What do u think of this MH?

[harlequinnut]

What do u think, should I go for it if I can get it under 250.
This is a 36" 175W 10k Metal halide aquarium light with 2 standard actinic fluorescent bulbs in excellent condition. The hood is fitted with a fan and plexiglass cover to protect it from moisture. The bulbs are about 6 months old. The cable to the ballasts is about 10 feet long.

 

[gixxer1000]

Id pay 250 for that hell yea. Im looking at ones at like 460. Only thing i would do is i would put a reflector under the halide bulb to get the shimmer affect.

 

[007]

I would not for 250 . . . if you look around enough and are even the slightest bit mechanically inclined you could build a 2x175 MH with VHO actinics for around 300 . . . . and it would be new. (prices not including bulbs)

 

[harlequinnut]

My tank is 36" long and 18" deep, do I need 2 175w mh for that? What if the price was $200?

 

[reefsoe]

what is it a 65 or a 30breeder type tank? If its 65 go with dual 175s

 

[harlequinnut]

It is a 46 bow.

 

[reefsoe]

yes I promise I can read.... try to add your total wattage together... and divide by 46 to see how many watts per gallon you get.. try an go for 7 or 8 per gallon

 

[harlequinnut]

Total wattage meaning mh+actinic? Problem is I don't know the wattage for the actinic.

 

[prock]

When you add the gallons do you also ad the water in the sump.:notsure:

 

[robchuck]

$250 sounds like a stretch when you'll probably be replacing bulbs in 6 months. I would offer $200 for it. Like 007 suggested, if you're handy at all, I would try to piece together a DIY setup. To give you a price reference, I just built a 36" canopy with a 3 month old used 2x175W MH setup with Icecap eballasts, bulbs, parabolic reflectors, and 96W PC actinic supplementation for just under $300.
You would also probably like the results of 2x175W over a 36" tank better than a single one in the middle. One 175W lamp in the middle will leave some dark areas at the sides of your tank. Also, do you have a center brace on your tank? If so, that could cause a nasty shadow down the middle of your tank.
If you do go with this setup, I would seriously consider using a parabolic reflector. This would help spread the light throughout the tank better. On the other hand, a reflector is not necessary for the shimmer effect with MH. The only thing you need for the shimmer effect is good surface agitation.