I am getting ready to buy a 90gal tank that currently is running on 1 actinic 03 and 1 full spectrum fluor. lighting system. I would like to kick the lighting up a notch or 3. I have 2-400w metal halide lights that I salvaged out of a gas station canopy during a remodel. Does anyone know if these would work on an aquarium or would this be something that should only be used in an outdoor application. I know nothing about lights other than what I have read online. It seems to me that the consensus is that MH is the way to go for reef tanks.

Please help

Thanks,
Randy

Seems a bit bulky and 800 watts is extreem overkill. If it were my tank I would use two 250 watt mhs along with the actinics you already have. I tried the commercial fixtures before (I am cheap) but didn't get good coverage on either side of the tank. It is also a nightmare to hang at dead center. All my efforts were futile and I had to buy a light fixture. I found resonable pricing on retro lights at nanotuners and Nanocustoms.com - nanocustoms. Good luck!

Agreed, try one first and see - it'll be bright!

I appreciate the advise. Did you have any luck at all with the commercial fixtures to start with or was it just a bust.

A total bust! After a new bulb, a reflector and on/off switch it was too much money to spend on something that was such a hassle. Not to mention no leds and it was a hanging nightmare. I still have a hole in my cieling to remind me not to be cheap.lol

Agree with above.

I just want to add and I don't mean to pretend that you don't know this, but better safe than sorry... The bulbs normally used for outdoor lighting are usually not suitable for reef applications. Ideally you would need a bulb with a Kelvin rating of between 10,000K to 14,000K. Higher than that then you would not have sufficient PAR (Photosynthetic Available Radiation) and it will appear too blue (esp if suplemented by actinics.) Lower than that you will notice a typical pee-yellow look (like planted FW aquariums).

BLV and Aquamedic are two tried and trusted brands of MH bulbs for reef use.

Happy Reefing!

How is your 90gal tank comming along Randymac? We need pics. What about your lighting dilemma, ever get that straightend out?

thats what i use and it works great

I agree, commercial bulbs will not work on a aquarium application. You need bulbs that are designed for aquariums. Luna

i didnt mean the bulb imeant the ballast sorry jim

You would have to read the ballast's info. Some ballasts are made esp. for HQI bulbs or mogul bulbs or even SE/DE bulbs. Luna