5g custom build cycling. Have lighting question - Pic

dileggi · 01/25/2008, 12:24 PM

The tank is still presently cycling. The lighting is the Viper 150w HQI.

Presently, the light is 11 inches off of the water surface. What I'm not sure of, is ideally, how far off the water surface should it be?

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated! Thank you!

taillonjohn · 01/25/2008, 01:15 PM

you mean you have 150 W over a 5 G tank? wow

I would imagine, you can put the light as close or far as want, depending on what you want to keep in there.

I would think, when you come home from work, that maybe 2-3 G out of 5 would be evaporated?

dileggi · 01/25/2008, 01:27 PM

LOL! I know, and you would think it would be enough to heat the water, which is what I was accounting for, but amazingly, it is not heating up the water much more above room temp.

As for evaporation, I have noticed that and expected it somewhat. For the last week, I've topped off in AM before work and PM after work. So far, my evaporation rate has been a little less than a cup, which is affecting my SG by about .001 - .002 per day. I have the SG set at 1.023. It's been reading 1.024 - 1.025 when I get home b/c of evap.

I'm curious to see what effect, if any it has on what I put in there.

I had the tank made at an LFS. They've had 3 on display in the store for about a year now. I've been going there for about 4 months or so, so I was taking their word on how long they've had theirs.

They said that they have the same evap issue, but the slight SG change has not been an issue with anything they've put in yet, albeit, all they have are some shrooms, polyps & zoa's. One crab, one shrimp and one tank raised clown that's smaller than a dime! LOL!

silverwolf72 · 01/25/2008, 02:07 PM

Small salinity changes are normal in the ocean. You can go as low as you want on the light as long as there is no splashing hitting and it doesn't affect your temp to much

dileggi · 01/25/2008, 02:09 PM

Thanks silverwolf. Well, the temp isn't an issue as I can't even raise the water temp as it is now.

It looks like I'm actually going to need to add a heater. I can't get temp above 75 with lights alone, and that's with a 12 hour photo period.

ooja3k · 01/26/2008, 10:48 PM

using your lighting as your primary heat source would be a bad way to go.

temperature fluctuations are not good...

even if your mh was enough to heat the water, i would still have a heater to hold that same temp during the night.

01/25/2008, 12:24 PM	#1
dileggi Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: S. Philly PA Posts: 1,171	5g custom build cycling. Have lighting question - Pic The tank is still presently cycling. The lighting is the Viper 150w HQI. Presently, the light is 11 inches off of the water surface. What I'm not sure of, is ideally, how far off the water surface should it be? Any thoughts are greatly appreciated! Thank you! __________________ Eric "The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled, was convincing the world he didn't exist." - Usual Suspects Current Tank Info: 90g w/30g sump; skimmer; 2x175w MH & 2x super white actinic...3g w/.5g fuge 1x150w MH Viper

01/25/2008, 01:15 PM	#2
taillonjohn Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 753	you mean you have 150 W over a 5 G tank? wow I would imagine, you can put the light as close or far as want, depending on what you want to keep in there. I would think, when you come home from work, that maybe 2-3 G out of 5 would be evaporated? __________________ John

01/25/2008, 01:27 PM	#3
dileggi Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: S. Philly PA Posts: 1,171	LOL! I know, and you would think it would be enough to heat the water, which is what I was accounting for, but amazingly, it is not heating up the water much more above room temp. As for evaporation, I have noticed that and expected it somewhat. For the last week, I've topped off in AM before work and PM after work. So far, my evaporation rate has been a little less than a cup, which is affecting my SG by about .001 - .002 per day. I have the SG set at 1.023. It's been reading 1.024 - 1.025 when I get home b/c of evap. I'm curious to see what effect, if any it has on what I put in there. I had the tank made at an LFS. They've had 3 on display in the store for about a year now. I've been going there for about 4 months or so, so I was taking their word on how long they've had theirs. They said that they have the same evap issue, but the slight SG change has not been an issue with anything they've put in yet, albeit, all they have are some shrooms, polyps & zoa's. One crab, one shrimp and one tank raised clown that's smaller than a dime! LOL! __________________ Eric "The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled, was convincing the world he didn't exist." - Usual Suspects Current Tank Info: 90g w/30g sump; skimmer; 2x175w MH & 2x super white actinic...3g w/.5g fuge 1x150w MH Viper

01/25/2008, 02:09 PM	#5
dileggi Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: S. Philly PA Posts: 1,171	Thanks silverwolf. Well, the temp isn't an issue as I can't even raise the water temp as it is now. It looks like I'm actually going to need to add a heater. I can't get temp above 75 with lights alone, and that's with a 12 hour photo period. __________________ Eric "The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled, was convincing the world he didn't exist." - Usual Suspects Current Tank Info: 90g w/30g sump; skimmer; 2x175w MH & 2x super white actinic...3g w/.5g fuge 1x150w MH Viper

01/26/2008, 10:48 PM	#6
ooja3k The Reef Producer Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Costa Mesa Posts: 1,192	using your lighting as your primary heat source would be a bad way to go. temperature fluctuations are not good... even if your mh was enough to heat the water, i would still have a heater to hold that same temp during the night. __________________ -Ryan PBITAWA

01/25/2008, 02:07 PM	#4
silverwolf72 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Lake Forrest CA Posts: 1,732	Small salinity changes are normal in the ocean. You can go as low as you want on the light as long as there is no splashing hitting and it doesn't affect your temp to much