Metal Halide Ebay options

[huseMN]

MH 24" Metal Halide T5 Aquarium Light Coral Reef Marine 250W Bulb Lamp LED 346W

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MH-24-Metal-Halide-T5-Aquarium-Light-Coral-Reef-Marine-250W-Bulb-Lamp-LED-346W-/111477953282?hash=item19f49a9302:g:k04AAOxyHE5Rse4O


Anyone have thoughts or experience with the above light I found on Ebay?

I just picked up a 75 gallon 48"x18x21. I currently have a Radion LED and wanted to try running Halide over Half and my Radion over the other half of the tank. SPS and LPS.

Anything I should look out for in a setup like this?

Recommendations appreciated. Trying to keep costs low.

Thanks

[shifty51008]

I would say look in the for sale forum as you can find mh's cheap. But keep an eye on ballasts from ebay, some have started fires not sure if they fixed the issue or not but would still worry me about cheap setups.

[outy]

I would stay away from lights that are in combo packages like that.


Ebay bulbs are the great bulbs. Wont buy anything else, plusrites have better color and lasted longer then XM's and Ushios and Hamiltons and any other bulbs ive used in 20 years

Tip.

1000 lights have them cheaper

[shifty51008]

Every plusrite bulb ive ever tried burned out in less than 6 months and had a yellow tint to it. Ive had my hamilton 14k bulbs in use for 19 months so far and still look great, but it is time to change them out.

[kevin_e]

Wouldn't waste your money. Look on the sales forum for quality fixtures. Those small halude reflectors seem worthless to me.

[outy]

Every plusrite bulb ive ever tried burned out in less than 6 months and had a yellow tint to it. Ive had my hamilton 14k bulbs in use for 19 months so far and still look great, but it is time to change them out.

Never had that out of 6 of them. my 14k's are still a hair blue after 2 years.


I used to get my lights from LRS [I think] on ebay, hopefully same quality from 1000lights

[shifty51008]

Mine were from 1000bulbs.com

[outy]

Mine were from 1000bulbs.com

Ya I read your reply in thread. Weird so many positive reviews.

The same factories that make these make the others as well. People get bad bulbs from the expensive ones to. My XM's were the worst bulbs I have bought in over a decade.

After reading pages and pages of reviews since these became popular, the negative reviews are actually very hard to find.

This growth was all plusrites. These are new bulbs and the second 2 year old bulbs. Even my 454 VHO's are two years old. [new bulbs in mail]


But look at the growth in 6 years and only changed bulbs once. Come to think about it, the 454's might be 6 years old now. I only replaced the MH once.


This was all 175w in a deep 215G tank

And on a side note, the center ballast is different and produces a brighter light then the 30 year old icecaps.

http://i1308.photobucket.com/albums/s607/John_K_Winford/IMG_0428_zpscqy2fqna.jpg

http://i1308.photobucket.com/albums/s607/John_K_Winford/IMG_20151111_191818079_HDR_zpsgmvor149.jpg

[huseMN]

I will keep looking for a better halide option.

Would the go to Halide option for a 24"long x 18" wide x21" deep tank be the Lumen Bright mini with a 250W radium? What is the best ballast for that setup and where should I buy?

Any issues with using LED on one side and Halide on the other. I am assuming it will look different on each side but I could adjust the LED to match the look and color of the halide?

Curious to see growth difference and I don't feel like spending another $600 on a Radion again.

[seamonster124]

I would not buy those halides. My LFS had used ones outside for free, sat there for days!

So you got Radions on half of the tank? Then you should buy some $85 MarsAqua LED's from ebay for the other half. I would love to see them side by side and the results after 6 months.

[huseMN]

I may consider the MarsAqua LED as a cheaper option and a side by side comparison would be fun. I am newer to this and have only ever had LED so I am curious to see what a Halide/ LED comparison would look like. Plus my house is cold and the extra heat might be nice for the tank.

I will keep looking. What is the best 250 watt Halide setup out on the market these days?

[shifty51008]

Imo hamilton makes great mh setups and decent priced