New Tank! Need lighting Ideas.

yeah but it's hanging 8" from the surface and they have fans in them.

 

Yes, but if it is in a canopy, it will still retain more heat than an external ballast....

Mine has fans too but it is still very hot, even 8 inches away.

I was just putting it out there for consideration.

 

Actually the Coralvue pendants have an external ballast. The ballasts do not get hot though since they are electronic. Magnetic ballasts on the other hand get quite hot. The MH does give off some heat though.

 

Thanks Darin! My MH is a few years old so I think they are magnetic start They do get warm. I am glad to hear that the newer kinds do not get warm....cause....eventually I will need to replace them!

 

oh oops darin i forgot ur right they are external. they are awsome though.

 

[quote author=Ben Dover link=board=lighting;num=1095136787;start=0#6 date=09/15/04 at 11:38:26]MH to me evoked a big sodium street light looking bulb for some reason. [/quote]

Yeah I've had that thought too Chris. The hardware looks very similar.
But high pressure sodium lights are better for plants. Much higher in the red spectrum than halide and looks really yellow.