New twinkies and a bright light

Brent RH · 04/18/2010, 06:26 PM

Have "twins" future reefers on the way into our world any day now. I've been throwing around different ideas about blocking the light from my tank into my living room, but nothing seems real brilliant. (maybe a 6 month thing) I'm picturing them laying on the carpet with wondering eyes looking into my tank light. My tank is not going to move. Not really looking to build a cage around it with a blanket or anything of this nature. Best idea I've come up with is, to take magnetic clips or hooks and fasten them all around my light. Then cutting down a dark shower curtain to size to just cover the glass and hang from the clips. OR. Even thought of taking pvc pipes and shaping them to the back of my stand, sort of creating a halo over my tank. Both these ideas seem a bit clumsy. Ideas??? PLEASE!

rxonco · 04/18/2010, 06:51 PM

First of all, congratulations. Second, I wouldn't worry about it. Unless you've got some MH's mounted above their crib, it's not going to cause any problems.

trb · 04/19/2010, 05:32 PM

Congrats! I have twin boys (9yrs old now) so welcome to the multiples club!

What kind of tank it is, rimmed or rimless? How is your light suspended? If you have a hood, I would not worry about it at all since the light would be shining through the water in the tank and not directly out the sides. That should filter out much of the brightness. But if your lights are suspended above the tank or mounted on legs, I could understand wanting to shield them from the light. Might not bother them, but why take a chance.

Have you thought about getting some black or smoke acrylic and make a sun shield to fit on the top edge of your tank, effectively shielding the light from directly shining out? I'm planning on doing something similar to mine on my display sump, but more for asthetics to hide the wires and plumbing. It will be an elongated "U" shaped piece, about 6" tall that fits right inside the rim of my 29g tank. Easy to remove for maintenance, but it will block the stray light and power cords and such.

Good luck with the twins! It's not quite twice as much work with two at once, but you will get twice as much joy & love in return!

Brent RH · 04/19/2010, 09:16 PM

Acrylic... good thinking. I know my local hardware store has clear acrylic but not sure where I can get black or tinted. What type of company works with acrylic? The fish stores around me just have clear. I hope the boys are a real joy. They're our first!

pepsiDX20 · 04/19/2010, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rxonco

First of all, congratulations. Second, I wouldn't worry about it. Unless you've got some MH's mounted above their crib, it's not going to cause any problems.

second.

I used to park my son in front of the tank.. He loved to sit there and watch the colors. Until he discovered tv around 2 that is.

Brent RH · 04/19/2010, 09:39 PM

lights are about 8" off the surface. And they do bother my eyes at couch sitting level. Why have I not done something about this sooner...? I'm not sure.

trb · 04/19/2010, 10:01 PM

We have several acrylic suppliers and fabricators around town, and they sell their scrap pieces for cheap. They have all kinds, clear, white, smoke, black, even a few colors. I usually can get a 1' by 4' piece or two of 1/4" or 3/8" for about $5 or so,and then cut it with my saw using a very fine tooth blade. I use Weldon 16 acrylic adhesive to glue it together.

Might just search for an acrylic supplier in your area and see if they sell their scraps. If not, you could always use clear acrylic and some Krylon Fusion black paint.

04/18/2010, 06:26 PM	#1
Brent RH Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: central Minnesota Posts: 311	New twinkies and a bright light Have "twins" future reefers on the way into our world any day now. I've been throwing around different ideas about blocking the light from my tank into my living room, but nothing seems real brilliant. (maybe a 6 month thing) I'm picturing them laying on the carpet with wondering eyes looking into my tank light. My tank is not going to move. Not really looking to build a cage around it with a blanket or anything of this nature. Best idea I've come up with is, to take magnetic clips or hooks and fasten them all around my light. Then cutting down a dark shower curtain to size to just cover the glass and hang from the clips. OR. Even thought of taking pvc pipes and shaping them to the back of my stand, sort of creating a halo over my tank. Both these ideas seem a bit clumsy. Ideas??? PLEASE!

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04/18/2010, 06:51 PM	#2
rxonco Reef Pharmacist Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 217	First of all, congratulations. Second, I wouldn't worry about it. Unless you've got some MH's mounted above their crib, it's not going to cause any problems.

04/19/2010, 05:32 PM	#3
trb Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 234	Congrats! I have twin boys (9yrs old now) so welcome to the multiples club! What kind of tank it is, rimmed or rimless? How is your light suspended? If you have a hood, I would not worry about it at all since the light would be shining through the water in the tank and not directly out the sides. That should filter out much of the brightness. But if your lights are suspended above the tank or mounted on legs, I could understand wanting to shield them from the light. Might not bother them, but why take a chance. Have you thought about getting some black or smoke acrylic and make a sun shield to fit on the top edge of your tank, effectively shielding the light from directly shining out? I'm planning on doing something similar to mine on my display sump, but more for asthetics to hide the wires and plumbing. It will be an elongated "U" shaped piece, about 6" tall that fits right inside the rim of my 29g tank. Easy to remove for maintenance, but it will block the stray light and power cords and such. Good luck with the twins! It's not quite twice as much work with two at once, but you will get twice as much joy & love in return!

04/19/2010, 09:16 PM	#4
Brent RH Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: central Minnesota Posts: 311	Acrylic... good thinking. I know my local hardware store has clear acrylic but not sure where I can get black or tinted. What type of company works with acrylic? The fish stores around me just have clear. I hope the boys are a real joy. They're our first!

04/19/2010, 09:39 PM	#6
Brent RH Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: central Minnesota Posts: 311	lights are about 8" off the surface. And they do bother my eyes at couch sitting level. Why have I not done something about this sooner...? I'm not sure.

04/19/2010, 10:01 PM	#7
trb Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 234	We have several acrylic suppliers and fabricators around town, and they sell their scrap pieces for cheap. They have all kinds, clear, white, smoke, black, even a few colors. I usually can get a 1' by 4' piece or two of 1/4" or 3/8" for about $5 or so,and then cut it with my saw using a very fine tooth blade. I use Weldon 16 acrylic adhesive to glue it together. Might just search for an acrylic supplier in your area and see if they sell their scraps. If not, you could always use clear acrylic and some Krylon Fusion black paint.