How Far are Your PCs, T5s, or VHOs off the Water?

HowardW · 03/15/2006, 02:37 PM

Been doing some reading about the various flourescent type bulbs and their distance from the water and also using the eggcrate above the water and its benefits, and it seems that both VHOs and power compacts need to be REALLY close to do any good, (like no more than 3 - 5") any anything substantially more than 6" and they are just mostly for asthetics at that point and very inefficient.

I'm not really sure about the T5s though and just how far off the water they can go before they really become inefficient or far less useful. I see many of the LFS keep their PCs and VHOs up to 12 -18" from the water on their invert and coral tanks......hmmm.

So how far are your lights from the water?

Entropy · 03/15/2006, 03:14 PM

I have my VHO's six inches off the water (actincs) and the Halides are about 4 inches. You want to get them as close as possible to get the most out of them. When I was running all VHO, my bulbs where actually laying on the top of the tank. Don't go by the LFS setups, because their lighting is more for color since their stock doesn't stay in their tanks for long. If you must go by the LFS, go by their display tank and not their holding tanks.

zapata41 · 03/15/2006, 05:29 PM

also the lfs keeps the bulbs that high to make catching inverts and grabbing corals easier. I run my VHO actinis 4" off the water and halides about 10"

Tim

dandydan · 03/15/2006, 06:19 PM

Hi,
I just asked that question of my D&D area sales, he says as close as poss on my T5's, so now about 1.5" which may change when summer comes due to heat transfer.

zapata41 · 03/15/2006, 07:12 PM

i ran my T5 about 4" off the water and had no problems keeping what i wanted where i wanted

Tim

rickh · 03/15/2006, 08:19 PM

I have 195 watts of PC with the tubes probably about 3" from the water. It's a Current USA light sitting on a glass cover. R

bjonesjr1 · 03/15/2006, 08:59 PM

I keep my CustomSeaLife fixture about 4 inches from the water and it seems to do the tank good, never have to turn my heater on the temp always stays at 78 and the tank is open so never changes more than a degree, I always clean the bottom of my fixture of all the salt like once every two weeks to keep that from building up too bad

cowboy99 · 03/16/2006, 09:21 AM

i have a question that mildly relates to this thread. Do people put

anything between their lights and the water like a glass top to

the tank or not?

dc_909 · 03/16/2006, 09:51 AM

don't put glass between the lights and water because you will lose some of the intensity of the bulbs.

rickh · 03/16/2006, 11:52 AM

I personally use a glass cover. People spend big money on high tech reflectors (T-5 for example) then let salt destroy them. It's also sad to find one of your fish on the floor in the morning, dry as a bone. If you are concerned about gas exchange or evaporative cooling--put a fan on the sump. Works for me. R

Entropy · 03/16/2006, 03:12 PM

I have tried glass tops, eggcrate, and open top and have found open top to be by far the best. You get more and better light penetration and better cooling. So far in the two years I have been running open I have lost one firefish and a couple of snails, so I am not too worried.

cowboy99 · 03/16/2006, 05:37 PM

If you leave it uncovered do you find things like dust in the water or whatever might have just fallen in that was floating in the air?

03/15/2006, 02:37 PM	#1
HowardW Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Aurora, IL Posts: 1,763	How Far are Your PCs, T5s, or VHOs off the Water? Been doing some reading about the various flourescent type bulbs and their distance from the water and also using the eggcrate above the water and its benefits, and it seems that both VHOs and power compacts need to be REALLY close to do any good, (like no more than 3 - 5") any anything substantially more than 6" and they are just mostly for asthetics at that point and very inefficient. I'm not really sure about the T5s though and just how far off the water they can go before they really become inefficient or far less useful. I see many of the LFS keep their PCs and VHOs up to 12 -18" from the water on their invert and coral tanks......hmmm. So how far are your lights from the water?

03/15/2006, 03:14 PM	#2
Entropy Texas Reefer Join Date: May 2003 Location: Round Rock, TX Posts: 13,656	I have my VHO's six inches off the water (actincs) and the Halides are about 4 inches. You want to get them as close as possible to get the most out of them. When I was running all VHO, my bulbs where actually laying on the top of the tank. Don't go by the LFS setups, because their lighting is more for color since their stock doesn't stay in their tanks for long. If you must go by the LFS, go by their display tank and not their holding tanks. __________________ Rich Overton 150G cube FOWLR, 30g sump, ReefKeeperII, 3x Koralia 1400's, QuiteOne 3000, Reef Octopus DNWB150, 4x 30w Par38 LED. Current Tank Info: 36x36x27 150g

03/15/2006, 06:19 PM	#4
dandydan Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: UK Posts: 284	Hi, I just asked that question of my D&D area sales, he says as close as poss on my T5's, so now about 1.5" which may change when summer comes due to heat transfer. __________________ Dan the Man Current Tank Info: 560Ltrs actual, DIY LED lighting, Deltec TC2060 due to NPS

03/15/2006, 08:59 PM	#7
bjonesjr1 Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: St. Petersburg, FL Posts: 1,258	I keep my CustomSeaLife fixture about 4 inches from the water and it seems to do the tank good, never have to turn my heater on the temp always stays at 78 and the tank is open so never changes more than a degree, I always clean the bottom of my fixture of all the salt like once every two weeks to keep that from building up too bad __________________ Bobby Current Tank Info: 75gal, LifeReef CLF1 Sump & SVS2-24 Skimmer

03/16/2006, 03:12 PM	#11
Entropy Texas Reefer Join Date: May 2003 Location: Round Rock, TX Posts: 13,656	I have tried glass tops, eggcrate, and open top and have found open top to be by far the best. You get more and better light penetration and better cooling. So far in the two years I have been running open I have lost one firefish and a couple of snails, so I am not too worried. __________________ Rich Overton 150G cube FOWLR, 30g sump, ReefKeeperII, 3x Koralia 1400's, QuiteOne 3000, Reef Octopus DNWB150, 4x 30w Par38 LED. Current Tank Info: 36x36x27 150g

03/15/2006, 05:29 PM	#3
zapata41 Moved On Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Humboldt County, CA Posts: 2,024	also the lfs keeps the bulbs that high to make catching inverts and grabbing corals easier. I run my VHO actinis 4" off the water and halides about 10" Tim

03/15/2006, 07:12 PM	#5
zapata41 Moved On Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Humboldt County, CA Posts: 2,024	i ran my T5 about 4" off the water and had no problems keeping what i wanted where i wanted Tim

03/15/2006, 08:19 PM	#6
rickh Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Lost_in_Michigan Posts: 1,306	I have 195 watts of PC with the tubes probably about 3" from the water. It's a Current USA light sitting on a glass cover. R

03/16/2006, 09:21 AM	#8
cowboy99 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 33	i have a question that mildly relates to this thread. Do people put anything between their lights and the water like a glass top to the tank or not?

03/16/2006, 09:51 AM	#9
dc_909 Moved On Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Murrieta, CA Posts: 3,260	don't put glass between the lights and water because you will lose some of the intensity of the bulbs.

03/16/2006, 11:52 AM	#10
rickh Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Lost_in_Michigan Posts: 1,306	I personally use a glass cover. People spend big money on high tech reflectors (T-5 for example) then let salt destroy them. It's also sad to find one of your fish on the floor in the morning, dry as a bone. If you are concerned about gas exchange or evaporative cooling--put a fan on the sump. Works for me. R

03/16/2006, 05:37 PM	#12
cowboy99 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 33	If you leave it uncovered do you find things like dust in the water or whatever might have just fallen in that was floating in the air?