Eggcrate question

[Troy F]

I'm trying to come up with a way to stop fish from jumping and am thinking of cutting eggcrate so that it lays over the top of the tank. This way the fish can't jump on to the center brace either. How much light loss do you think eggcrate would cause? Do you think it would melt from the heat of MH lighting?

[Jack]

Sounds like a pretty good idea, but I bet it's just something you will have to try. I have no idea if it would melt... I have a 400w and that gets warm with my hand under it. Try it, egg crate cant be that expensive.

[SuperFudge]

Hey Troy,

Im pretty sure it would sag soon after you put it in.
I have used it to drain water off live rock before i pack it....ive watched it sag after 1 day in the sunlight thru the window.

Light loss would be also significant i think,as most light would get blocked other than directly below the bulb.

Maybe a better solution for you would be to place a 3-4" peice of eggcrate(or gutter guard...more fine and flexible) vertically off the sides of the brace,and perimeter bracing...although even these would still cuase a little shading aswell as getting bumped when your digging around in there.

P.S. You changed your email?.....
You cant hide from me ! gimme your new one so i can pester you to get your tank done.

Tell that Shadey character..err i mean tree to give me a mail too,he wont return mine.

Marc.

[DJ88]

Marc,

Scott has been busy as h$ll. I was talking to him a week ago or so.

Hows thing out your way?

Troy,

The eggcrate would block a lot of the light that was coming in at a sharper angle than directly from the bulb. So you would get some light loss. How much I can't say. We can find out tho if ya want to try it. I'd come over with my meter and we can do some measurements.

[Troy F]

Marc, my e-mail is follio24@shaw.ca . I had no idea that you were trying to get a hold of me. I did a whole bunch of work on the tank this weekend. Stand is completely together, tank back painted and I've plumbed the overflows, the skimmer and done most of the work on the return and the closed loop. Oh yeah, and I built a matching table for the skimmer. I should be adding water this week. I can't believe how freakin' slow I am. What are you up to next weekend?

Darren, I was going to call you about doing some tests but I think I'll just use eggcrate on the back of the hood. It won't keep them from jumping on the glass but it'll keep 'em from jumping out.

[Troy F]

Here is what Dana Riddle had to say on the subject:

Troy,

Eggcrate was designed for use in luminaires, usually fluorescent lamps in elevators and the like. The holes in *some* eggcrate are beveled and this will actually focus light with point light sources such as MH lamps (though it will not for fluorescent lamps). I'll have to look through my notes, but I believe if the "thin" side of the eggcrate is installed upwards, you'll see focusing occur. I haven't tested eggcrate under MH/fluorescent combinations, so I can't really comment about the overall effect. It certainly won't increase the amount of total radiation, and I suspect there would be an overall, though relatively insignificant, loss of light. But if you want to focus a MH lamp into a deep aquarium, there may be some benefit.

Dana

Maybe we should run a couple of tests Darren. It could be interesting. If Dana is right then I just have to overcome its tendency to sag.

[DJ88]

Troy,

Sounds good to me.. smile.gif I am sure we could come up with some form of bracing to hold it up.

Let me know.

[SuperFudge]

Thanks Troy,

Is Dana refering to the mirrored eggcrate?

I Cant see eggcrate being even remotley close as compared to just "open".

Its like saying reflected light is better than direct....?

Ill e you later,

Marc.

[ 01 April 2002, 19:46: Message edited by: Superfudge ]

[SuperFudge]

An Eggsample ;) ,

If you are looking at one of those eggcrate panels in the ceiling,lets say 6 feet off to the side....you cannot see the bulbs at all.

If you were to remove those eggcrates,you would be able to see those bulbs even at the 6 feet off to the side.

I think this says alot for the light that is being shed to those "side" locations.

Marc.

[ 01 April 2002, 19:39: Message edited by: Superfudge ]

[DJ88]

Marc,

Tried calling ya..

and I have read that report as well. if you look at eggcrate you'll see little grooves running to a point from one side to the other. Forms a littel triangle in the eggcrate. I am gathering that this little triangle focuses the light somehow.

I think it would be interesting to find out how much loss occurs.

[SuperFudge]

darren,Ill e you too later... gettin close to bed time for me.

If these are even made so they reflect light....
and you did get this light to the angled locations,it would be all reflected light.

If there were no eggcrate at all,it would be direct light.

:confused:

[ 01 April 2002, 19:43: Message edited by: Superfudge ]

[DJ88]

Marc,

I know what you mean. It's wierd.. I know it does take some of the light and get it to the water. Don't understand it. But hey.

Sure send me a note anytime.. wanted to see how the new tank is comin. smile.gif :D

Plus haven't chatted in what.. a week? lol

[Troy F]

I know what you are saying Marc. I had the same thoughts while looking at it sitting on the top of the tank, the angled light has to be reduced. Almost looked dim in there. I'm not concerned with a little light loss but I'd be concerned with a lot of light loss.

[StirCrazy]

Ok I used egg crate on two of my fresh water tanks.. now I only had NO tubes on them but the egg create seamed to make the tank brighter (hows that for sientific smile.gif but seriously the tanks were brighter with the egg crate n than with it off.. now I just used plaine old run of the mill white stuff and my NO tubes were about 10 mm from the top of the egg crate. they got warm but that was it.

Steve

[canadawest]

Troy, just wondering which eggcrate you are referring to? The plain old white stuff that most people use for frag shelves, or the polished aluminum type that sits under flourescents in offices?

It's my understanding that the polished aluminum type actually do help disperse the light evenly from flourescent tubes, with little to no reduction in light output. And what with Dana Riddle said, they might even help by focusing the light from point sources like MH and increase the intensity?

But the plain white stuff, cant imagine how it wouldn't do anything but block some of the light, and being plastic, would likely melt or sag pretty easily, especially if close enough to a MH lamp.

But then again, what do I know? I'm Mr no Halides yet! smile.gif