metal hal lights
 

what is the differnce between the lights you buy at aquarium stores and the ones they sell at hardware stores?

? Are you talking fixtures or bulbs ?

home depo lights
 

both

Metal halides sold at home depot are not intended to be hung over water and may not be vented, insulated and shielded properly to tolerate splashing water and salt creep or keep your tank from boiling like seafood stew. Exploding metal halides = unhappy aquarist.
Also, the bulbs that typically come with "shop lights" are usually 3500-5500K spectrum. They'll make your tank look like a urinal.

I would not agree 100% with that statement. They do sell a few fixtures that will work over, around, and near water. However the bulbs would have to be changed to the propper PAR and the fixture would need to be modded to work in a canopy or look real ugly(well I should say not pretty) if not hidden.

They probably do sell water approved ones now, but I'd be sure to read the packaging well.

Steven_dean17 is right-- part of what you pay for with aquarium lighting is the sleek design and venting of the fixture. The shop lights could look cool in an industrial loft type space, but might look a bit frankenstein in the typical home.

[QUOTE][i]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11411595#post11411595 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by seapug [/i]
[B]They'll make your tank look like a urinal. [/B][/QUOTE]

Sweet - now I don't have to post my "how do I make my tank look like a urinal?" question. :D But I do still need to find that ever-elusive urinal-cake-coral... :lol:

That was totally uncalled for! What gives you the right to be so(profound word here) FUNNY!!!!!LMAO!!!

urinal cake corals are hard to keep, they just melt...

worse, if they get crushed accidentally they disintegrate (explode).

Dang, I thought those were sweet tarts!!!!