Lighting Fixtures..

[Poolrad]

I have a 46g bowfront with an all-glass (glass) lid & double 30watt light. I want to step up to something stronger such as a compact or halide. My question is do you need to remove the glass lid to use a compact or halide? All the pics of the tanks I see with them have an open top. I would prefer to have it enclosed because of other animals in the house..

How can I keep the top of the tank enclosed but upgrade my lighting?

 

[malkore]

switch to egg-crate, which you'll find in the fluorescent lighting isle at a Home Depot/Lowe's kind of store. Basically it's a plastic grid with 1/4" squares that'll replace your glass top. Allows heat to escape, good gas exchange, but prevents jumpers (and curious kitty paws).

 

[Poolrad]

Would you egg crate the entire top of the tank? Or just the parts not covered by the lamp? How about corrosion and water loss, wouldn't it be bad without a cover?

Thanks for the information so far, it has me thinking...

 

[Hara]

Because of the fact your lights are usually centered above the tank, using eggcrate on the whole tank top is a good idea. The water loss is higher due to evaporation, but that is not really a bad thing unless you have an aversion to topping off water

 

[David03]

Great Question Poolrad, had the same one myself.

Malkore, I assume you cut the egg crate so that it covers the front section, and set the light itself on the lip of the aquarium (essentially having the lights take up about 1/3 of the space, and the egg crate taking up the other 2/3). Or would you set the light fixture on top of the egg crate?

Thanks again.

 

[Bearfan]

I tried the eggcrate today actually and posted in another thread about it. I found it cut down my PC lighting too much, it may not with pendant MH.

 

[Poolrad]

So what other options are there if you don't go the egg-crate method? Just leave it open? I think my cat would be swimming in it too much if that were left like that...

*edit*
Could you put a canopy over it? Would there be enough space in the canopy to put the lighting?