Light too hot broke tank

[gorak]

I had clamp on light for misc stuff. It is the cheap one with the crome shade from Menards. I have a 75w bulb in it. I had been using it to light some tanks. I set it on my 180gal oceanic. I didnt think nothing of it. Then about a month ago I notice that my glass top was cracked from the heat of the lamp. Then tonight I notice that the center brace was cracked all the way through!!

I have made a 2x4 temp brace until I figure out what I am going to do with the broke brace. Thinking I am going to order another piece of 1/2" glass and replace the one that is there.

There has been no bowing and no chamge to the tank that can be seen from the outside but the tank has been basically without a center brace for a month.

Lesson to take from this is be careful of what lights you put on tanks. Remember they can get really hot. I got lucky this far and nothing broke.

 

[Kittiee Katt]

You're very lucky nothing else broke! 180gal of water on the floor wouldn't end well...

 

[GamerChick5567]

Yeah I know what you mean about the heat. Recently I added a cheap 15 watt led floodlight off amazon to grow a lot of algae and pothos in my convict breeding tank. Accidentally touched the metal casing... Ow! Felt like bumping the toaster oven. Been worried about what will happen if the screw holding it to the tank canopy breaks. It would land on the acryllic lid and probably melt it hahahaha poor convicts. At least it was less than 15 bucks.

 

[gorak]

Yeah that is for sure!

 

[pelleeklund]

I broke a section on my glass canopy doing something similar. Luckily mine wasn't structural. I did get to hear it break and see it fall into the tank though. I thought a 200 gallon tidal wave was coming my way when I heard the crack. Scared me enough to do my research on the heat each light gives off.

 

[fishnatics]

Both my tops were cracked by my light getting too hot also. I run a full 72" light strip with 2 bulbs and when I had it sitting on the tops I noticed it cracked so now I have it raised up about an inch. Since then my other top hasn't cracked.

 

[Dieselhybrid]

This could have ended way worse. I build a lot of acrylic tanks for saltwater folks and I always have to tell them over and over don't put a hot light over acrylic, plastic, or glass. especially since cool water can splash up and touch warm glass/plastic and cause failures. Happens the most with metal halide bulbs. seeing it less with LED's becoming so popular and their limited heat output

 

[Sallimsayin]

I'm sorry to hear this. That's why I love my 9w (75w equiv) LEDS. I have the same type of fixtures and after 10 hours they're cool enough to unscrew with your hand.

 

[badassissimo]

So glad you shared. I'm planning to use LEDs on my builds coming up but definitely do not want to have cracked anything! I will definitely take precaution. Thank you!

 

[Itsadeepbluesea]

Can't say I ever cracked anything, but I did accidently melt part of a hood once from the wrong bulb. I was lucky I didn't cause a fire!