is there a MH bulb that fits a regular light socket? help!
- Thread starter lilleahseafreak
- Start date
golfish
Team RC
lilleahseafreak,
What kind of corals do you have? Some times MH lighting isn't the best. I used to run a 55 gal tank with mostly LPS and some softies. I ran 4x55 watt PC's and two NO actinics. The corals looked much better under PC's then they did under MH's. If you had a larger tank I could see the reason..using MH's over a 20 gals tank might cause you more trouble.
What kind of corals do you have? Some times MH lighting isn't the best. I used to run a 55 gal tank with mostly LPS and some softies. I ran 4x55 watt PC's and two NO actinics. The corals looked much better under PC's then they did under MH's. If you had a larger tank I could see the reason..using MH's over a 20 gals tank might cause you more trouble.
PsychoKnight
New member
Good job, BeanAnimal!
I was taking a break from re-wiring my hood this morning and was very alarmed when I read the first two posts. I was even more shocked that nobody shouted immediately, "NO, Don't It! You'll Kill Yourself!"
You just may have saved an eyeball, a few lives from fiery death, or the loss of all her possessions.
I hope your warning does not go un-noticed to other readers who may just want to screw in an MH on a home socket. I guess that's why they are made w/ large sockets, make it harder to locate a med-base mH and by then hopefully the retailer can figure out the impending catastrophe and educate the buyer.
lilleahseafreak, BeanAnimal did you real favor.
That was pretty dang scary.
Unless you find a high-quality, well-known product at a super good price, its a high-risk adventure to purchase a ballast system from an unknown source & manufacturer, age and deterioration of the ballast parts.
For under $60, you can get a brand new ballast kit direct from a reputable manufacturer, and with warranty.
Hamilton 175 unassembled mag ballast kit
REPLACEMENT METAL HALIDE 175 WATT UNASSEMBLED BALLAST
Includes transformer & capacitor ONLY. Use with 175 watt Metal Halide bulb.
Price: $59.95
But I think a 175 is overkill for 20gal, unless you have 3 tiers of eggcrate to growout a few dozen sps frags.
Good luck.
I was taking a break from re-wiring my hood this morning and was very alarmed when I read the first two posts. I was even more shocked that nobody shouted immediately, "NO, Don't It! You'll Kill Yourself!"
You just may have saved an eyeball, a few lives from fiery death, or the loss of all her possessions.
I hope your warning does not go un-noticed to other readers who may just want to screw in an MH on a home socket. I guess that's why they are made w/ large sockets, make it harder to locate a med-base mH and by then hopefully the retailer can figure out the impending catastrophe and educate the buyer.
lilleahseafreak, BeanAnimal did you real favor.
That was pretty dang scary.
Unless you find a high-quality, well-known product at a super good price, its a high-risk adventure to purchase a ballast system from an unknown source & manufacturer, age and deterioration of the ballast parts.
For under $60, you can get a brand new ballast kit direct from a reputable manufacturer, and with warranty.
Hamilton 175 unassembled mag ballast kit
REPLACEMENT METAL HALIDE 175 WATT UNASSEMBLED BALLAST
Includes transformer & capacitor ONLY. Use with 175 watt Metal Halide bulb.
Price: $59.95
But I think a 175 is overkill for 20gal, unless you have 3 tiers of eggcrate to growout a few dozen sps frags.
Good luck.
lilleahseafreak
New member
i'm gonna back out on the bid i made on that used unit. but that other i found is awsome and i have talked with the guy, i can get a totally set up 175 watt unit for $150. it will be set above my 23 gal for a while untill my 38 gallon is ready. i want to keep more sps corals. my orange monto cap has lost color since i purchased it and i recently won some nice sps corals, and they have lost color due to my lighting. i also simply love the shimmer effect in the water from MH. there is a strong shelf running above the legnth of my tanks, i can hang the MH from it and lower it with time so i do not shock my corals with all the light.
as for the screw in a MH bulb on a home socket, thats why i came here and asked first! :lol: i knew there had to be a reason why MH units were so complex
as for the screw in a MH bulb on a home socket, thats why i came here and asked first! :lol: i knew there had to be a reason why MH units were so complex
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
You can buy the Coralife 150W pendant for about $239 Nice looking light and it easily height adjustable.
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
found them onsale using google for $199 shipped.
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