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Ryker 
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 Topic: HQI and UV
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?
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OGDEN
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Jake Pehrson
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Posted: October 18 2006 at 2:02pm |
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).
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Ryker
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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?
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OGDEN
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Jake Pehrson
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Posted: October 18 2006 at 2:21pm |
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:
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Ryker
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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
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OGDEN
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ssilcox
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Posted: October 18 2006 at 6:51pm |
 Ryker wrote:
Thanx Jake any info on what the difference (drawbacks are) of HQI instead of metal halides |
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?
Edited by ssilcox - October 18 2006 at 6:52pm
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Jake Pehrson
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Posted: October 18 2006 at 8:03pm |
Ryker wrote:
Thanx Jake any info on what the difference (drawbacks are) of HQI instead of metal halides |
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.
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Corey Price
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Posted: October 18 2006 at 10:34pm |
I thought HQI is what metal halide is, single or double-ended.
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jfinch
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Posted: October 18 2006 at 11:10pm |
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...
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Lyscer
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Posted: October 19 2006 at 12:07am |
Ryker wrote:
Just a regular piece of glass over the bulb will do the trick? |
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.
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Jake Pehrson
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Posted: October 19 2006 at 10:50am |
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Yes, tempered glass. Thank Lyser
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Adam Blundell
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Posted: October 19 2006 at 10:54am |
I've always used regular picture frame glass from Home Depot. Maybe because I'm cheap.
Adam
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GARFVolunteer
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Posted: October 19 2006 at 7:40pm |
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
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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
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Jake Pehrson
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Posted: October 20 2006 at 12:17am |
Adam Blundell wrote:
I've always used regular picture frame glass from Home Depot. Maybe because I'm cheap.
Adam |
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.
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