Metal Halide Lighting
Contents |
Introduction
Metal halides are a very efficient point source light. They use various earth metals to allow the lamp to burn in certain colours. MH lamps require a ballast to run and some require an igniter to fire. The correct ballast and lamp combination as recommended by the lamp and ballast manufacturer should always be used. Popular colour temperature MH lamps for marine aquariums include 10,000K, 14,000K and 20,000K.
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Components
Ballast
The component that provides and regulates the electricity supplied to the lamp.
Resources
- Spectral Analysis of MH Lamps: Do Ballasts Make a Difference by Sanjay Joshi and Dave Morgan - 2001 Annual Marine Fish and Reef USA
Lamp
The part of the metal halide that emits the light. Can be double or single ended.
Failures
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Bottom lamp has a crack in the inner quartz envelope, releasing the gases into the outer envelope. Dangerous situation. Top lamp is normal.
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Colour different between a lamp with cracked inner quartz envelope (left) and normal lamp (right).
Resources
- Spectral Analysis of Metal Halide Lamps Used in the Reef Aquarium Hobby, Part 1: New 400-watt Lamps by Sanjay Joshi and Dave Morgan - Aquarium Frontiers
- Spectral Analysis of Metal Halide Lamps Used in the Reef Aquarium Hobby, Part 2: Used 400-watt Lamps by Sanjay Joshi and Dave Morgan - Aquarium Frontiers
- Spectral Analysis of Metal Halide Lamps Used in the Reef Aquarium Hobby, Part 3: 250-Watt Metal Halide Lamps by Sanjay Joshi and Dave Morgan - Aquarium Frontiers
Reflector
What reflects the light emitted by the lamp into the tank, where it is required.
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"Batwing" type of reflector
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Shop fitter reflector
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Shop fitter reflector installed
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Shop fitter reflector installed over tank
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Lumenarc reflector
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Lumenarc and fluorescent reflectors handing in tank hood
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Lumenarc reflector installed over tank
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Mini Lumenarc, top view
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Mini Lumenarc, bottom view
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Mini Lumenarc, installed
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Aqua Medic Ocean Light 150, view of the top
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Aqua Medic Ocean Light 150, view of the bottom
Resources
- Analyzing Reflectors: Part I - Mogul Reflectors by Sanjay Joshi and Timothy Marks - Advanced Aquarist's Online Magazine
- Analyzing Reflectors: Part II - Double Ended Lamp Reflectors by Sanjay Joshi and Timothy Marks - Advanced Aquarist's Online Magazine
- Analyzing Reflectors: Part III by Sanjay Joshi and Timothy Marks - Advanced Aquarist's Online Magazine
Socket
What the lamp is mounted into.
Resources
- How Metal Halide Ballasts Work and Iwaski Bulbs by Sanjay Joshi - reefs.org
- Facts of Light, Part V: Everything You Need to Know About Metal Halide Lamps and Ballasts by Sanjay Joshi - reefkeeping.com
- Reef Lighting Page - spectral and performance data for metal halides
- Spectral Comparison of Lamps and Ballasts
- Metal Halide Bulb Information
- IceCap VHO and MH Ballast/Bulb Wiring Diagrams - reefs.org
Comparisons
- Spectral Analysis of 250W Double Ended 10,000K Metal Halide Lamps and Ballasts by Sanjay Joshi and Timothy Marks - Advanced Aquarist's Online Magazine
- Spectral Analysis of 400W Lamps: XM, Radium, Osram and Sunmaster, PFO by Sanjay Joshi and Timothy Marks - Advanced Aquarist's Online Magazine
- Spectral Analysis of 250W Mogul base Metal Halide Lamps, Part I by Sanjay Joshi - Advanced Aquarist's Online Magazine
- Spectral Analysis of 250W Mogul base Metal Halide Lamps, Part II by Sanjay Joshi - Advanced Aquarist's Online Magazine
- More Spectral Analysis of 150 Watt Double-Ended Metal Halide Lamps by Sanjay Joshi - Advanced Aquarist's Online Magazine
- Spectral Analysis of 150W Double Ended Metal Halide Lamps and Ballasts by Sanjay Joshi and Timothy Marks - Advanced Aquarist's Online Magazine
- Spectral Analysis of Recent Metal Halide Lamps and Ballasts by Sanjay Joshi - Advanced Aquarist's Online Magazine
