Lighting a tank from 4' above?

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PDRed302

PDRed302

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Aug 4, 2011
1,521
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Fort Worth Texas
My current project (340 gallon) has presented me with quite a few different how to's but I figured someone on the forum may have some input on this one....

I plan on lighting the tank from a canopy mounted to my ceiling, which will be about 4' above the top of my tank. The question here is what type of lighting would be the best option for this? My original idea was to use 6 total T8's or T5's (two double bulb 4' fixtures with regular white bulbs and one 4' double bulb with an antic and black light bulb). I just worry that this may not be bright enough for the tank.

I have been looking around the forum and I am interested in led flood lights. I debated replacing the white light fixtures for a row of 4 or 5 flood lights but right now I'm just not sure if this is the best plan.

Not only do I want my new lighting setup to be bright enough for good viewing but I want it to be efficient as well.

Any input will be appreciated.

If it matters: tank dimensions are 102"x40"x20", the canopy is about 8" deep and the lights will be shining through clear plastic covers (acrylic drop-ins for the canopy).
 
I would look at the LED options if I were you, especially since you are mounting your lighting so high above your tank. The T5's would be horribly inefficient at that height and you'd have a lot of light spill-out into the room. The LED cannons or spotlights are a focused beam and would direct all that light where you want it, into your tank. Not to mention the cost savings of not having to replace bulbs, electricity and having the shimmer effect that LED's bring.
 
Thanks for the heads up, I was a bit worried about the light wash. Anyone have any leads on some affordable led spot lights? I'm not sure that the floods would work at that height. The pendents are not an option right now as my waterfall is what is making take the canopy so high and I really don't want anything in front of it. Normally I'd do can lights with led's but I want to make this something I can move later and not truly built in.
 
i would also recommend LEDS. at 4 feet you would need a high output light but the only thing that can do that would be costly high pressure sodium bulbs, Halide bulbs, or LEDs. LEDs would be the most cost effective since they draw a fraction of the power. but still to date HPS bulbs are the most efficient bulbs out there tho they are usually orange :( (think street lights)
 
This is the old setup as it was in store mid tear down. I am rebuilding the stand so that it is 30" tall, along with changing quite a few other things. As you can probably tell, in store it was run with t5's in a basic drop in light setup. I am going to keep the celing canopy and replace the what used to be clear plastic panels; it measures 6' deep inside, my estimate of 8' earlier was a bit off. All of my lights will be in the canopy.

Measurement between the bottom of the plastic panels to the top of the tank with a new stand will be roughly 48", the lights will have to shine through my top once it's been made: 3 glass tops with basic a frame from what I have planed now.

tankoldsetup.jpg
 
Bump for more ideas, light links and info.
 
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