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Feature Article: Underwater Light Field and its Comparison to Metal Halide Lighting ...
Metal Halide Lighting System Components
Metal Halide Aquarium Bulbs & Lamps
Metal halide lamps, often referred to as bulbs, are available in 2 styles; single-ended screw type base and double-ended plug style.
Metal Halide Lighting
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Metal Halide Lighting: Metal halide lights are a type of light bulb that emits very white and very bright light. They require a special fixture and ballast.
Metal Halide Lighting: Metal halide is considered by many to be a best method of lighting reef tanks. They burn much hotter than incandescent, high output (HO) and very high output (VHO) lighting.
Metal halide lighting is recommended for aquarists planning to keep SPS corals and clams, or if you have a tank deeper than 24 inches. Like the sun, metal halide bulbs have one point of light, so it creates a stunning shimmering effect.
Metal halide lighting is quite popular in the hobby, and for good reason. It is cost effective, dense, intense and somewhat efficient. Metal halides do, however, require a well designed reflector to get all that light to its destination.
Metal Halide lighting was originally designed for football stadiums and the like. They're often used by Reef Keepers (as well as ``Reefer Keepers'', as you'll quickly learn from reading the signs at some of the more colorful suppliers).
Metal halide lighting form the last part of the light section. These are very intense, very expensive lights suited to only very heavily planted tanks and saltwater tanks with invertebrates. They produce a lot of heat, so are usually fan cooled.
Metal halide lighting
In tanks utilizing metal halide lighting, I suggest using the same system as described above, with a few addendums.
The metal halide lighting method is newer technology and highly desired among saltwater enthusiasts.
In addition to the metal halide lighting, there are four blue LEDs (located one per corner) that allow for night viewing. These are a great deal of fun as I really enjoy seeing what crawls around the tank at night.
I suggest between 2 to 3 watts per gallon of tank capacity of either fluorescent or metal halide lighting. Good lighting and plenty of plants are important to the success of an soil substrate.
From research I have done, it has been noted that NO and VHO fluorescent lighting do not penetrate as far as and with the same intensity of equal wattage of compact fluorescent and metal halide lighting.
Metal halide lighting requires special ballasts and special fixtures, and the lights use a lot of energy and produce a lot of heat.
If using metal halide lighting you may need to place the xenia under an over hang or in a shaded area and slowly acclimate the coral to the brighter light over a period of weeks by slowly moving the coral out of the shade and gradually moving it up ...
Equipment such as metal halide lighting, protein skimmers, live rock, testing equipment, supplements, water purification units (reverse osmosis and deionization) and sumps drive the cost of this setup.
Because this Leather Coral comes from greater depths where it is not used to intense illumination, when introducing this species to your tank, you will need to gradually acclimate it to metal halide lighting and ensure that the type you use provides ...
Metal halide lighting is really for reef keeping and heavily planted freshwater tanks. In any case, if you want or will need something more than a single lamp, your choices are limited.
You need to provide massive amounts of light through metal halide lighting in a daylight colour temperature (what colour the light is) and actinic light to provide the blue wavelengths from fluorescent tubes or power compacts.
Metal Halide lighting being the ultimate, yet most expensive option, Power Compacts seem to be a popular choice for planted aquaria. Bulbs are expensive, though, and fixtures aren't within the reach of every hobbyist, either.
Like other Euphyllia, this coral requires intense lighting for survival. Does best under metal halide lighting, though strong power compact or high output T5 lights are sufficient.
Current:
Requires moderate to stronger flow.
Keep in sunny window or under very strong fluorescent or metal halide lighting. Water thoroughly throughout the winter, or keep in kiddy pool or other indoor "pond".
Chillers may be necessary if you have a lot of submerged equipment raising your water temperature, if you're using metal halide lighting, or if you live in a warm climate but keep cold water organisms.
This is expectable if you are using fluorescent lighting, but how do you access the prefilter in the overflow ? What if you are using Metal Halide Lighting ? Ever been burned by a metal halide bulb while cleaning the tank ? It does not feel good.
For the next couple of months, each week I encreased the lighting by an hour until I reached 9 hours of full metal halide lighting a day.
 See also: Lighting, Metal halide, Water, Aquarium, Fish
  
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