Using grow light equipment?

[GoinSalt]

Living in the Bay Area, people are always selling their grow lights from their hydroponic systems.With the whole medical marijuana debate in limbo, growers are always one busted door away from going to jail!

I was wondering if the ballasts, hoods, etc. can be used for aquarium use if I changed out the bulbs?

Nate

[Ninong]

I was wondering if the ballasts, hoods, etc. can be used for aquarium use if I changed out the bulbs?

Yes, as long as the ballasts are suitable for the lamps you choose. A lot of the horticultural lamps are H.P.S. (high pressure sodium) instead of metal halide.

Just make sure that your ballast will work with the metal halide lamps you intend to use.

[GoinSalt]

So, if the ballast is rated as 175, 250 etc, use the corresponding bulb? Does it matter if they use HPS or MH as long as the ballast is rated for the bulb?

Nate

[Ninong]

Some HPS lamps run on halide ballasts and some halide lamps run on sodium ballasts, but not all. Not only that, the grow-light fixtures could have just about anything. Some have HPS lamps and some have halide lamps, but none would have the proper Kelvin rating for a reef tank.

Not all lamps will run on a ballast that is rated for their wattage. You need to know exactly what lamp you intend to run and then we can look it up and tell you which ballasts it will run on. Usually the lamp manufacturer's website will give that information.

Even metal halide lamps of the same wattage do not all run on the same ballasts.