Do you HAVE TO HAVE a cover glass with DE bulbs?

[CurvBall]

I'm going to be running dual 250w DE bulbs over my new system. My friend is building the canopy as we cannot get 250w DE luminaires here in SOuth Africa.

Do I have to have a glass shield between my bulbs and corals?

I plan to adjust the livestock the new lighting very VERY slowly.

Any input would be appreciated.
Thanks.

[gqjeff]

Yea... I suggest starfire for the covers..

[OUinLA]

With DE bulbs you HAVE to have glass sheilds. DE bulbs do not have the glas envelope that SE bulbs have. Without this glass sheild you will be putting to much UV light in your tank and it WILL burn your corals.

[skeletor]

Yea... I suggest starfire for the covers..

I recently changed the glass on my DE's



regular glass on the left, starfire on the right.. can you tell the difference ?

rich

[Aquatic Image]

BIG difference. I might have to do that myself. Never really thought about it before.

[Diesel3443]

Rich, it looks like the regular glass is tinted compared to the starfire

[Ger]

regular glass on the left, starfire on the right.. can you tell the difference ?

Rich, first glance I thought you were kidding...I didn't even see the starfire glass.

[CurvBall]

Very cool! Love that Staphire, however we don't get it in South Africa

Cool, will look into getting glass shields for my lamps.
What type of glass is recommended? Normal or must I use tempered glass?

Thanks.

[OUinLA]

Normal glass about 1/8" thick should do the trick. Some people have had bad luck when switching to starfire shields. It was popular around here a few years ago until a lot of corals started burning. I think they were going to thin because of the cost of starphire because glass is a natural filter for UV.