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Re: lighting set up

> 1) Cost of setup for MH ( 2-3 lights for 5ft)

Either 3 x 175 for a higher light set up or a 175 watt x 2 for a lower set
up. another option is using 2x 250 watts set higher up around 18inches. You
may not like this issue, at least at first since all the excess spray may
bug you but will grow your plants in and out well. 2 x 250's cost about the
same as 2 x 175's.

> 2) On going costs... bulb replacement period

Once every 18 months to 24 months is about what I get but I run them till
they die pretty much.

> 3) Quality of equipment

Good, generally better than other lighting set ups. Ballast roasting etc can
piss you off. Some of the more expensive systems roast as easily as the
cheaper ones IME. Maybe I got unlucky. But that's IME.

> 4) general annoying things about MH that nobodies tell you about.

Knocking start up. Humming. They have electronic ballast now that are
supposedly good but there where a number of issues prior but I think they
worked them all out.

> 
> (my plants are surviving outside in a old tank in 1" of soil and
> leftover dupla
> substrate and water up to the top of the soil. I have the top
> covered with plastic.
> Crypts, sword, anubias, java fern, etc, growing well emersed (high
> humidity). I
> wonder if the crypts will flower?)

Maybe:)
Regards, 
Tom Barr