Lights???

[kriscat2003]

http://cgi.ebay.com/48-610W-Metal-Ha...742.m153.l1262

Thinking about buying this for my new 55 g. ANyone have any thoughts or experience?

I currently have a 35 g set up with a 150 MH and will not go without the MH. They are just too good.

BTW the MH I have now I picked on Ebay for 120.00 back in January.

[fatman]

Excellent price. I wonder about the bulb size as HQI are typically 150 or 250 watt. I can not even find 175 HQI bulbs in my catalogs. The electronic ballasts for a HQI smallerthan a 400 watt I have never seen either. I really wonder if they are not suplying false advertising and photos, as this equipment just is not sold in the US. HQI lighting is a European lighting system though. Or common large retailers just might not be importing 175 HQI equipment for sale in the US. It appears to be a better version of a AquaLight pro costing twice as much. The two shorter PC's is a better design than that used by the more expensive Aqualight Pro and the electronic ballast would mean longer bulb life and lower operating costs. The ballasts and HQI bulbs being non standard in the US might make replacments harder to obtain. And the choices of bulbs might be more limited. The price though is excellent.

[Bifferwine]

Marine Depot sells 175 HQI bulbs.

[fatman]

Originally Posted by Bifferwine

Marine Depot sells 175 HQI bulbs.

You must have a newer catalog. Mine has 175 screw socket bulbs, but has HQI only in 70, 150., 250 and 400 watt. Seems like I get a new Drs. Foster and Smith catalog almost every month or so, but I can not remember when I got my last Marine Depot catalog. But the one I have has no 175 watt HQI bulbs, just screw type receptacle 175's.
Just checked their web site, no 175 watt replacement bulbs for HQI, only screw type base bulbs in 175 watt

[Bifferwine]

You're right, I guess I was looking at the regular single ended bulbs. Sorry.

[McCrary]

I would be very careful with lights off ebay that aren't a recognized brand. Often the reason that they are so cheap is because the components that they use are cheap and burn out quickly. For most things you get what you pay for and I look at this like the guy who is selling his Rolex for 75% off on ebay, what are the chances that the Rolex he is buying is going to be legit? The ballasts alone to run the halides should run about $250 on their own, so its seems like a case of too good to be true.

[fatman]

Oh, but if it was true. I sure would like to buy some lights at prices like that! If they were selling at Walmart where I could see them first, I would try some out. But mail order, or web order, without being able to touch them and examine them to some extent, at that unheard of price, I am not that brave. Too much like gambling, and I do not gamble. Although, I do think the Chinese electronics industry could produce good lights for that same cost though. However, I doubt any American bulb manufacturer would support that by producing compatible bulbs for replacements.

[kriscat2003]

Well on my 35 back in Jan I bought a 110.00 150 watt MH and it has been great. And I buy almost anything on Ebay. My motto is if Ebay does not have it you don't need it. So I went ahead and payed for the lights. Should be here by the end of next week. I will let you know what happens.

[RyanG]

Keep us posted please!

[Bifferwine]

Yeah let us know how they work out. Do you have a link to the set you bought?