I`m thinking of getting rid of my hood and going with mh pendants suspended over the tank.Just seems like it would be a lot less hassle that way.Anyone out there done this? Is there a down side I`m not seeing?I`ve spent a ton on pc and vho hoods and would like an opinion before jumping again.
pendant instead of hood
- Thread starter paats
- Start date
I went from canopy to pendants and it's been great. It is so much easier to maintain the tank and the temp does not go up nearly as fast.
There are two drawbacks. 1) Evaporation is much higher so you need to make more topoff water and 2) I lost one fish to jumping out.
I still think it's well worth the change.
There are two drawbacks. 1) Evaporation is much higher so you need to make more topoff water and 2) I lost one fish to jumping out.
I still think it's well worth the change.
I should think that the biggest drawback of pendants on their own is that you lose the flexibility to change your lighting/reflector configuration without affecting the "look". Within a hood, you can have all kinds of nasty stuff - just choose what you want, however ugly, it's hidden ! Swap it around.....
Obviously, not everyone is sensitive to this.
Btw am personally suspicious of the "sleek and slinky" low profile pendants because I don't see how you can make a reflector that slimline and have it work as you would wish. I have seen a lot of tanks using them where I really think there's as much light on the sofa as in the tank. Apart from the waste, that can also be a health risk.
kim
Obviously, not everyone is sensitive to this.
Btw am personally suspicious of the "sleek and slinky" low profile pendants because I don't see how you can make a reflector that slimline and have it work as you would wish. I have seen a lot of tanks using them where I really think there's as much light on the sofa as in the tank. Apart from the waste, that can also be a health risk.
kim
I second Kim's opinion. There's too much light "spray" everywhere.
This also makes for poor viewing of your tank. I like to turn off all the room lights and just leave the tank lights on. But if the tank lights illuminate the whole room, then that kinda sucks.
Kim what exactly are the health risks? I'm just curious as I've worked in many places where halides were used for lighting.
This also makes for poor viewing of your tank. I like to turn off all the room lights and just leave the tank lights on. But if the tank lights illuminate the whole room, then that kinda sucks.
Kim what exactly are the health risks? I'm just curious as I've worked in many places where halides were used for lighting.
At the LBAOP they use pendants for the external display tanks. What they use for the tops are acrylic 'hoods' that haven't got tops, they're about... ohh.. about 10" tall I think? (Workin' on memory here.) So, essentially they do have hoods, but not to contain any fixtures. I think it works very well, as the hoods are able to be continuous, and thusly prevent animals that jump from doing anything other than being bounced back into the tank.
In the home, I think a gorgeous display could incorporate some houseplants strategically displayed to take advantage of any light 'spillover'.
In the home, I think a gorgeous display could incorporate some houseplants strategically displayed to take advantage of any light 'spillover'.
PeeJ":1i8p0273 said:
I'd be concerned about UV and my eye. While I guess most pendants use DE halides with cover glasses, I'm not sure that I would want to risk long-term direct exposure to the light. Some reflected, indirect and diffused light in the room - okay - but if I were sitting in a low chair staring unto the full beam of the halide, from maybe 3 feet away, for extended periods. No thanks ! I have been quite dazzled by some people's set-ups, and it hasn't always been the coral growth....
I am not a physician, I just feel that it's wrong.
kim
The light "spray" effect was my big concern too.I don`t want to light the whole basement up.I even thought about suspending a bar above the tank to attach the mh to.This would give a little stability to them and allow you to angle them and move the fixtures a little closer to the front of the tank and tilt them slightly back,away from the viewers eye to not light the room up so much.
Just food for thought.Thanks for the opinions everyone,I`ll keep working on it. Btw ,I love that idea Seamaiden.
Just food for thought.Thanks for the opinions everyone,I`ll keep working on it. Btw ,I love that idea Seamaiden.
Two excellent articles to read if you're interested in reflectors and stray light:
ANALYZING REFLECTORS: PART I – MOGUL EFLECTORS by SANJAY JOSHI & TIMOTHY MARKS
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/ ... eature.htm
Analyzing Reflectors: Part II - Double Ended Lamp Reflectors by SANJAY JOSHI and TIMOTHY MARKS
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/ ... eature.htm
Look for a reflector that does not have much of any light reading at the outer edges of the 12" pattern graph. What you're going to want if you're concerned about stray light leakage is a deep reflector.
Shane
ANALYZING REFLECTORS: PART I – MOGUL EFLECTORS by SANJAY JOSHI & TIMOTHY MARKS
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/ ... eature.htm
Analyzing Reflectors: Part II - Double Ended Lamp Reflectors by SANJAY JOSHI and TIMOTHY MARKS
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/ ... eature.htm
Look for a reflector that does not have much of any light reading at the outer edges of the 12" pattern graph. What you're going to want if you're concerned about stray light leakage is a deep reflector.
Shane
The stray lighting doesn't bother me at all, but I personally like my tank more as a garden type experiment than for show purposes. In fact, rarely do visitors to my home ever even see my tank, it's really just for me and the boyfriend.
As far as salt creep, it never is outside the tank, just on the sides of the tank about the water level on the inside, no problems.
Seems that most are pretty serious about having a canopy, but honestly, the pain that the canopy caused the first time I set up my tank is what led me to break it down and start over later. I love being able to maintain the tank water changes, top offs and testing so easily.
As far as salt creep, it never is outside the tank, just on the sides of the tank about the water level on the inside, no problems.
Seems that most are pretty serious about having a canopy, but honestly, the pain that the canopy caused the first time I set up my tank is what led me to break it down and start over later. I love being able to maintain the tank water changes, top offs and testing so easily.
I can tell you of one problem relating to reef lighting.
I was periodicly getting eye infections "conjuctivitus" I think is how you spell it. Turns out I was getting it because of exposure to my actinic lighting. Evidently theres is an infection called "actinic conjuctivitus"
It took forever for us to make the connection and it happened because my girlfriend who is a soon to be nurse found it in one of her medical books. I told my doctor about it and he said "yup" LOL all those years of medical schooling/training and I get a "yup" from him :lol:
While I see some advantages to a canopy, I was always fond of the pendants and used them for years. I hung mine from the ceiling using decorative chain. To remove was simple, just a Molex connector and two hooks.
The "light spray" was not a problem as the tank was in my office and I didn't mind any extra light, I ran a total 1600+ watts through three 24" pendants and the light spray was never *that* bad, even at night.
Plus I think I just like the "industrial" look of them
BTW, the ballasts were in another room so I just jacketed the wiring and ran it down the chain.
James
The "light spray" was not a problem as the tank was in my office and I didn't mind any extra light, I ran a total 1600+ watts through three 24" pendants and the light spray was never *that* bad, even at night.
Plus I think I just like the "industrial" look of them
BTW, the ballasts were in another room so I just jacketed the wiring and ran it down the chain.
James
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