putting my new metal halides on my apex.... timer issues

[salty_trout]

just installed 2 250w ushio 20k bulbs in my halide/t5 fixture and moved my old maxspect ethereals to the new frag tank. I noticed it takes several times for these to fire to turn on sometimes. is this normal with new bulbs or just how it is? these are DE bulbs. Can I program these to turn on and off with the apex or will i need some other kind of timer? they are currently 12inch above the water should I raise them as well?

 

[Bpb]

just installed 2 250w ushio 20k bulbs in my halide/t5 fixture and moved my old maxspect ethereals to the new frag tank. I noticed it takes several times for these to fire to turn on sometimes. is this normal with new bulbs or just how it is? these are DE bulbs. Can I program these to turn on and off with the apex or will i need some other kind of timer? they are currently 12inch above the water should I raise them as well?

Par meter will be best at determining operating height. Are you running hqi setting on an electronic ballast, or an M80 hqi ballast. Those bulbs won’t fire reliably on any other ballast.

 

[salty_trout]

Par meter will be best at determining operating height. Are you running hqi setting on an electronic ballast, or an M80 hqi ballast. Those bulbs won’t fire reliably on any other ballast.

they are each on an odyssea HID-electronic ballasts. ....of course a par meter, but Im just trying to safely wing it without purchasing one of those.

 

[jda]

Any 250w ballast with probe start (with an ignitor) will reliably fire a DE bulb. It will under drive them since they were made for a HQI ballast more at 300+ watts, but it will work. The only real HQI ballast is ANSI m80, which has an ignitor.

Oddysea ballasts are inconsistent and hard to tell from kind to kind. If it fires them all of the time, then it has an ignitor. Most US/EU (non cheap China) electronic ballasts have ignitors.

Once you get the firing issue sorted, I would run them 8-10 over the water.

 

[jda]

I have no need for an Apex, so I am no the best person to answer this, but that is a lot of wattage, so make sure that the outlet can handle the power. I have used the same light timers for a decade or more.

 

[garbled]

Each outlet on an apex eb832 can handle about 5 amps, and on and eb8, 2 of the outlets can handle 10a. You should be good with either. I would definitely use the apex to run the lights.

If you setup a temp probe safety (to shut the lights down if the tank overheats) look into the Min Time statement. It keeps the lights from flipping on and off rapidly due to fluctuation in temp. It's pretty much designed for MH lights.

 

[salty_trout]

I have no need for an Apex, so I am no the best person to answer this, but that is a lot of wattage, so make sure that the outlet can handle the power. I have used the same light timers for a decade or more.

so maybe try a different receptacle, and get a regular hard wear store timer?

 

[salty_trout]

Each outlet on an apex eb832 can handle about 5 amps, and on and eb8, 2 of the outlets can handle 10a. You should be good with either. I would definitely use the apex to run the lights.

If you setup a temp probe safety (to shut the lights down if the tank overheats) look into the Min Time statement. It keeps the lights from flipping on and off rapidly due to fluctuation in temp. It's pretty much designed for MH lights.

okay hmmn wonder why i have to flip the ballast on and off to get it to fire all the way now? wrong settings on apex ? speaking of heat my tank use to be 78 now it sets at 79.5 should i adjust the heaters to maintain a more stable temp?