metal hallide installation

this is my first grow and im still working to set up the room. I've got a 400w metal hallide bulb, a socket and the ballast. what else do i need and how the hell do i install this? if anyone has any helpful info on this, could you help me out, they hav just poked thru. i've got them under a couple flouresent grow lights right now but i dont know Can i grow the whole way thru with them?
if you could fill me in that would be tight
thanks

First, you have to say if your ballast is the enclosed type, (with an internal capacitor and an appliance cord with a plug), or the exposed type, (with the copper coils and live parts visible). If it's the exposed type, you have to hook up the cap and the power wires. PM me, I can explain it. If it's the enclosed type, just hook the ballast wire that is colored black to the socket screw connected to the central pin, (which touches the central contact of the bulb when it's screwed into the socket), and the white wire goes to the other screw. Then plug it in and see if it works.

You got the reflector too? You having trouble powering it up or hanging it in your grow room? Yes, you can do an entire grow with MH but your buds will not reach their full potential. If you have to choose between MH/HPS, most people go with HPS. The plants might get a little leggy but get good bud/resin production.

No hood? It's pretty simple. Socket to the ballast, and ballast to the wall. If you don't have any kind of reflector, you're gonna need one. Use your halide all the way through if you'd like. Buds will not be as dense, but the quality will be primo because the light penetration is better than with HPS. Some red spectrum in there will give you dank/dense nugs. I'd look into some strip lights.