Help on Metal Halide

[leoristo]

I give up! I want a metal halide but there is too much information out there on ballasts mag or electr, bulbs double ended or mogul, hoods, and I got lost...!
I need some advice to get me started, or even better exactly what to buy and where from.
I have a 55 G and want to start corals, I like the bulb on the blu range, I would like possibly a 20000K bulb? any comments?
Also, the tank is 4 feet long and I was wondering if one bulb (I think 250W is the right size) would be ok. I can't place it in the dead center because the tank has a brace in the middle. Is it better to use 2 smaller bulbs and spread them apart? But the cost will be much higher I suppose.......
Is there a way I can spend less than $200?
thanks!

this is what my tank looks like right now with T6 (at the time the pic was taken the daylight bulbs hadn't kicked in yet. I have 1 hour delay.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/190940tank4.jpg

 

[ChuckLawson]

You're going to need two of them to get any sort of even coverage. Depending on what you keep, you'll want to go to the higher wattage (250s instead of 150s) bulbs if you lean towards the blue bulbs, as they (in general) put out less usable light for corals than the more white / yellow bulbs.

As far as money, learn the pieces you'll need (reflectors, bulbs and ballasts, basically) and watch the used equipment posts here and (if you have them nearby) local club sites and craigslist. $200 is probably pushing it a bit -- you might find a used dual 250 watt ballast for $100 or so, plus two inexpensive reflectors and (to start) some gently used bulbs... You might come close to it...

Good luck!

 

[leoristo]

Is it right to state that single ended or also called mogul bulbs cost a little less on average?

 

[leoristo]

Chuck, take a look at this retro fit and tell me what you think, am I getting close to what I need?

http://tinyurl.com/c4wq8t

thanks.