Metal Halide Question!

[nteague]

I am about to aquire 3 1000w ballasts for almost nothing. I
was going to use 2 of them on a 220 gal display reef tank. Before I set them up I have some questions:
1) The guy who confiscated them from a pot grower doesn't know if they are metal halide or if they are HPS ballasts. If they turn out to be HPS, would I be able to use those 1000w transition MH bulbs to the same effect? Or would my reef
prefer I used actual MH bulbs in a MH ballast.
2) Does any significant amount of the light get lost traveling
thru air? I know that light is lost traveling thru water, but would
it matter how high above the water level the lights are placed?
3) Is there any significant amount of light lost when traveling
thru a glass membrane? If I put a thin piece of glass between
the lights and the top of the water, would it make a difference?
Thanks for the help!

 

[donmgicwon]

1.) Probably not.:notsure:
2.) Yes
3.) Yes

 

[aarone]

HPS sucks...dont use them and 1000 watts is a bit much for a reef tank Unless its like 4 feet deep
more light gets lost through the water than glass or air

 

[nteague]

Yeah HPS does suck. What I mean is are the Metal Halide conversion bulbs as good as normal Metal Halide bulbs? The conversion bulbs are MH's that fit into a HPS ballast.

 

[aarone]

uhhh probably not the same kelvin rating which contributes to algae growth