uv shield necessary on mh???
 

do you need to put a uv shield on a retro mh set up? if so where do you get one. i am thinking about getting a retro mh set up and don't know if i need a uv shield.

Only if it a double ended bulb.

ok. cool. so the only thing i would need would be a piece of glass to use as a splash guard than.

I wouldnt even do that. Glass will reduce your PAR. besides the bulbs should be atleast 4+" off water. If you have water splashing up that high, thats no good. Little splashing here and there wont do anything tho, thats just normal. just be cautious of a lot of water.

I wouldnt and dont use a shield either for splash guard for the same reason cuts down on par

thanks for the advice. never used a retro before so i just figured it would need the same as my sunpod.

jsut as long as its a single ended bulb, no worries. but the double ended or (HQI) bulbs need that UV shield (not just a piece of glass, has to be UV treated)

it is a single ended retro...not hqi.

Clownin around- if you splash even a tiny spec of water on one of those single ended lamps it is possible thay will explode.
Just aheads up. Lots of people run single ended lamps with no shield and thats fine as long as you dont splash.
It may or may not pop if splashed but thats the risk.
on a side note...
glxtrix- * there is no special coating needed for double ended lamps. Its just plain old tempered glass. It doesnt really need to be tempered either, thats just a safety thing in case it breaks.

These lamps (HQ) dont have the extra arc tube like a single ended lamp has inside the glass bulb. That outer glass bulb part of a single ended lamp is the UV shield and its nothing more than glass. not tempered, not treated.

how high off of the tank should the lights be? i am planning on getting 2 - 175watt mh retros (reflector, socket, bulb, ballast) and putting it over my newly set up 45 gal tank. the canopy that came with the tank is very low so i am going to replace it with another one.