Should one use a glass cover under a retrofit metal halide?

[John Hartford]

I recently had a canopy made for my metal halide. Should there be some type of glass cover below the metal halides inside the canopy?

 

[fat-tony]

if they're high enough from the water i wouldn't worry about splash getting on them.

 

[Sk8r]

If splash does hit them, whether from a fish or a human messing with the tank, it's not good. My glass cover saved me when I was reaching past the lights adjusting a coral.

 

[mikeadams1985]

id cover it.

it only takes one bit of water to hit a hot metal halide light for it to pop.

and there not cheap to repalce.

 

[dwdenny]

The down side of glass covering is less gas exchange heat build up inside the tank. Evaporative cooling is what most people rely on to cool their tanks. If it is civer the heat is trapped.

 

[vishboy]

Why not just have a piece of glass under the MH bulb, but high up enough that it is not covering the tank?