randallcentral
New member
do grow lights work for fish tanks? something like this? preety good deal? http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/grd/363172158.html
grow light
- Thread starter randallcentral
- Start date
seapug
Premium Member
"Grow lights" are good for santa cruz weed growers, but probably not your tank. The hoods on those fixtures usually aren't sealed/shielded/vented properly for aquarium use and the bulbs are probably 5500-6500K so it'll look like someone peed in your tank. Algae will love it, though...
papagimp
COMAS Rocks!
Alot of SPS show better growth with the 5500-6500k range, most reefers just prefer the more natural looking "bluish" color.
If they are MH bulbs, than just a good reflector, possibly a uv shielding of sorts and it should work.
Keep shopping around and you'll find 400w MH for reeftanks for that price...just takes a little patience. I paid $50 for a 250w retrofit a couple months ago. Paid $50 for a 110g tank. See, lot's of good deals with the "right" equpiment instead of taking a chance on something not designed for use near high humidity area's or on aquariums in general.
If they are MH bulbs, than just a good reflector, possibly a uv shielding of sorts and it should work.
Keep shopping around and you'll find 400w MH for reeftanks for that price...just takes a little patience. I paid $50 for a 250w retrofit a couple months ago. Paid $50 for a 110g tank. See, lot's of good deals with the "right" equpiment instead of taking a chance on something not designed for use near high humidity area's or on aquariums in general.
jthao
Super Saiyan
I actually have that same grow light unit. I'm not using it now because I upgraded tanks. When I did have it, I used it on a 40g, overkill 400w on a 40g. But my corals loved it!! anyways, here's what I gotta say about it: a magnetic ballast is a magnetic ballast!! so you can use a ballast from hydrofarm and just buy a different bulb of your choice. of course it's more of a retrofit unit, unless you want to go ghetto like me and just put that grow hood right over my 40g. it worked fine for me. imo, if you are going the 400w mh route then it's fine, but I ended using 2x250 on my 100g now, and have no use for the 400w. I'd rather run 2 or 3 175w lamps than 1 400w lamp.
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