Metal Halides

[Matthew5664]

I was just thinking about the MH we use on our tanks; they come with the UV filter glass to obviously filter the UV spectrum out.

Being that UV is on the blue end of the spectrum and that there is not much of a natural filter, why do we filter from HM?

I thought maybe because MH generates constant UV while the sun's UV rays fluctuate due to solar flares?

Could the water depth have something to do with it but then being on the blue end it would be the last to be filtered by the water?

So.............

Ozone?? The partials in the atmosphere act as a filter for UV's so having Ozone in the tank would help?

Man I'm thinking myself round the bend..........someone.........please!!!!!!

 

[ostrow]

Are you using DE (commonly mis-named HQI) halides? Or standard mogul socket bulbs?

If the latter, you don't want any filter at all. For the DE bulbs you need the glass.

 

[Navarre]

Even if you use Ozone it wont be in the tank. Ozone is used in a seperate container (usually a skimmer) and the ozone bubles arent put back into the tank. If the bubbles escape into the tank it becomes very dangerous for the fish and livestock in the system should they come into contact with it.

UV glass is put under the halides as its a constant factor and will burn many corals that are under it.