Home Depot Metal Halides

[Scuba1]

This is all very confusing to some one who is trying to get back into the hobby, I have been looking at geting some good lighting for my tank. will a MV light work or is MH the way to go???

[inLOVEwitHEATHER]

reef rookie thas the setup that we are talking about...

electric103- ive been snacking allllll day! lol

[qwuintus]

The original process in which these cheap DIY setups were configured were from this site
http://aquarium.union.rpi.edu/articles/DIY_MH.html
I used the 250w Iwasaki on mine which you can find here
http://www.inreef.com/xcart/customer/home.php?cat=252
of course there are other methods for those of you who want a 20 doller ballast or a whole setup for 68. If it works go for it, but heres my own testimony that the above method works. I have been using it for over 6 months and my Iwasaki is great as well as my ballast which I fabricated to an old computer case.
You can also use a tool box or a real box made for it for those who want a compact feature, but in my "case" - pun intended- I can stick an old powersupply in there and attach some fans.

[electric130]

Originally posted by 1clicc
So, i can run any MH blubs with the MV ballast as long as it's the same wattage?

the MH's may or may not work. even if they do, i wouldn't run them on a MV ballast. the bulbs cost too much to risk damaging them. if you buy a MV ballast, the only bulb you can run is an iwasaki.

[electric130]

Originally posted by Scuba1
This is all very confusing to some one who is trying to get back into the hobby, I have been looking at geting some good lighting for my tank. will a MV light work or is MH the way to go???

MH yes, MV no. i'd recommend getting a MH setup. you can do a complete setup for about $260. that includes everything to get them running.

[Scuba1]

Thanks electic130, I havebeen looking at MH with PC Actinics.

[electric130]

Originally posted by Scuba1
Thanks electic130, I havebeen looking at MH with PC Actinics.

i'd get either VHO or T5 actinics. PC's aren't as good as these 2 IMO.

[Scuba1]

Do you know anything about the Zoo Med T8 lights?

[krobb]

T8 are normal flourescent, are you sure you don't mean t-5 or t-12. If you looking a supplemental lighting the NO would more than likely be overpowered by the MH. VHO's give 3 1/2 times more light Than the NO's

[electric130]

Originally posted by Scuba1
Do you know anything about the Zoo Med T8 lights?

Zoo Med T8's are nothing special. i wouldn't waste my time and money with them. like said above, i'd get either T12 VHO's or T5's.

[Scuba1]

Ok Thanks

[gpajon]

Originally posted by krobb
T8 are normal flourescent, are you sure you don't mean t-5 or t-12. If you looking a supplemental lighting the NO would more than likely be overpowered by the MH. VHO's give 3 1/2 times more light Than the NO's

Correction T12 are common flourescents T8 are smaller and the new (well not new to the lighting industry) T5's are even smaller.


Gon

Merry Christmas!!!

[krobb]

no correction needed, T-8 are normal flourescents, T-12 come in normal flourescent and VHO's, I was Refering to VHO's

[gpajon]

Originally posted by krobb
no correction needed, T-8 are normal flourescents, T-12 come in normal flourescent and VHO's, I was Refering to VHO's

Gotcha

[DougSupreme]

actually T8s are significantly more efficient than T12s, just as T5s are more efficient than T8s

[tleip]

You can overdrive T-8's using an Icecap ballast, and obtain nearly VHO level output while paying only NO bulb prices. They are more efficient than the 12's and the smaller tube diameter also means less restrike in situations where multiple bulbs are grouped together.

Terry

[neubauer16]

hey guys check this thread out. i guess home depot does carry mh in some areas. http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/show...threadid=22722 .

-jon

[gpajon]

Originally posted by neubauer16
hey guys check this thread out. i guess home depot does carry mh in some areas. http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/show...threadid=22722 .

-jon

There was never a doubt Home Depot sold MH. The issue is the price and the sku#. The original poster stated he paid $25 for one. We are still waiting for a SKU number from him.

Gon

[neubauer16]

i was just letting ya'll know. that guy is going to go back to home depot this week he said and try and get the sku # for it.

-jon

[skylsdale]

Then try explaining how I bought a MH fixture and had it running on my tank right out of the box (except for changing the bulb out). As well as 3 others that i installed on a friends tank. And try explaining how the box was labeled as a "175 watt metal halide outdoor light fixture".

I must come to this guy's defense. I was at the local HD yestderday--it just opened a week ago. I was perusing the outdoor lighting section at seeing which LOA and Regent fixtures they had. I then saw a box labeled as "175W metal halide." I assumed it was a mercury vapor light. However, I read the side of the box and it talked about the benefits of metal halide lighting and how it was superior to mercury vapor. It is a pendant that gets mounted on the side of a building, and is heavy as all getout. It's in a blue box with white font on it. It clearly says "175 watt metal halide" on the front of the box, with a picture of the fixture on the front. I didn't opent the box or get a sku # (may go back this week to get this info) so I don't know what kind of ballast is running it or what kelvin the bulb is.

The strange thing is that it didn't have a place of its own on the shelf...but had the usual shelf price tag actually affixed to the box. Since the store just opened, I'm wondering of this is a product they don't usually carry (as it sounds like many probably don't) and they got it on accident and are trying to get rid of it, hence the reason it had no "official" place on the shelves. If I get a sku on it, I'll post it to this thread.

[skylsdale]

I forgot to add that the price for this fixture was $84.95.

[neubauer16]

ok this is what the guy "skylsdale" from nano-reef.com said:

OK, just got back from HD with more details on the fixture. It is put out by a company called "The Designers Edge" and the model #L-1810. The company is out of Bellevue, WA...so this might be a regional thing. You can see the fixture in this link...scroll down the page and it's on the bottom right: http://www.designersedge.com/HID_security1.html It is labeled "heavy duty floodlight."

Anyway, the HD sku is 674-820. It's in a white and purple box. It uses Phillips MH bulbs, which the store also had in stock (175W-400W). I couldn't find a kelvin rating, but the best I could tell from Phillips website is that they are 4000K. Bulb prices ranged from $28-33...and these were actual halide bulbs, NOT high pressure sodium or mercury vapor (those were actually on either side of the halides).

I contacted Designers Edge about the specific ballast being housed in the unit, as I couldn't find out unless I took the thing apart. I should hear back from them within 24 hours. The bulb socket said "starting pulse rating 4KV" so I don't know if that says anything about the ballast being used..

-jon

[jimwat]

Just tagging along. This is from the other forum

OK, just got back from HD with more details on the fixture. It is put out by a company called "The Designers Edge" and the model #L-1810. The company is out of Bellevue, WA...so this might be a regional thing. You can see the fixture in this link...scroll down the page and it's on the bottom right: http://www.designersedge.com/HID_security1.html It is labeled "heavy duty floodlight." Anyway, the HD sku is 674-820

[jimwat]

Opps! Too slow!

[Dakan]

There was never a doubt Home Depot sold MH. The issue is the price and the sku#. The original poster stated he paid $25 for one. We are still waiting for a SKU number from him.

I am the original poster and I never said that. It was someone else replying to it.