Anyone ever converted a PC fixture to metal halide?

[kmu]

Hi there, I have a JBJ 24" 2x55watt PC fixture that Im thinking converting it to a metal halide fixture...

This is what I can do, remove one of the PC bulbs and put a mogul socket and a 175watt bulb and leave the other PC bulb, this way I will have a 50/50 PC bulb for sunrise/sunset and the Metal Halide for daylight...

Can it be done? will it put too much heat or melt the fixture?

THX in advance...

[astro2724]

It will melt the fixture the bulbs get very hot.

[Ereefic]

I don't know if it would melt the fixture, the fixture is aluminum. Although i'm sure it would get very hot.

[astro2724]

I did not know it was aluminum.IT wil not melt, but putting a halide that close to the water will cause heating issues with the water unless you have a chiller than you should not have a problem.

[patsfox]

well i am doing the same thing but i have a 4 bulb pc myself just adding a 4 bulb vho to it it is 260 watts nowwith the pc going to have plenty of light (i hope)

[kmu]

The fixture is about 7" from water surface so probably the halide heating the water will not be a problem at all...

Yea the fixture is something like aluminum and I was planning on replacing the acrilyc cover with a glass cover si that it does not melt, or maybe leave it with our a cover sheet...

[wetworx101]

check out the DIY section of nano-reefs.com...there are prolly 3 running threads where people have been modding their PC fixtures with halides.
A via aqua 2x36wattPC with one PC removed and replaced with a 70wattDE

A coralife 2x65wattPC...same thing, but with a 150wattDE

A couple others I dont remember exactly.