MH lighting

[Scoot]

Thinking about an MH setup. There are some retrofit (or canopy mount) on ebay for $100, for a 250W rig (refurbed ballast).

Or... HomeDepot.com has this 175W MH floodlight - (part number TFM175MRBTBLPI).

Anyone ever used an exterior floodlight over a tank? I'd want to make sure if its a standard MH bulb so I could swap in something with the right kelvin rating...

 

[ntswift]

I've wondered that myself. Here is a site for a do-it-yourself MH fixture:

http://www.hellolights.com/

 

[angelscrx]

HD's lighting is too yellow for SW tank use. Wrong spectrum of lighting.

 

[Scoot]

Right - but with replacement bulbs, they still end up being cheaper than what you find specifically for aquarists...

 

[ntswift]

Couldnt you just switch the bulbs out though?

 

[angelscrx]

Wrong size bulbs for SW MH's though and they don't make those types of bulbs with spectrums in mind. Like everything else you get what you pay for. Besides, don't you think if it was that simple everyone would have HD lights in their tank? Not to be mean or anything but lighting is not something you want to skimp out on. The housings on these things aren't designed to be in a SW environment and would rust very quickly unlike a true SW MH reflector.

 

[ntswift]

And it seemed like such a good idea! Yeah, I figured it was too good to be true. I know you dont want to skimp out on lighting I just didnt know why you couldnt use them. Now I do. Thanks!

 

[angelscrx]

No problem, trust I asked the same question when I first started out.