PC lights at WalMart?

[seasquirt]

I saw a thread here awhile ago about some LOA PC fixtures with bulbs at Walmart for $25 - the ones that use 65 W bulbs but the box says they give over 8,000 lumens of light. It was also mentioned that after a few days, the bulbs tart giving off a good, sparkling blue-white light. Is anyone here using these? What size tank are they being used for? What is being supported with these lights? I have a 20-gallon tall tank and I'd like to do a small reef tank (already have a 135-gallon reef), but I don't want to blow the big bucks on a PC fixture.

[fishteacher73]

There are a number of threads concerning the LOA fixtures...I dont know the link but if you did a search for LOA you could probably find it. From what I have read/seen is that hey are ok fixtures, but heat is a concern that will fry the bulbs or wiring of the lights if you are not careful. I am in the process of setting up a grow out tank for some of my soft frags and am planning to use this fixture as my light source. I'm not going to mount it in a closed hood for heat concerns(but also the tank will be in a back room where looks wont matter. I have seen that its about a 50/50 split on if they are decent or not....but at 25 bucks, even if they work only somewhat I think that they couldnt hurt...

[Impaler]

I've got 4 in a 36x12x6 closed hood over a 40gal. They do get fairly warm, but I did gut the actual ballast and lamp from the fixture, since the 4 wouldn't fit with the fixture. Iv'e had no problems, and the light is very good, kinda yellowish, but the actinic supplement cures that perfectly.

HTH
Dan