Reef Central Online Community - View Single Post - DIY: How to get a 175w MH ballast and Mogul socket for under $50!..pic heavy

rustybucket145 · 10/25/2007, 07:41 AM

I have a couple of questions already..... may be dumb but I have to ask...

I went a slightly different route and purchase a ballast kit from the local elec supply store.

The kit came with a capacitor.... I see your ballast does not have one... Why? What is the capacitor for?

Number two,.... Is a mercury vapor and metal halide ballast the same? Any differences?

10/25/2007, 07:41 AM	#6
rustybucket145 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: valdosta, ga Posts: 3,707	I have a couple of questions already..... may be dumb but I have to ask... I went a slightly different route and purchase a ballast kit from the local elec supply store. The kit came with a capacitor.... I see your ballast does not have one... Why? What is the capacitor for? Number two,.... Is a mercury vapor and metal halide ballast the same? Any differences? __________________ 400gals of various tanks in the same system. Current Tank Info: 2 175w MH, 2 VH0 Actinics, Lots of Live Rock, tons of copepods, a Fat Mandarin Goby, Niger Trigger, Yellow Tang, Falco Hawkfish, Bi-Color Pseudo, numerous soft, SPS and LPS Corals