Metal Halide prices....

[nvmycj]

What's up folks...........?
Some questions......but first......I'M SOOOOOO EXCITED!!!!!:jumping: I got the "O.K." from my better half to start up my saltwater reef tank. I just needed some opinions.
The guy at the fish store is selling me a 54 Gallon, corner tank, with a bow front for $699.00, with stand and hood. It's also a drilled tank. Good price or no?
In addition, he's going to install a metal hyalide with 10,000W and 2-65 PC bulbs for $500.00. Good price or no? He says that the 2-65 PC bulbs will be on at the same time as the hyalide. Is that too much light? What's the purpose of the 2-65 PC bulbs? Am I going to need those blue moonlight bulbs or no? He says I'll just have to buy a fan at RadioShack to blow out the heat. If a water droplet hits the hyalide, won't the bulb blow.
Any and all of your opinions AND suggestions will be very helpful. Thanks to all.

 

[dreeves]

Dont know about the prices you mentioned...
The MH bulb sounds more like a 10,000 Kelven, not watts. Couldnt even imagine the size of a 10,000watt bulb.
The two PC's are probably (or should be) Actinic 03 bulbs.
Combined, depending on the wattage of the MH and the depth of your tank...should be an adequate setup.
MH bulbs burn at an extremely high temp...even a slight surface scratch on the exterior glass can cause it to explode...a water splashing on it I would think would be certain curtains if it was warmed to normal operating temp.
As for the blue moonlight bulbs...if you are talking about genuine moonlight bulbs..there is no need for them...if you are mistaken the Actinics for the moonlights...see above.

 

[nvmycj]

What about heat issues? You mentioned with the two combined, should be good, depending on the wattage. But earlier you said that MH are measured in K, not Watts. Did I miss something?
So the MH is turned on at the same time the PC's are. Why is that? Won't that REALLY heat up my water?
Sorry if I'm being repetative.........:notsure:
Thanks

 

[nas19320]

The color of the bulb light will be determined by its Kelvin (K*). Generally 6500K* will be yellow, 10,000K* slight yellowish or blueishe/white, and 20K will be blue. Wattage determines the proper wattage for the bulb and the more wattage you have the more light and heat you will have. PC's are turned on at the same time to balance out the color of the MH and make the tank color pleasing.

 

[nvmycj]

Thanks guys for writing back.
I must have been miss infomed. This entire time I was thinking that the MH are the purest white light there is. As per the previous reply, I've been wrong. So, is it correct to say that the PC bulbs are whiter than the MH? Are the PC's just as hot?
In appearance, the MH bulbs are a slender, short, & skinny tube, right? And the PC bulbs are a lot longer?
So which of the MH rating is the best? 10K or 20K?
Thanks guys.

One more thing..........what the heck is a ballast? I see this term, "electronic ballast", all over the internet regarding MH and the confusion is mounting.:help:

 

[fishman830]

Originally posted by NVMYCJ
Thanks guys for writing back.
I must have been miss infomed. This entire time I was thinking that the MH are the purest white light there is. As per the previous reply, I've been wrong. So, is it correct to say that the PC bulbs are whiter than the MH? Are the PC's just as hot?
In appearance, the MH bulbs are a slender, short, & skinny tube, right? And the PC bulbs are a lot longer?
So which of the MH rating is the best? 10K or 20K?
Thanks guys.

One more thing..........what the heck is a ballast? I see this term, "electronic ballast", all over the internet regarding MH and the confusion is mounting.:help:
no PC's won't get nearly as hot as MH, MH bulbs have a mogul or DE(double ended) base. as far as teh mogul goes, they're pretty thick. PC bulbs can be long. IMHO i like the 10k more, it's a lot brighter than the 20k. and i've heard of the 10k PIR rating to be 3x that of the 20k so it's your call

 

[marvida]

Before jumping into anything stop & try to figure out what you want. For instance if you want tangs you will want to get a 6' long tank. If you are mechanically inclined you can build lighting, etc. & save almost half the money. ---- is a good source for equipment. Also people get tired of this hobby & sell cheap. In this mornings newspaper classifieds there was an ad for a 75 gal saltwater setup complete for $100. If you don't get in a hurry you will be able to save $$. Do a search on the tank you want & see what others think about theirs & how they've set them up. In the meantime pick up a couple of books.
Good luck!

 

[sov82]

For equipment, buy it on ---- or here if they have it.
For the tank, SHOP AROUND. $700 + tax for a 54 gallon...even if it is a bow front and comes with a stand is high.
You said it comes with a "hood". Did you mean a wooden canopy or did you mean a light? Most all-glass aquariums that are setup in stores with the stand, tank, and "hood" include a light you wouldn't need if you are getting a MH light. If you do buy from this store, make sure you dont buy the light you dont need!!!
If he wants $500 + tax for a Light that only has 1 MH bulb and 2 PC bulbs, you will be overpaying.

 

[pet lover]

I agree........
I sold a 92 gallon corner tank for 400.00 w/wood stand and lights.
Look around a little.
Its going to cost a small fortune just to get one going, try to conserve your money best you can....
GOOD LUCK!
Its very addicting but very relaxing!!!!
:happyfish

 

[tkblazer]

not sure if you've done any research yet, but i would take a step back and slow down a bit. plan every aspect of what you want in a tank and buy the best you can afford. if you have to, don't buy everything at once and just stock pile equipment until you have all the goods.
that price seems a little steep for me on the tank and stand. as for the lighting $500 is pretty general. we would need to know what kind of reflectors/pendants are used and what ballast. Also bulb wattage and brand will all be different as well. if it was me i wouldn't buy the lighting from him since there are plenty of dealers you can get better equipment from. i may be biased, but i love my sunlight supply setup with 2 Reef optix 3 pendants and bluewave 7 ballast. i think i spent around 6-700 with bulbs for my complete 250w HQI DE set up.
you have not mentioned a skimmer to run, whether or not the tank is reef ready or a chiller to have just in case if you run into warm weather.
i know its hard to wait, but this hobby can get very expensive quickly if u do impulse shopping and don't buy the right parts from the get go.

 

[matro]

I would agree with above statements regarding slow pace and a good book. You should find a detailed report on lighting, sounds like there's still some confusion. You really won't need the lights for a while now. Most things that require a lot of light need very good water conditions which usually takes a couple of months(some say 8). There are other costly items that you should prob. get first: live rock, GOOD skimmer, maybe temp regulators. I have really been restraining myself on quick buys. I almost bought the $700 complete lighting hood. Now I'm thinking of an $80 Icecap ballast (turns house current into a form the bulbs need) and some T5's/VHO's (Flourescents) to DIY(Do It Ypurself). Keep a patient eye on the classifieds(here and your local). My 75G was $300 from (local) drilled with lights(not good ones) and all filters. Sure I'm changing all of it, but it keeps my snails alive while I plan and build
Do a search on here for lighting FAQ. Temp is an issue, but nothing some fans couldn't fix.

 

[eg_hatch]

Corner tanks, bowfronts, all those weird shapes have less surface area than standard rectangular shaped tanks, which means less fish..You can get a brand new 75 gallon setup for less than $700 and still have leftover for extras.
You can also find better deals for metal halide lighting on ----..