Dangers of unshielded MH lights

I put a 200 W metal halide in my canopy and had to wire it in without the protective glass shield or casing around it. Is there radiation dangers or anything harmful i should worry about by having a unshielded MH in my canopy?

 

dont know, but you can always get some glass covers for your tank top if your worried.

 

I put glass above it, im just wondering what happens when i lift up the canopy and am messing inside my tank

 

I read an article in Coral magazine that indicates that fish and coral can suffer irreversable damage as a result of being exposed to the UV radiation. Blindness and skin damage in fish has been reported. I would imagine that you would also suffer some adverse affects if exposed for too long.

 

My understanding was that single ended MH bulbs have no UV output because of the glass around them and double ended need to have a piece of tempered glass between them and the tank to have the same effect.

 

nice, mine is a mogul base so it should be good then.

 

Here ya go. This is where I read that:
Aquarium Lighting Guide - Metal Halide Aquarium Lighting

 

Well that goes to show you how much I know about MH bulbs

 

Ya know I am a bit worried about the UV thing myself - my light is a Coralife 1st Generation Aqualight HQI that is a Craigslist special - the 1st generation of this light has a UV lens that does not entirely cover the bulb. I have rotated it so that 95 is covered, but it does spill out of one side toward the edge of the aquarium. I plan on keeping corals away from that side.

 

yes ultraviolet light is released from all bulbs... however, a very thin piece of glass is effective at stopping most UVC, and UVB photons. what type of bulb is it and on what ballast are you running it with?

Some are more dangerous than others and intensity varies in the UVA, UVB, and UVC wavelengths. If you give me the bulb brand and ballast name I might have exact values to let you know how "harmful" it may be.