need help w HID lights(please)

At this time I'm useing cfls thought about HIDs, My ? is if you use hids do you need a ballast for them????

Yes, just look online, you'll see.

Yes, you do. HIDs seem very expensive, but the money you save on electricity will justify the purchase, as HPS/MH lights are far more efficient at producing light (measured as lumens per watt). More lumens = more weed, when comparing equivalent wattages of CFLs and HIDs.

DO NOT GET ANYTHING BUT A DIGITAL BALLAST! Sorry for the caps but I made this mistake and bought a used light and he bitch wasn't digital and buzzed loud as shit! Not discreet at all. I see many people here make the same mistake.

u must have a shitty ballast my magnetic is almost silent

Buzzing in a ballast can be from many things, but generally it is resonance. Nothing you can do about it really. The box is just made of the wrong material, that's all...

I have a cheapo 400 watt ballast from HTG and it is nearly silent. It buzzes lightly, , but I cannot hear it with the tent door closed. I have another 400 watt ballast that I picked up used from a construction site (they were changing out all the lighting and were throwing a bunch away) that is almost silent as well.

Not saying that they will not eventually start to make noise, but the magnetic ballasts I have worked with are not that noisy. Of course, the digital will never make any noise and it is also a bit more efficient. Comes with an upfront price that is higher though.