All HID Lights require a ballast, right?

I can't find 6500k cfl bulbs anywhere but the rip off hydro stores. Everything at Home Depot and similar stores is 5000k. I saw a 100w mh which would be perfect to supplement my hps. It has a medium base. I CANNOT screw this into a regular socket correct? I thought I could, but have read a few articles and it seems I better not.

Nowhere on the box does it say it requires a ballast and it fits my clip on work light reflector. I didn't plug it in though. I figure that if maintenance needs to come either put out a fire, get the electric back on or take me to the hospital then I'll be in a lot of trouble

besides the answer to this question, where do people buy 6500k 26w cfl's? Any thoughts? Heck that brings up another question. Say I buy a 100w cfl grow bulb from my hydrostore. Does this need a special ballast?

Thx for the help.

100w MH requires a ballast.

CFL bulbs have internal ballasts.

Like snaps said, cfls are self-ballasted.

That MH needs a ballast regardless of what the box says though.

u want daylight Bright ..............this is the 6500k

here u go i used these guys to get my supply of them (one set on there has a ozone gen in the bulb to help controll the smell
http://www.1000bulbs.com/............any cfl u need........ u might think of a LED spotlight to get more depth from the light then u would CFL

Lowes. Sylvania makes them

I've seen a 400 MH that does not require a balast, not in a Hydro store, but in a store that sells electric & plumbing supllies.

JackHererSki said:

Lowes. Sylvania makes them

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This is correct sunny 747. They have them there but they suck I bought a 6pack of them less then a month ago and 2 have already gone out. They also carry the mogul base add sell a standard adapter, I don't know how safe that is but they have it at lowes.