Light reflector against or above top?

deocder

deocder

redcoed
May 3, 2004
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My current setup has two reflectors (AHSupply CF) sitting on top of the glass. I have built a canopy and wanted to know if I should raise the lights to the top of the canopy (3-4") or leave them resting on the glass. It seems like the light gets dispersed better with the reflector closer to the surface of the water. If I were to raise the reflectors, the black strip (hinge) from the glass top will block a portion of the light. Aside from the fact that the lights should not be against the glass for safety reasons, could some of you share your experiences with light placement height?

Oh yea, this is my 55g planted tank.
 
i didnt think it was safe to put the lights directly on the glass so i screwed the reflectors onto a 1x2 and then attached that to the canopy. keeps it low but also raises it a little so the glass wont break and the heat gets dispersed a little.
 
I'm inclined to do as blitzen25bm did, of course, mine are at the top of my hood with a small space above for circulation. If you can space the lights out, infront of and behind the black strip, the amount of light blocked by the black strip will be negligable.
 
The closer they are to the water surface, the more light that reaches the lower portions of the tank. Light intensity decreases rapidly with distance. But play it smart and keep the fixtures a safe dista.nce from the water
 
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