Cheap HQI setup

[herpsandreefs]

At the hardware store I saw a double ended metal halide hood with a ballast attached to the back. It was $9.99 and could power a 500 watt bulb. They are used for construction etc., but shouldn't it work just as well for reef setup? The only potential problem I see is overheating from running it all day, but I was planned on running a 250 watt bulb, which the instruction manuel said was ok to do. Any advice/opinions appreciated,


Chris

 

[Anonymous]

Ok

1) Are you sure it was a metal halide setup? Not high pressure sodium or halogen?

2) I'm fairly sure that you need to run 500watt bulbs on that setup, you can't just plug in a 250w metal halide bulb (even if it does fit).

 

[WRASSER]

I believe the spectrum on the bulbs are differnt from each other and as sfsuphysics stated wont work with one another.

 

[herpsandreefs]

It said in the instructions that a lower wattage bulb can be used and I'm sure the bulb it was for was a double ended HQI. Fairly common for lighting up a work area.

 

[Anonymous]

It sound like a halogen work light. I would double check it.