Distance Of Lights

[jackobox]

I'm wondering how far people keep their lights away from their tanks...PCs, halides, VHOs, whatever you got.

I have my PCs about 3-4 inches about the water and was wondering if this is typical or do people usually keep them higher from the tank.

Seeing as intensity drops off rather fast for light I figured it would be best to keep them as close as I could to the water.

Any thoughts??? :cool:

[lllosingit]

On my 30g I keep my 65w PCs about 3" above the water.
On my 125g the VHOs are at about 5" and the MH are at 8"

[jackobox]

OK, well on the 30g what corals do you keep in the tank and especially near the surface and have you ever had any problems with corals being bothered being that close to the light???

[phdezra]

On my 30g I keep my 65w PCs about 3" above the water.

Are you hanging them from the ceiling, or are you wedging something under the hood so that it is raised?

[lllosingit]

Originally posted by phdezra


Are you hanging them from the ceiling, or are you wedging something under the hood so that it is raised?

The lights are a JBJ hood that sits on 2 1''x1'' pieces of oak that stretch across the length of the tank!


Originally posted by jackobox

OK, well on the 30g what corals do you keep in the tank and especially near the surface and have you ever had any problems with corals being bothered being that close to the light???

I have kept softies and mushrooms.
I had some Xenia that seemed to like to right at the surface.
With 65w PCs I don't think you can get to close to the light short of having them come all that out of the water.

[cjm033]

i just sit my lights on top of my tank not even an inch abouve the water,Chris

[gregmoeck]

There is a huge problem I found when setting my lights on my 10 gallon. I bought a pre made wooden hood from ahsupply and mounted my 2 - 36watt PC retros inside. The lights were about 2-3 inches from the water surface but they were getting spray from the aqua clear's I have running as make shift refugiums. Not much but enough to keep the bulbs moist. It was a pain in the butt so I took cable and suspended the thing from the ceiling. I ended up buying a PC pendant, the 96 watt power quad from custom sea life. It hangs from cables about 4 inch above the water. It stays dry now. I am happy with it, got a good deal on it but it's not blue enough for me. I will eventually go with VHO or a Metal Halide.

http://www.nano-reef.com/gregmoeck/fulltank.JPG

[phdezra]

gregmoeck - There is NO cover on your tank. Any fish decides to jump, it's all over for it. :(