Reef Central Online Community

Go Back   Reef Central Online Community > Special Interest Group (SIG) Forums > Nano Reefs
Blogs FAQ Calendar Mark Forums Read

Notices

User Tag List

Reply
Thread Tools
Unread 10/12/2010, 08:54 PM   #1
raesunrae
Registered Member
 
raesunrae's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Nashville, Tn.
Posts: 22
150W Metal Halide upgrade. Did I make a mistake?

Hi all. I just bought an Odyssea 150W metal halide w actinic T5 Fixture for my 24G Nano cube with glass top. Although the fixture is definetley producing the light, I can't figure out how to keep it contained to the tank and not blinding me when I sit on my couch or look at the tank from the reflection off the top of the water. It literally lights up my room and the floors and walls when it's on. It is made to fit this tank. My tank width is 18" and the fixture itself is 17". Legs are adjustable but the fixture is not hanging over the edges of my tank. What can I do to contain the light to the tank. I have never had a metal halide and wasn't expecting this. As I can't return for refund but only exchange, this fixture is a little more light than expected. I have had this fixture for a day and want to sell it along with 2 spare T5 bulbs if can't tone down the "stage lights" in my living room! Please help with any advice.


raesunrae is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 10/12/2010, 09:02 PM   #2
fish77
Registered Member
 
fish77's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 335
Never had MH myself but maybe you can try a canopy (if you don't have one) or move the light higher/lower over the tank to see which spot has the least light coming into the room. Just shooting ideas out JMO


__________________
Addicted....

Current Tank Info: 100 gallon reef in the works
fish77 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 10/12/2010, 09:16 PM   #3
dtran01
Registered Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 52
you can purchase light diffusers at walmart that can diffuse the light to something more manageable. this is akin to everyday house lamp fixtures - they spread the light out to the whole room instead of just having a glaring bright bulb to look at. In your case, you only want to line the edges of the ballast so that the water that is directly underneath the tank get the full treatment.

you may not want to run the T5's at the same time, and maybe just run them with actinics in a sunrise/sunset schedule.


dtran01 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 10/12/2010, 09:37 PM   #4
JasonBJones
Registered Member
 
JasonBJones's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 508
How far off the water is the light?

You will generally see some light spill with halide lights. You could try to fashion something to block the light from spilling.

Are you still running the glass top? If so, take that off and see if it helps. You will probably want to take it off anyway because it will hold heat into the tank and that will be an issue with the MH above it. The glass could also be causing a reflection.

But overall, any time you have a light that is not enclosed in a hood it will be much more noticeable.


JasonBJones is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 10/13/2010, 08:46 AM   #5
nvdiz
Registered Member
 
nvdiz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Skokie
Posts: 1,345
I had the same light on the same tank and its not that bad man... The fixture is already low as it could be. I now have the sunpod and the light spill is not as bad, but it does still light up its surrroundings. You're very likely to see similar results with other fixtures/pendants unless the reflectors are focusing the light in a way it wouldnt cause light spill. Like someone said earlier though, light diffusers provide an easy fix.


nvdiz is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 10/13/2010, 11:01 PM   #6
dtran01
Registered Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 52
you can always go the low-tech route and just tape toilet paper round the edges


dtran01 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 10/14/2010, 11:34 PM   #7
Enyo
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 272
I have bad light spill from my 250w. I am looking into DIY Barn-doors for the pendant made out of aluminum painted to prevent corrosion.

If you figure anything out, let us know


__________________
Elos system 70 and 17g
Enyo is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 10/15/2010, 08:24 PM   #8
waynotcars
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 24
I made diy canopies for my tanks. They are really easy if you can cut wood. Just cut 1 x 6 0r 8" wood the exact measurements of tank rim. Buy those little meta; "L" brackets at hardware store and screw the wood together from inside using the brackets. Then cut a piece of plywood for a lid. Screw the light on the underside of this lid and lay it on your wood perimeter you just made. Lay the top onto your wood perimeter. This does a couple things. First it lifts the light 6 to 8" above water surface. This keeps it cooler and prevents salt spray from hitting your bulb. It also keeps all the light within the tank. Paint or stain the outside of canopy whatever color your desire. Takes about an hour or two to build and works and looks awesome.


