Got my new light!! Questions....

[lbannie]

Just got my new light fixture, It has 2 39w 12000k daylight bulbs, 2 39w actinic bulbs, and 3 led moonlights. It's 36" long on my 30 gal tank. Everything is great, I plugged it in and it seems BLINDING bright!!! It came with legs that make it sit about 5-6" above tank, so it seems a lot of light is escaping into the living room. Today I tried taking the legs off and it's a bit better.....Anyway, Could it be possible this is too much light? I would like to eventually get an anemone, would it be ok to take 1 daylight and 1 actinic out? Or do I need all 4? Thanks Guys!!

 

[austinsdad]

There'slikely gonna be too mcuh salt creep without the legs. Also, with good water surface agitation, the light is too close to the water IMO. Legs on light fixtures naturally create "bleeding"/escaping light. I'd put the legs back on.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Agree with what Ray said. Not sure if you're open top or not on the tank, but if you have the light sitting directly on a glass top, you'll probably break the glass at some point. Many time you hear of folks putting their lighting fixtures directly on the glass, then the glass breaks, then the fixture goes "plunk" into the tank. Bad things happen after that.

In addition, it's not too much light.

 

[lbannie]

hmmm.....how about plexiglass top? I had an idea of getting a piece for the top and drilling holes all over it for air/gas exchange. good idea? or not?

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Most folks that want a cover for the top that provides good air circulation but keeps the "jumpers" in use plastic eggcrate. It's the stuff you can find at the hardware stores in the lighting departments, for diffusing in-ceiling fluorescent lighting. You can get it either white or black.

 

[austinsdad]

Or, build a cover with polypropelene netting. I'll show you a pic later after I get home.