metal halide

[chili is hot]

Hi
i found some 175W metal halide lights in the local classifieds. Does it matter what type of metal halide lamp you use or will any type work?
also how many will i need to cover my 5' tank if they are 175W?

thanks

 

[zenn]

i've read that you should probably have one MH for every 2 feet of tank. So you might be able to sneak by on 2 but 3 would probably be more advantageous.

 

[travis simonson]

If you're planning on growing plants you'll want to find MH lamps in the 5000K - 10000K range for best results. Because a large percentage of MH lamps are used over SW tanks they tend to be found in the 14000K or higher range so you will want to check any used MH you buy for Kelvin temp ratings.

 

[chili is hot]

thanks for the replys
i know about the K having to be between 5000-10000, the lamps i found are spotlight lamps, for indoor or out door use. so thats what i meant.

thanks