# Setting Aqualights directly on glass hood



## Piranha Guru (Nov 24, 2005)

I've got a couple new tanks and will be moving my p's around. The problem is I want to save and use a 30" Coralife Aqualight CF on a 36" tank (40 long). To do this I would have to set it on the glass instead of the frame. I have the add-on legs, but don't like how high they raise the strip above the top. How much trouble am I asking for? Only the ends touch and the rest of the fixture would be 1/4" off the glass (so all the weight, which isn't much, would be <3" from the edge of the tank on the glass)

I'm also having a hard time finding the right wattage light for my 46g bow and would like to put a 30" Aqualight on there as well. It currently has a 36"/96W, but that is going on my 65g tank along with the CO2. 96W will be a bit much for the 46 (or the 40) w/o CO2 injection, just Excel. My only other opiton appears to be 36" dual light fluorescents which cost more and put out maybe 60W versus 65W, not to mention the whole fluorescent vs. compact fluorescent issue. Any suggestions?


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## harrykaa (Jan 10, 2005)

BioTeach said:


> I've got a couple new tanks and will be moving my p's around. The problem is I want to save and use a 30" Coralife Aqualight CF on a 36" tank (40 long). To do this I would have to set it on the glass instead of the frame.


The fixture itself is not a problem. With common T12 and T8 fluorescents it may very well be on the top glass. But compact fluorescents and T5 fluorescents get very hot and they should not be closer than 1" from the top glass. Best would be 2" distance.

Harry


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## Piranha Guru (Nov 24, 2005)

harrykaa said:


> I've got a couple new tanks and will be moving my p's around. The problem is I want to save and use a 30" Coralife Aqualight CF on a 36" tank (40 long). To do this I would have to set it on the glass instead of the frame.


The fixture itself is not a problem. With common T12 and T8 fluorescents it may very well be on the top glass. But compact fluorescents and T5 fluorescents get very hot and they should not be closer than 1" from the top glass. Best would be 2" distance.

Harry
[/quote]

Hmmmm......all my CF fixtures sit on the frame, and they aren't 1" above the glass







(I'd say maybe .75" if you factor in the distance from the plexi to the bulb inside the fixture). Granted they are all enclosed in their factory housing with a plexiglass shield whereas any regular fluorescent lights I've used are open on the bottom. I guess I'll have to figure out a way to get a little extra distance in there.


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## harrykaa (Jan 10, 2005)

[quote name='BioTeach' date='Oct 21 2006, 07:05 PM' post='1673448'Hmmmm......all my CF fixtures sit on the frame, and they aren't 1" above the glass







(I'd say maybe .75" if you factor in the distance from the plexi to the bulb inside the fixture). Granted they are all enclosed in their factory housing with a plexiglass shield whereas any regular fluorescent lights I've used are open on the bottom. I guess I'll have to figure out a way to get a little extra distance in there.
[/quote]

You may want to check just how hot will your top glass or plexi gets from CF being so close to it.
I have four 54 W T5's in one fixture and bulbs about 2" above the top glass, and the glass still gets pretty hot.

Harry


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## Piranha Guru (Nov 24, 2005)

I know the plexi in the factory fixture housing gets a tad hot. I've touched the glass on the canopy underneath and it gets hot, but not enough that I can't stand to touch it. I'll get some thermometers and see what kind of heat I'm generating on the top glass.

I'm thinking about ordering some 36" dual T-5 fixtures that will give me about 1wpg for low light setups on those tanks instead of the 30" CF, poossibly even a dual and a single for each to make it 1.5wpg. It will cost a bit more, but I've learned one thing in this hobby...skimp now and pay later!!!


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