What Are Metal Halide Lights Used for in an Aquarium?

Metal halide lights are a type of light frequently used in aquariums. In particular, metal halides are used in reef aquariums because they meet the special lighting requirements for corals.

  1. Coral and Clams

    • Clams and small polyped stony (SPS) corals require specific lighting requirements to survive. Metal halides are one of the few light sources that can support these requirements.

    Light for Health

    • Even though they may survive under different lighting conditions, metal halides provide the right kind of lighting to achieve optimal health, growth and potentially propagation. Metal halides are one way to provide for this light requirement.

    Glitter Effect

    • Natural environments exhibit a light effect called glitter lines, which is a shimmering on the floor of the ocean. In an aquarium environment, metal halide lights are the only light source that provides natural-looking glitter lines.

    Light Penetration

    • Metal halides are a very focused light source, which means they provide good light penetration without equal light penetration throughout. This allows you to place corals at different positions relative to the light source in order to achieve different lighting intensities.

    Color Temperature

    • Metal halides are available in a wide range of color temperatures. You can select different color temperatures in order to achieve a different lighting effect, from a natural daylight to yellow to blue to white.