If you have no canopy, how much light spill are you getting?

[smokinreefer]

Hey folks!

If you're running a tank with no canopy, I'd like your feedback.

I was currently running now a maxspect razor on my tank, it's mounts with the legs it comes with. It's 8" off the top of the tank. But being led, and not having wide optics I had no noticeable light spill.

I added some retro t5s, and the light spill was crazy annoying and I had to throw together a hood to block the blinding light.


I was hoping my next tank would be rimless open top with a fixture mounted on top. So for those of you running fixtures mounted on the tanks, what fixture are you using, how high is it off the top of the tank? How much light spill do you get?

The tank will be beside the dining table and I don't want to blind everyone sitting down to eat lol

Thanks!

[Myka]

My ATI T5 fixture is about 5" off the water. Plenty of light spill and it's right beside the couch. I'll take T5s in the eyes over LEDs in the eyes though. :D

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

My wife made a cloth curtain system to go around the top of my tank so it is easy to access the tank, but it blocks off the light spill so there's no glare in the eyes. Works well.

[smokinreefer]

My ATI T5 fixture is about 5" off the water. Plenty of light spill and it's right beside the couch. I'll take T5s in the eyes over LEDs in the eyes though. :D

Hoe wife is your fixture? How wide is your tank?
I'm planning for a 30" wide tank, would you think of a fixture was centered on a wide tank the light spill will be less? Or is the viewing angle from sitting too low for it to make a difference?

My wife made a cloth curtain system to go around the top of my tank so it is easy to access the tank, but it blocks off the light spill so there's no glare in the eyes. Works well.

Great idea. Though if need be I'll have a low profile canopy. I'm trying to see if it's possible to have an Open top rimless tank, that's the ideal look I'm going for. Only blinding the family at meal time won't be tolerated. :p

[Myka]

Hoe wife is your fixture? How wide is your tank?
I'm planning for a 30" wide tank, would you think of a fixture was centered on a wide tank the light spill will be less? Or is the viewing angle from sitting too low for it to make a difference?

Tank is 24" wide and fixture is 15" wide. It's not the front that gets the spill though, it's the sides. :)


Here's a pic of the view from the couch.
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160124/9f6698f2dd1f45443d0930d7fe6f7bc9.jpg

[smokinreefer]

Thanks for the pic. And nice tank!

Well, that's interesting. If the light spill is predominantly from the sides, that should be ok.

How do you like the gyre?

[Myka]

Thanks for the pic. And nice tank!

Well, that's interesting. If the light spill is predominantly from the sides, that should be ok.

How do you like the gyre?

I don't think you'll get much light spill from the front if your tank is 30" wide, even if you buy a 10-bulb fixture.

The Gyre was a first generation Gyre and it had a cracked cord (very common with first gens) and it was very noisy - could hear it ramping up and down, very electronic sounding. I could not deal with the noise. The motor block and mount were replaced with the latest versions, and now it's dead silent. The mount made all the difference in the world. Now I like it. :D I got the Gyre after my tank was running, and the rockwork wasn't designed with a Gyre in mind. I wish the tank was laid out opposite so that the Gyre could be on the other side away from the couch but it is what it is. The most intense flow is on the opposite side of the Gyre, and that's where all my flow-loving corals are. I run it at 50% - any more and there's a sand storm. I probably could have used the 130, but I like the idea of running half power.

[Craigdillman]

I was just considering when I get my retro check of making my Leds into a canopy and adding some supplemental T5s

[Ace Storman]

My Current USA pro lights (x3 strips) sit right on the lip of the tank and are a couple of inches off the water. Very little spill over and even light through out the tank.
Intensity cut back to 50 percent whites and 55 percent blue. Tried to attach some pictures but 'failed because I am missing some sort of token'.
Perhaps an admin can help...

[Ace Storman]

OK, managed to figure the picture thing. Turns out that I was trying to upload too large a file size. Here are some pic's with my lights (and excuse the quality of the pictures...first time uploading)...

[smokinreefer]

Thanks for the input.
And you're tank looks deep, gonna be killer when corals are grown out.
Nice coralline coverage.

So looks like not much light spill on any Led fixtures sitting on the tank.

But need to be weary of t5 light spill.