Answer this about Metal Halide

[audisteve]

What is it exactly that attracts people to buy Metal Halide systems? Does Metal Halide produce a benifical light wave (i.e. Ultra violet) or other benificial light? Or is it simply the wattage produced by the bulb? Or is it the lumiens produced? Thank you.

 

[bigmac]

all of they above.......the shimmer effect is nice too.. Overall MH's are cheaper to run and put out a lot more light watt per watt then any others.

 

[bdubbya]

Halides penetrate the water the best, and most people like the shimmer effect they produce.

 

[m.rogers]

what bigmac and audisteve said
mike

 

[bang guy]

I think it's the intensity of the light.
They cost about the same IMO.
They put out similar PAR per Watt as other types.
They put out similar heat as other types.
The shimmer is nice but the intensity is the outstanding factor IMO.

 

[scarybo]

MH is very hard (IMO) to compare to other light sources. It produces a very intense light over a very small area. Other light sources are spread over a larger area. That intensity is what makes it a popular (and necessary) light source for high light organisms.