Metal Halide Lighting Question

[Joshbad]

Hello, i am fairly new to salt water aquariums. The tank has some nice fish in it at the moment, its a 150 Gallon aquarium. I was looking into getting some corals, but at the moment i am running off of Florescent lighting.

I know aquarium metal halides can run a hefty price of a couple hundred dollars. However, I was at home depot yesterday and i saw some metal halide lights for less then a $100.

They were of good wattage, but they were for lighting your house not an aquarium. The question i have is well these lights be able to keep corals alive, or is there something that aquarium metal halides have that these metal halides will not have.

[rayn]

It is the clolor spectrum. Most MH used in aquarium run between ten and twenty k. Those are probably around six k and have more red. Red fuels your algea.
Not sure if you can use the fixtures and buy better bulbs or not though.

[Joshbad]

Thanks Rayn, that helps. If anyone else can tell me if the fixtures can be used with aquarium light bulbs that would be nice as well.

[Canadian Reefer]

Post a link to the light you are looking at Josh that will help. If the lights are 6000k+ I say go for it, you can still use your flourescent light to supplement with actinics to get your desired look.

[Joshbad]

i was looking at this one http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...atalogId=10053 its very similar to the one i saw at the store, but the one at the store was 170 watts. I think it might be a matter of a light bulb change?

Edit: I also was thinking about this light on craigslist http://stlouis.craigslist.org/for/1920319792.html which is supposed to be use as a grow lamp /w 175 watt bulb, however im not sure what the spectrum on a standard grow lamp is. I do have this old grow light in my garage, its about 100 watts i do believe, its not metal halide, it was T12 tubes, and i remember the light bulbs saying "high spectrum" but no real numbers if there is anything i can do with taht.

[julie180]

Id say the craigs list one would work. Just get a new bulb in the correct spectrum.

[Joshbad]

Thanks Julie i will probably get the one on craigslist then

[Joshbad]

I am back again, i was searching for alternative lighting for the tank to see what i could get and i stumbled upon this T5 light fixture http://stlouis.craigslist.org/for/1913882088.html
It covers a spectrum of 10,000k, however, it is only 20 watts which seems like it might be to little for a 150 gallon aquarium? If it is would it be possible to use a different bulb to up the wattage to a suitable level

[shifty51008]

the home depot fixture won't work as you won't find aquarium bulbs in that wattage range.

the setup on craigslist is good but you will need more than one on a 15 gal. tank and also them being only 175 watt's you will be limited on what corals you can keep. most grow bulbs are in the range of 6500k-10k. they will work for corals however they will be very yellow and make the corals look drab.

the prob. I see with the T5 unit is it is a 48" fixture and comes with a 20 watt bulb. a 48" T5HO unit should come with 54 watt bulbs.

IMO I would keep checking craigs list for a dual 250 watt MH setup or even ebay.

BTW how deep is your tank top to bottom, and what type of corals do you want to keep?

[Joshbad]

I do believe that the tank is 27 inches deep, tell me if that sounds off and ill pull out a tape measure, and i want to keep any coral that well live off a cheap setup, i cant afford all the stuff required for a complicated one. But i especially want to keep the Torch coral which is soft i do believe.

[shifty51008]

a torch is an LPS

27" is about right but if you use 175 watt MH's you will have to keep the torch at the top the 250's will allow you to keep it most anywhere.

what is your budget for lighting?

[Joshbad]

My budget for a single fixture is trying for less than 150$ if at all possible. If i can't get a single fixture to cover half the tank for less than 150$, i was going to wait a bit till i get some more money in and buy it then, but i was hoping to get it sooner.

[shifty51008]

I would get this
http://hellolights.com/jbjk-1250wmet...trofitkit.aspx - 2 of them
http://cgi.ebay.com/250W-250-WATT-Aq...item5194c94e24 - 2 of them (or 14k or 20k depending on how blue you want the tank to look.)

that total cost will be about 150.00 with shipping give or take a little. and that will cover the whole tank. now these are a retrofit system that you will need a canopy to place them in but still cheap. and later on I would replace the reflectors when money permits.

[Joshbad]

Well then, thats cheaper then i expected thanks for the advice. One more question, what is a retrofit system exactly?

[shifty51008]

it is basically a fixture without the plastic housing, so all the parts come seperate.

here is a pic. of my canopy which I run a retro system.
sorry for the pics being blurry and yellow but you get the idea.

[Joshbad]

Okay i see, im not very good with electronics, so if i got this right, all i have to do is screw in the bulb and plug it in for it to work, theres no assembly? The only thing i have to do is put it in a canopy?

Oh and also, thanks for all your help its greatly appreciated

[shifty51008]

there is some wiring but it is very basic. anyone can do it. and if you have problems you can always PM me and I can help or someone on here can show you.

thats what we are here for, we enjoy this hobby and helping other enjoy it just as much.

[shifty51008]

I should say, after reading about the system, this one comes assembled so there will be no wiring involved. just plug it in and screw in the bulb.

[Joshbad]

Well then, i'll probably order the two things you suggested tomorrow, thanks once more you were a great help.

[shifty51008]

anytime, and good luck.