E-Bay MH Lights Cheaper but are they worth it?

[wfrost]

With two kids in College I need to save money every where I can. I need 250watt MH preferably a pendant. I see them on E-Bay but am leery on buying anything off there. I need to stay under $250. Am I fighting a loosing battle, or am I gonna have to go the retrofit in a hood route. This is for a 29 gal reef tank and I know 175watts would probably work, but I really want a 250watt. Any suggestions?

[Entropy]

I would definately retro fit to a canopy.

http://www.hellolights.com/25methalbalk.html

http://www.reefgeek.com/products/categories/lighting/104376.html

http://www.reefgeek.com/products/categories/lighting/104300.html

[michaeldaly]

I used MH industrial floodlight fittings, cheap and look good

[Zigzag Man]

...

:confused:

I bought all my MH retrofit kits from hellolights.com, and they work great. You can easily do a 250w retrofit for under $250. The link Entropy posted for the electronic ballast kit would be the one I'd go for... plus right now you get 10% off all kits that contain an ARO electronic ballast... just use the coupon code "eb10po" at the second checkout screen.

[stingers81]

sorry for jumping on the thread but can you put retrofit kits in any light hood? Right now I have 2x40W fluorescent lights....can I use that hood for the retrofit kit or does it have to be a special hood?
thanks

[Zigzag Man]

Well, it primarily depends on whether or not the retrofit kit will fit, and whether or not you can cool it properly (HID lighting is a heat monster).

If you can answer 'yes' to both of those points, then there shouldn't be a problem.