Metal Halide

[Crazy fishes]

We all would love to have the cash to have the option of a metal halide; speaking as someone who doesn't that sounds appealing to me. I have been thinking is it possible to use an externally certified metal halide unit like they use for shop signs ect and just get a new aquarium bulb?? If you could it would be infinitely cheaper; I have seen unit for a fraction of the price of those luminaires and pendents.....

Just a thought

Regards

 

[Matthew5664]

This is a total plausible idea; I myself have two lowbay units (used in warehouses) just change the bulbs. Some may argue that the frequency of the ballast will be incorrect but this will be pretty insignificant except for those die-hard geeks trying to get the best PAR form their units.

 

[rictheredneck]

i have a 400w halide spanning a 4 foot tank mushrooms and softies either end and stony corals and clams nearer the middle. just a bit ugly though...

 

[SkiFletch]

Yeah you totally can do this. You just need to be careful that the ballast is designed for use with Halides or High Intensity Discharge (HID), or High Pressure Sodium (HPS) lamps. Do NOT use a fixture designed for Mercury Vapor, or Halogen lamps. The Mercury Vapor ones DO use different voltages/currents, and the halogen ones don't even have ballast . And lastly, obviously make sure that you replace the lamp with an equal wattage.

 

[jeasko]

there is no reason this cant be done but do be very careful, first off look at markings on the lamp/tube to see what its rated at as this will be the best guidance to go with, some ballast is capable of running different types of lamps but in general i would advise to stick with what the unit came with and just change to a different kelvin lamp thats the same wattage, also may want to look at the lamp holder when you buy the lamp as it may be different.

also some have electronic balast that are very specific to what it can run and some should have a balancer in line (especially with electronic ballast) to avoid burning out any component in the event of the lamp failing, but in general use common sense and you shouldnt go far wrong, and good on you if you take this route more people should do this to avoid exorbatant prices especially here in the UK

 

[ShoC]

whilst on this topic

this
or this

are any of these from ebay any good?

obviously having a bulb change...

 

[rictheredneck]

whilst on this topic

this
or this

are any of these from ebay any good?

obviously having a bulb change...

neither tell u what bulb they take, i'd check that first but yeh they look good the 2nd one is identical to mine except mine is a 400w...

 

[SkiFletch]

Either would be just fine. The first was a Double Ended bulb, the second a Single Ended (Mogul) bulb

HID are the words you're looking for