waynotcars is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 10/15/2010, 09:36 PM   #9
raesunrae
Registered Member
 
raesunrae's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Nashville, Tn.
Posts: 22
Thanks everyone! I will check into the light diffusers. I would love to make a canopy for the tank but...although I am very creative, I don't have the tools to do it. Plus the tank has a little bow to the front. Thank you all for your advice. I'll let you know what route I try and what works! BUT.....I think I'll scrap the "toilet paper" idea!! Thanks anyway though!! LMAO!!


raesunrae is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 10/16/2010, 11:13 AM   #10
maddmaxx
Registered Member
 
maddmaxx's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Jersey Shore
Posts: 3,003
Quote:
Originally Posted by dtran01 View Post
you can always go the low-tech route and just tape toilet paper round the edges
hahahaha


__________________
One Life One Shot

Current Tank Info: 40B Mixed reef
maddmaxx is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 10/16/2010, 11:13 PM   #11
raesunrae
Registered Member
 
raesunrae's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Nashville, Tn.
Posts: 22
Someone made me an offer on th MH's...I sold them... I couldn't handle the brightness all over my living room. PLUS, all I kept seeing through the bright light was $$ signs! LOL!

I already have a 36 watt T5 HO fixture. 18w 10k and 18w actinc. I ordered another just like it. That will give me 72w T5HO individual reflectors. No worries about heat and elecric bill.

Can anyone tell me what coral I can grow with this lighting? They are individual reflectors. Plus I have an Ecoxotic actinic LED strip. All this is over a 24G Nano. Glass top.

Thanks for all your help!!



Last edited by raesunrae; 10/16/2010 at 11:19 PM. Reason: wrong word
raesunrae is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 10/17/2010, 02:03 PM   #12
maddmaxx
Registered Member
 
maddmaxx's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Jersey Shore
Posts: 3,003
Quote:
Originally Posted by raesunrae View Post
Someone made me an offer on th MH's...I sold them... I couldn't handle the brightness all over my living room. PLUS, all I kept seeing through the bright light was $$ signs! LOL!

I already have a 36 watt T5 HO fixture. 18w 10k and 18w actinc. I ordered another just like it. That will give me 72w T5HO individual reflectors. No worries about heat and elecric bill.

Can anyone tell me what coral I can grow with this lighting? They are individual reflectors. Plus I have an Ecoxotic actinic LED strip. All this is over a 24G Nano. Glass top.

Thanks for all your help!!


you can prolly have anything you want in the tank!


__________________
One Life One Shot

Current Tank Info: 40B Mixed reef
maddmaxx is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 10/17/2010, 02:46 PM   #13
no_Wedge
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Texas
Posts: 422
t5 can grow sps they just don't penetrate as deep so you will need to put them higher in the tank.


no_Wedge is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 10/17/2010, 09:36 PM   #14
raesunrae
Registered Member
 
raesunrae's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Nashville, Tn.
Posts: 22
Cool! I have a friend that traded me a bunch of frags( like 11) for my 12G nano. Included was 3 different colored birds nest. He knows my wattage and is kind of doing an "experiment" under my T5's. I placed them all the way at the top. I'll let you kmow how it goes! Wish me luck!


raesunrae is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
fixture, light, light upgrade, metal halide 150 watt, nano

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
150W Metal Halide upgrade on 24G Nanocube raesunrae Nano Reefs 3 10/05/2010 01:22 PM
WTB: 150 Metal Halide w/ or w/o T5's Jboulerice Florida Marine Aquarium Society (FMAS) - Miami/Ft. Lauderdale 1 03/05/2010 01:33 PM
Metal Halide Question... bzotter Lighting, Filtration & Other Equipment 3 11/03/2009 10:40 PM
Need 24" Metal Halide or combo light pjscales Northern Ohio Reef Keepers 15 11/03/2009 05:42 PM
Should I upgrade to T5 or MH? black_ice_pc Lighting, Filtration & Other Equipment 40 10/16/2009 10:52 PM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:24 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Powered by Searchlight © 2024 Axivo Inc.
Use of this web site is subject to the terms and conditions described in the user agreement.
Reef CentralTM Reef Central, LLC. Copyright ©1999-2022
User Alert System provided by Advanced User Tagging v3.3.0 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.