Lighting Question

[sh2000]

What is more importqnt for better quality lighting a name brand bulb like hamilton or phoenix with a generic ballast ? or a name brand ballast like a coralvue ballast with a generic bulb ?

 

[renogaw]

i would go for the better balast, you can always upgrade to a better light.

 

[reefraff]

No doubt. Put your money into a good ballast and reflector

 

[sh2000]

Problem is a generic MH lamp will run you $25-30 and a name brand would run you $50-75, as for the ballasts a decent one would run you $100-120 per ballast. It's hard for me to to scrape up the cash right now for 2 new ballasts.

But I can afford to get 2 Phoenix lamps which are on sale for me, so I'm hoping my generic ballasts that claims it can support them don't break on me.

 

[reefraff]

If you have magnetic ballasts brand doesn't mean as much. As long as they are in cases that act as heat sinks or have venting it isn't as much an issue. Phoenix make a great lamp,

 

[sh2000]

they have venting holes and are magnetic ballasts so well find out soon...I want to see if there's a difference between generic MH's and the Phoenix lamps.