good price

[elguapo]

im looking at custom light hood and im wondering if the price this guy is giving me is any good.
48inch
PFO electronic VHO 2 bulb ballast w/ bulbs
PFO 2x175 MH ballast w/ bulbs
and 2 4inch fans
all for $450. is it a good deal?

 

[thomas712]

Sounds in the reasonable range but I would want specifics on the bulbs or do they not come with it? If the bulbs do not come with it then this makes it much less reasonable.
The MH bulbs alone could go for $90 some dollars
VHO bulbs could be around $25-28 dollars
Those are online price estimates
Brand new you can get the same for about the same entire setup.
Thomas

 

[007]

I would think that for 450 you could do better than 175w . . . at least 250's
and as previously stated, if this deal is w/o bulbs than forget it. Bulbs will add on another 200 to that price easily.

 

[elguapo]

yes bulbs are included but im not sure what brand. they are NOT regular hardware bulbs however. and thats about all i know? how much would a used hood cost me?

 

[007]

You are probably going to have to make one as an 80 gallon bowfront is an uncommon tank size. Bowfront tanks are great but finding a hood is difficult. Its what prevented me from gettin one.

 

[elguapo]

yea buts its still a standard length of 48" isnt that all that matter?

 

[007]

Yeah but if you want to cover the entire tank, you are going to need to compensate for the curvature of the front glass. If you use a rectangular standard 48" hood, you will have a gap where the tank bows out.

 

[elguapo]

well thats no good. i would think that the light would reflect enough to fill the bowed out part. if not then ill get a regular 48" hood and then another smaller VHO or Compact hood about 24" and put it over the bowed area.
-gabe

 

[007]

its not a matter of the light getting there, that isnt the issue. You are absolutely right that the light will reflect out to fill the area that is not directly light. My concern was more for the aesthetics of the tank. Having a flat front canopy on a curved front tank will look quite strange . . . especially since the stand will be curved as well. Even more so, I would not like the idea of having water exposed with no cover. All kinds of things could fall in there.

 

[elguapo]

ohh ok well I’m the problem is just the looks of the tank them I’m not going to bother. I’ll be looking at what is inside the tank not what is on top. by the way I’m a college student who doesn’t own any matching furniture so esthetics aren’t on the top of my list for in my house. as long as it works and the fish/corals are healthy.
-gabe

 

[cordell]

I'm not sure if it is completely an aesthetic issue.. an open gap could let almost anything into the tank.. and anything out. I'm not sure if that is a good idea man.. but I know what you mean about being in college and nothing matching.. I'm in the same situation maybe it wouldn't be that hard to modifiy some rectangular canopy to have a bowfront.. good luck whatever you do....
cordell

 

[elguapo]

ohh it will be covered i was just wondering about lighting. i dont want any fish to go carpet surfing or any of my less intelligent friends to at ketchup or something to the tank.
-gabe