't want to stagger the 48" ones. Thanks so much. Just didn't want to wreck anything.

Oh ya i know look what you wrecked a perfectly good wall to OMG:lol:

There was a hole in the wall already man....and I wouldn't use the term "wreck" but rather "beautify"!:biggrin:

I stand corrected:wink:

just use an icecap 660 to drive them.. they only drive them at HO levels.

Steve

Hey Des do you need some ballasts? I have some work horse 7s ?

What of using 80w T5's? Or... How wide is your tank again? What of using 24" T5's sideways to cover the gaps?

I'm looking into the 80watt T5's. Just wanting to see what fiji purples look like first before I decide whether to go VHO's. Hmmmm, decisions decisions. I might just stick with the 48" ones for now. I'm just kind of picky that's all.