Differences between a cheap MH retrofit and an expensive one.

[wburrick]

I'm looking to buy a MH light and I have a light in mind but I'm wondering if the fixture really makes a difference and if so what are the pros of buying a more expensive retrofit setup. The bulb i plan on getting is a two in one it has a 10k and a 20k in one bulb and you can switch back and forth between them. Any help would be appreciated.

[Reefing Madness]

I'm looking to buy a MH light and I have a light in mind but I'm wondering if the fixture really makes a difference and if so what are the pros of buying a more expensive retrofit setup. The bulb i plan on getting is a two in one it has a 10k and a 20k in one bulb and you can switch back and forth between them. Any help would be appreciated.

Do not get the bulbs that act as a duel. They work off of on and off status, and if you do not turn them off long enough, the light will not switch to the other color. Electronic ballasts are better and more energy efficient that a magnetic ballast. And I presume you are talking about single ended bulbs, because I didn't think they made those double color k lamps in DE lamps. You want to get a retro with remote electronic ballasts. And I use the Halides off Ebay, with never a hitch.

[wburrick]

The bulb I was looking at is a single ended bulb I am slightly confused as to what you mean by on and off status. It seems like there could be a way to wire in a relay to control which one is on at any chosen time. That is great info about the ballasts thanks. is there a big difference between double ended bulb systems and single ended bulb systems?

[wburrick]

RB-TA250-10-20 Premium Aquatics - RB-TA250-10-20 Aquarium Supplies

This is the link for the bulb I had planed on getting.

[Reefing Madness]

"The Twin-Arc tube metal halide lamp is literally two bulbs in one switching arc’s tubes each time the lamp is fired" This is a sentence from your link. Everytime the bulb fires it is supposed to change color rendering. So most that I know that were using them tied them into a light timer, they would set it for a few different times. But if there isn't enough time inbetween you will ge the same light color. Double ended bulbs are much smaller than Single ended ones, Doubles also need a piece of glass over it to filter the UV out, whereas the Single Ended bulbs already have those in thier glass. I like the Singel Ended lamps myself, easier to DIY. I can also get a Single to get more light spread than a Double End using the Batwing Reflector, thereby getting away with only using 2 lights instead of 3.