MH question

So, what is stopping me from going up to lowes or home depot and getting a 70 watt/making one? is it the reflector thats special? what makes them so expensive? is it just the fact that they have a brand name on them? How much would that cost me to go do that at home depot? and do i absolutely need actinic supplementation? There has to be some sort of catch here...

 

Well, the reflectors are a big deal. This has come up several times on these forums. You do need a ballast, and they are usually expensive. Also, the bulbs aren't meant for aquarium use. The temperature is usually low and they tend to shift red quickly. You don't absolutely need actinic supplementation, you will however need to use a higher temperature bulb, at least a 14,000k. I will try to dig up an older thread that answered this question better.

 

Check this out--I have never tried it but a friend said it worked great--and yes if you read close, you can order an aquarium rated MH bulb
http://aquarium.union.rpi.edu/articles/DIY_MH.html

 

Unless you have tons of time and lots of tools and technical know-how you'll be better off in the end buying a pre-made unit. You can usually find cheaper deals from hydroponics stores, and just use an aquarium bulb. You might save 10-15% going that route.

 

so whats wrong with something like this just to hang from the ceiling on a cord right in the middle of the tank? it has an external ballast. Would i need to upgrade the ballast no matter what? I also know i would need to get an aquarium bulb but...
http://www.pegasusassociates.com/fl...free&utm_term=PL-1785&utm_campaign=googlebase
im either going to go with one of the MH's or get a 96 watt T5HO from cadlights. its only 150. Reasonable? would you rather me get a MH?

 

250 watt METAL HALIDE GROW LIGHT MH 250w REMOTE BALLAST - eBay (item 270418677741 end time Jul-05-09 15:11:52 PDT) ?????