SE Metal Halide shield broken, where is the mercury?

[juststartingout]

Hello, Can someone help with this question?

Is the mercury in a MH SE bulb in the arc tube, or is it in the glass shield that surrounds the bulb?

Thanks for your help.

[Gorgok]

According to wiki, its in the arc tube.

[JAustin]

Arc tube. The outer glass is only uv shield. If you want a cool tanning bulb you can stand in front of it. JK by the way.

[juststartingout]

One of my 400wt MH bulbs blew off the outer shield, appearantly from some water splash. I did not have the glass shield in place at the time. A mistake I will never make again!!!!

The outer glass shield had broken over night (I run a bit of a reverse lighting schedule for cheaper energy bills) when I looked at the tank, I seen that I had suffered some loss.

Two large show tangs laying on the bottom of the tank, along with 2 beautiful yellow tangs. I looked in the tank panicing, eyes constantly shifting around to see what else I had lost. For a few brief seconds it didn't add up. I had just checked my parameters the day before and they were all fantastic. Then I seen it, all of the rock under this one fixture was pure white, the shield had broken off the bulb, leaving the arc tube to flood the area with a deadly amount of UV.

I was heartbroken, I lost a 10" Sohal that I'd had for over 4 years. I also lost a 9.5" Naso, 3 yellow tangs and 3 firefish.

I have a 9" Hippo tang that was also burned from this event. It is still swimming around & eating, but the sore's on her face look terrible. I hope I don't loose her, she was one of my first fish back in 2004, when I got into this hobby.