HQI and UV
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: Equipment
Forum Description: This is the place to ask question about reef equipment.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=14689
Printed Date: October 17 2025 at 8:06am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.03 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: HQI and UV
Posted By: Ryker
Subject: HQI and UV
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 1:58pm
I was reading an article online and it stated that a UV sterilizer is necisarry when running a HQI bulb is this true? What are the differences in the HQI and metal halide bulb it seems that they are the same for allintents and purposes but i can buy the HQI cheaper im planning on getting a ballast from ballist wise and building my own set up just wondering what would be best
also is it nessisary to cover the bulbs with glass are they really that prone to being splashed any opinions? ------------- OGDEN |
Replies:
Posted By: Jake Pehrson
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 2:02pm
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UV sterilizer? No. UV shield? Yes HQI bulbs put off UV that is not good for your tank. It needs to be shielded (usually with a piece of glass).------------- Jake Pehrson Murray http://coralplanet.com" rel="nofollow - coralplanet.com http://utahbeeranch.com" rel="nofollow - :) |
Posted By: Ryker
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 2:06pm
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Just a regular piece of glass over the bulb will do the trick? and is a 20000k bulb extremly blue what are people running k wise? ------------- OGDEN |
Posted By: Jake Pehrson
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 2:21pm
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A piece of glass between the bulb and the water.
20,000K is pretty blue and often not as bright as lower kelvin blubs.
I stated this poll to help answer your question:
http://utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=14691&PID=131508#131508 - http://utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=14691&PID=131508#131508 ------------- Jake Pehrson Murray http://coralplanet.com" rel="nofollow - coralplanet.com http://utahbeeranch.com" rel="nofollow - :) |
Posted By: Ryker
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 4:36pm
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Thanx Jake any info on what the difference (drawbacks are) of HQI instead of metal halides ------------- OGDEN |
Posted By: ssilcox
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 6:51pm
HQI (more aptly labeled double ended or DE) are metal halide bulbs too.
Drawbacks? There are drawbacks to both. It all depends on the bulb (Manufacturer, kelvin, wattage) and ballast (Magnetic - pulse, probe - Electronic) that you decide to go with. Is there a particular reason you want to go with DE halides?
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Ryker wrote:Posted By: Jake Pehrson
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 8:03pm
You need the glass for the HQIs and you don't for the mogul socket bulbs. HQI's are smaller and can take up less space. Other then that they are about the same. It has been shown that HQIs with certain reflectors reflect more light into the tank, but over all I think they are about the same. I use both and don't really have a preference. ------------- Jake Pehrson Murray http://coralplanet.com" rel="nofollow - coralplanet.com http://utahbeeranch.com" rel="nofollow - :) |
Posted By: Corey Price
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 10:34pm
| I thought HQI is what metal halide is, single or double-ended. |
Posted By: jfinch
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 11:10pm
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There are three types of metal halide bulbs.
Probe start. These bulbs use a little electrode stuck in one side of the arc tube to initiate an arc across to the opposite electrode to "start" the lamp. These lamps use probe start ballasts. They require "low" voltages to initiate the starting arc.
Pulse start. These bulbs are missing the third electrode and the starting arc is initiated by brute force using a high voltage starting pulse. These type of bulbs also use their own type of pulse start ballast. A pulse start ballast will run both pulse and probe start bulbs, but a probe start ballast will not start up pulse bulbs.
HQI. These are really just pulse start bulbs, but I think the gasses in the arc tube are under more pressure then a normal pulse start bulb and an even higher starting voltage is required to kick them off. They use HQI ballasts. HQI ballasts will also operate any of the different types of metal halide bulbs.
HQI can actually come in either single or double ended bulbs (commercially). But in the aquarium hobby you'll only find double ended HQI bulbs and you'll see that every double ended bulb being sold is labeled HQI.
If you're DIY'ing and have the money I'd just buy electronic ballasts and then you can run anything you want. Otherwise pick a bulbs style and buy that ballast.
Typical costs for a 250 watt MH ballast are:
$50 probe start
$65 pulse start
$100 HQI
$100 electronic
Hope this all helps... ------------- Jon https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y_EzjI_ljbIwf2n5uNzTw" rel="nofollow - What I've been doing... |
Posted By: Lyscer
Date Posted: October 19 2006 at 12:07am
I would recommend going with tempered glass if you do any double ended bulb AKA: HQI. There are a couple of glass shops in the valley that will get you the size you need. I tried using standard glass and it shattered into my tank. Since I put tempered under my bulbs, I have not had a problem. Running the DE bulbs with no glass under them will emit WAY to much uv into your tank and kill all kinds of stuff (Fish, corals, etc..) I learned this the hard way. |
Posted By: Jake Pehrson
Date Posted: October 19 2006 at 10:50am
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Yes, tempered glass. Thank Lyser ------------- Jake Pehrson Murray http://coralplanet.com" rel="nofollow - coralplanet.com http://utahbeeranch.com" rel="nofollow - :) |
Posted By: Adam Blundell
Date Posted: October 19 2006 at 10:54am
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I've always used regular picture frame glass from Home Depot. Maybe because I'm cheap.
Adam ------------- Come to a meeting, they�re fun! |
Posted By: GARFVolunteer
Date Posted: October 19 2006 at 7:40pm
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Back when I had a brain fart, I bought a couple of 400 watt MH setups. I dropped the shield glass on one of the pendants and I was definitely tempered. Thanks, Scott ------------- President Idaho Marine Aquarium Society A fair and biased reef hobbyist "How do you make poor people rich by making rich people poor" Rush Limbaugh on Obama taxes |
Posted By: Jake Pehrson
Date Posted: October 20 2006 at 12:17am
Yes, you are cheap. This also works, but as was mentioned if it is not tempered then it has a much better chance of breaking. It is not fun fishing pieces of glass out of your tank. ------------- Jake Pehrson Murray http://coralplanet.com" rel="nofollow - coralplanet.com http://utahbeeranch.com" rel="nofollow - :) |