Custom metal halide?

[popothemailman]

Is it possible to make your own custom metal halide fixture? Cant i just get a bulb get a custom fixture(found one that looks like the round circular reptile light fixtures) hang it up and have metal halide lights? Whats up with the fixtures being around $500. Im assuming they get hot, cant i just attach a fan next to one?

 

[srgetz]

Is it possible to make your own custom metal halide fixture?

Absolutely.

Im assuming they get hot, cant i just attach a fan next to one?

Yes MH always needs fans, afaik.

 

[srgetz]

"Cant i just get a bulb get a custom fixture(found one that looks like the round circular reptile light fixtures) hang it up and have metal halide lights?"

If you really want to, go for it! Just kidding, you'd need a ballast, socket, reflector and bulb. Thats why they sell these "retrofit" kits, they are usually the best deal as opposed to shopping for each part: http://www.captivereefs.com/captivereefs/detailcat.asp?CatID=lt&SubCatID=Lt-mhr#

"Whats up with the fixtures being around $500"

Probably has 2 bulbs, ballasts, maybe PC lights also.

FWIW, when you get MH you will not look back, it's a big improvement to a sw tank. What size tank, what are you looking to keep?

 

[klam]

Someone said that those round reptile lights dosnt distribute the light as well because or the reflectors.

Many people have built their own wooden hoods and used retrofit kits.

 

[popothemailman]

I was browsing through ebay when i found these...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=46314&item=4359000223&rd=1

and

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=26219&item=3875793929&rd=1

... what are ballasts? and if you look at the big squarish thing on top of the lamp reflector on the second link what is that?

thanks guys... i just never wanted to pay so much.. i have 260w of PC in an 80 and 110w(soon to be 130w when i switch the 2 55w with 65w) in a 20gal reef(just started it up)

ive seen halides and know what they can do but the price has always turned me in a diff direction. But if you see the prices i showed in the links above maybe it is a reality now...

 

[nodoubt471]

those arent quite the right equipment for saltwater tanks.

check out hellolights.com and reefgeek.com i found that they had the lowest prices in my research. i think DIY is the way to go.

 

[loganj]

You can save a bunch of money if you DIY your halide system. One thing I should point out is that MH bulbs are not the same base as standard incandescent bulbs. That is one reason the reptile fixture wouldn't work. You can save money up front by going with a core/coil ballast, however I think you'd save in the long run by buying electronics.

 

[ReefNooB]

from my online research i found that www.customaquatic.com has awesome deals on the icecap electonic ballasts.

 

[srgetz]

You can only cut so many corners with MH, popothemailman. Mainly due to MH uses large powerful ballasts to run - this is where most of the money goes. The ballast alone may cost $70-170 or so. If you get anything but electronic ballast (tar, magnetic) it may run very hot and noisey. Electronic is cool and quiet. Also the bulbs in non-aquarium MH lamps are very yellow like 3-4000k rather than 10000+k usually used in reef tanks. Maybe you can find something used. The lowest I have seen a single bulb kit was around $160