Metal Halide help!

[anthony812]

i am searching on homedepot.com for metal halides for my new 55 gallon im going to set up..i am thinking about 2 x 175W or 2 x 250W MH system..which one is better? also what type of bulbs? they offer:

 

*1- ED 17-23 1/2 High Pressure sodium bulb (philips)

*2- 175 Watt Coated Mogul Base ED28 Mercury Vapor Bulb

*3- 250 Watt Clear Mogul Base ED28 Metal Halide Bulb (also available in 175W)

 

what are their differences? what should i use?

here is the specs:

 

*3 : 175 Watt Clear Mogul Base ED28 Metal Halide Bulb

 

Bulb Application: High Intensity Discharge Bulbs

 

Type: Metal Halide

 

Watts: 175 watts

 

Life: 10000 hrs.

 

Lumens: 13500

 

 

Ansi Code/ballast Code: M57

 

Manufacturer: Philips

 

*2 - 175 Watt Coated Mogul Base ED28 Mercury Vapor Bulb:

 

Bulb Application: High Intensity Discharge Bulbs

 

Type: Mercury Vapor

 

Watts: 175 watts

 

Life: 24000 hrs.

 

Lumens: 8500

 

Ansi Code/ballast Code: H39

 

Manufacturer: Philips

 

 

*1 - 250 Watt Mogul Base ED18 High Pressure Sodium Bulb

Bulb Application: High Intensity Discharge Bulbs

 

Type: High Pressure Sodium

 

Watts: 250 watts

 

Life: 24000 hrs.

 

Lumens: 28500

 

Ansi Code/ballast Code: S50

 

Manufacturer: Philips

 

Please give me some advises about these bulbs

[NanoReefer53]

do u know the color rating on these cause they're probably the hella yellow ones. just buy a bulb from hellolights or oceanencounter. The ballast u can buy from home depot if u can find it.

[NanoReefer53]

o yea, go with the 250w, you're coral will love you for it. If u plan to keep just sofites, just stick with the 175w's then.

[anthony812]

home depot does not sell the ballast for HM..but i do have a warehouse electrical supply shop across the street where i work..they have some..the 175W MH ballast they are asking $69.00 and 250W they are asking for $89.00 is that a good price?

 

OMG! the bulbs at hellolights.com is sooo expensive... starting at $55? could i just use a reg Metal Halide bulb and supplement with 2 more actinic blue NOs? sincei already have 1 x 48" actinic blue and 1 x 48" 10,000K coral life bulbs laying around...would that help out? i also have extra 24" actinic blue & 10,000K plus 36" Coral life color enhancer lights..so that will be 5 NOs (free exisiting) and 2 MH ($100 ea set, bulba nd ballast kit) ..or can i get by with 1 MH in the center mainly for clams and SPS and use the NOs on the softies to the sides?

 

 

let me know..someone help...

[Dave ESPI]

Iwasaki 250 watt 65 K........ best bulb on the market. Use a CSL or Ice cap ballast. your corals and inverts will smile at U:D

[NanoReefer53]

i doubt it will work because it's not the lumens that matters it's the par (photosynthetically available radiation). With a spectrum like the ones that they use in their kits, which is probably around 3000-4000k, i doubt the coral would benifit off it. If u go with a 250w iwasaki ($55) you can grow almost any kind of coral if u keep it under the lamp. They are sort of yellow so you'll need actinic supplements like you have.

[Demosthenes]

You need to use a different bulb, as mentioned above. If you use the bulbs that will come with the ballast you plan on getting and such, then unsightly algae will grow. The bulbs most likely have the wrong Kelvin temperature, and most definately a very low CRI rating. For aesthetic purposes, the CRI rating should be above 85. I would go with the Ushio 10K, but that is JMO, although, your tank should do fine with 5500K or 6500K, however those will need to be supplemented by 5700K Actinic, or just an Actinic '03 bulb. HTH

[dattack]

Anthony, those are really high prices for MH ballast at your local lighting store. Might want to check online like here-->

 

http://www.bulbsa2z.com/shopping/shopdispl...18&cat=Ballasts

 

You might consider the Fcan ballast if you are not good with electrical wiring given that it is somewhat an enclosed ballast.

 

Here's a link where you will work at your risk. I have never done the $23 regent mercury vapor ballast at home depot but it might work.

 

http://www.reefcentral.com/vbulletin/showt...ight=home+depot

[Leonard]

Suggestions are difficult to give, since what ballast you buy ultimately is based on what bulb you want to use. What I advise you do is choose a bulb you prefer, and I can give you a proper associated ballast to use with that bulb. I sense that you are bargin shopping. Be warned, however, that 99% of the bulbs sold in hardware/commercial lighting stores are far too yellow/green for aquarium use. I suggest you do not skimp on the bulb. The Iwasaki EYE 6500K bulbs are good, affordable choices if you do not wish to use the higher kelvin German bulbs. With Iwasaki, you can use a standard M5x series metal halide ballast or an equalivalent wattage MV ballast (a little cheaper, but limits your choice of bulbs in the future). All in all, it should cost you about $100 per bulb/ballast setup.

 

I buy my ballasts here, mainly because they sell pulse rated ballasts that's ideal for many European bulbs:

http://www.hidirect.com/end_user/endballasts.htm#psmhb

[NanoReefer53]

is BulbsA2Z the same thing as 1000bulbs ? They layout and products sure do look the same. Look for great deals, sometimes you can find them. I got my 250w F-can ballast that's made for MH/MV for $40 shipped. It works great for such a great deal although I think it's not firing my AB bulb to it's full potential since I don't see any hint of blue after ~1.5 weeks of use. The other weird part is it never has a misfire. Never once have I seen it struggle to light up the AB bulb.

 

If your looking for a bargin, look on the ReefCentral classifieds. There's always great deals on there.