Home Depot 150W MH

[Murminator]

I was walking through HD today a spied a 150W MH DE outdoor light for $15 has anyone tried one of these over a tank? Couldn't you just change out the bulb and good to go??

[Zoaelite]

I was thinking of this also until I realized it's an outside light for a reason. Not something that is intended to be running for 8 hours per day especially indoors.

Not worth the fire hazard IMO.

[Myka]

Many lights like these don't have waterproof sockets, but being an outdoor light it just may be semi-suitable.

[viperfish]

I f you want a crappy bulb for cheap you don't have to go to HD, just buy one of those Aquatraders or other Chineese bulbs. They're dirt cheap but I don't think I'd be trusting them to grow my SPS.

[bvlester]

I believe he is saying buy the cheep light fixture and get a good bulb and install in the light fixture.

It maybe worth it to try out.

Bill

[hillbillyreefer]

Are you sure it was MH, and not halogen? Fifteen bucks for any MH light sounds awful cheap.

[Murminator]

Are you sure it was MH, and not halogen? Fifteen bucks for any MH light sounds awful cheap.

It may have been I just walked by and seen a 150W all had doubled ended bulb thought wow cheap alternative

[parkinsn]

That will be a double ended quartz halogen, little work light for $15.

[bvlester]

A halogen may work but it is in the daylight spectrum and you may get more algae growth than you want. I do know a guy that uses a halogen light that has the little 20w bulbs and T5HO lights. the little halogen lights are used to brighten the tank for viewing not for penetration anything. You do get a nice shimmer effect and the T5's get the penetration so in a combination I would think it would work out, I'd be ready for a algae bloom. I have never tried it my self you can also get little blue halogen bulbs that maybe good for moon lights.

Bill

[Lampshade]

I've been running a $10 ebay 175W 15K bulb for 6 months now, Only have LPS/softies in my tank, but they've all been growing GREAT, all my LPS have grown double in size in the past 6 months. No change from my xm bulb I had before, i'd say if you want a cheap light do that instead. Depends on what you have in your tank i'm sure, but they've worked great for me so far, and i plan on buying more for next time.

[Snaz]

You will need an electronic ballast I think. Here is a link to a much used DIY MH project on nano-reef.com as I think it will answer some questions.
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=91165&mode=threaded&pid=880190

[hillbillyreefer]

I've been running a $10 ebay 175W 15K bulb for 6 months now, Only have LPS/softies in my tank, but they've all been growing GREAT, all my LPS have grown double in size in the past 6 months. No change from my xm bulb I had before, i'd say if you want a cheap light do that instead. Depends on what you have in your tank i'm sure, but they've worked great for me so far, and i plan on buying more for next time.

MH or halogen?

[Murminator]

Was at HD had a second look and it is a halogen light

[Snaz]

Was at HD had a second look and it is a halogen light

These fixtures need only an external ballast ($30) and a proper bulb to be MH device. See my link above.