MH uv protection

[tic tac]

Hi all,

I'm changing my t8's for 250w MH. But I'm a bit unsure as to whether sps corals need the UV glass cover on the lights. Most Arcade units use uv glass shieds were as alot of the new lighting kits using ice cap ballasts and spider reflectors don't have any uv glass protection.
Can anyone give me the cheapest supplier of MH lighting kits and ballasts, in the US, that will post to the UK?

Thanks Mark.

[Geoff]

you will need some kind of UV protector on MH bulbs. whether it is incorporated into the bulb itself (SE bulbs) or a separate piece of glass between the bulb (DE) and the aquarium.

they do need the protection. i have lost several corals from a crack in an outer casing where the direct bulb light was able to shine through. it killed all of the corals below this crack.

i would think any of the big suppliers here would ship to you. try www.marinedepot.com.

G~