How far off water surface should my lights be?

Clancaster23 · 03/05/2014, 01:11 PM

Due to my very low ceiling in this room, after hanging my led lights, they are about 2 1/2" inches off the surface of the water. Is this high enough off the surface or should I look into maybe finding shorter hanging cable and make it shorter? They are 3W led's, 40 per unit and there will be four units across the tank.

Berje · 03/05/2014, 01:18 PM

My t5's have legs and are only like 2 inches off of the water so you should be fine.

rocsec1 · 03/05/2014, 02:34 PM

Mine are 8 inches off and that seems to be good for my tank.

hkgar · 03/05/2014, 03:02 PM

It really dependds on the spread of the lights. The further off the water the greater the spread. Closer also increases the intensity, so you will want to be careful with that.

power boat jim · 03/05/2014, 03:06 PM

My leds are 18 in off the water. That low they are susceptable to splash and bubble spray let alone a possible poor spread of light.

Clancaster23 · 03/05/2014, 03:14 PM

They don't have optics on them so the light spread is ok. I may see if I can find some new cables and have them shorter so I can raise the lights just a couple more inches for good clearance.

This is a newly cycled tank with just a chromis in there so I have time to figure out where to have the lights without really messing anything up. No corals yet.

I have what's basically a coast to coast overflow and that basically is all the top water movement that goes on in the tank so not a whole lot of splashing around to get salt on the lights.

unitedbga · 03/05/2014, 11:23 PM

Without optics the spread will be fine. Like others said you will be cleaning your lights often at that height. 4 to 6 inches would be good. Without optics you don't want to go much higher then 6 inches because you will quickly lose intensity.

03/05/2014, 01:11 PM	#1
Clancaster23 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 204	How far off water surface should my lights be? Due to my very low ceiling in this room, after hanging my led lights, they are about 2 1/2" inches off the surface of the water. Is this high enough off the surface or should I look into maybe finding shorter hanging cable and make it shorter? They are 3W led's, 40 per unit and there will be four units across the tank.

03/05/2014, 03:02 PM	#4
hkgar Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Dewitt MI Posts: 5,051	It really dependds on the spread of the lights. The further off the water the greater the spread. Closer also increases the intensity, so you will want to be careful with that. __________________ Gary 180 gallon, 40 gallon sump, 3 250 W MH + 4 80W ATI T5's, MTC MVX 36 Skimmer, Apex controller Aquamaxx T-3 CaRx Current Tank Info: A 2 Barred Rabbitfish, Red Head Salon, Yellow/Purple, McMaster Fairy, Possum, 2 Leopard Wrasses, Kole, & Atlantic Blue Tangs, 2 Percula Clown, 3 PJ and 1 Banggai Cardinalfish , Swallowtail, Bellus and Coral Beauty Angels

03/05/2014, 01:18 PM	#2
Berje Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 63	My t5's have legs and are only like 2 inches off of the water so you should be fine.

03/05/2014, 02:34 PM	#3
rocsec1 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Medina oh Posts: 1,782	Mine are 8 inches off and that seems to be good for my tank.

03/05/2014, 03:06 PM	#5
power boat jim Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Wisconsin, The big peninsula Posts: 2,100	My leds are 18 in off the water. That low they are susceptable to splash and bubble spray let alone a possible poor spread of light.

03/05/2014, 03:14 PM	#6
Clancaster23 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 204	They don't have optics on them so the light spread is ok. I may see if I can find some new cables and have them shorter so I can raise the lights just a couple more inches for good clearance. This is a newly cycled tank with just a chromis in there so I have time to figure out where to have the lights without really messing anything up. No corals yet. I have what's basically a coast to coast overflow and that basically is all the top water movement that goes on in the tank so not a whole lot of splashing around to get salt on the lights.

03/05/2014, 11:23 PM	#7
unitedbga Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 160	Without optics the spread will be fine. Like others said you will be cleaning your lights often at that height. 4 to 6 inches would be good. Without optics you don't want to go much higher then 6 inches because you will quickly lose intensity.