MH lighting question--keep glass covers on the tank or no?

Hi guys,

Hope everyone's enjoying the long Memorial Day weekend! I have a question for all you fine folks regarding my metal halide lighting fixture--it says on the fixture "must be used on completely covered tanks"--should I cover the tank with glass covers? I do have hinged glass covers for the tank but I'm concerned about the lighting cooking the fish inside--it's 250-watt HQI and T5 lighting. The tank is 30" deep--and because I have crown molding right behind the tank on the ceiling I'm unable to suspend the fixture from the ceiling over the tank and must use the mounting legs that come with it to set it right on the tank. The guy from the LFS said I should use the glass covers to reduce evaporation and salt creep getting on the fixture. What do you guys think I should do?

 

i would not use glass covers over the tank. U should have glass over the actual bulbs on the fixture to filter uv rays. I would guess that the use over a covered aquarium warning is for liability purposes. U will cook the tank covering and using metal halide. I used 250 aqua medic mh over my 125 and it was topless. No problems, just make sure u are fixing that lighting systems suspension system into solid wood so it cant fall into tank

 

didnt see the had to use mounting legs sentence. I like mounting legs for lighting fixtures, i use a tek t5 8 bulb system using the leg options on my 90 and i dont cover the tank. Same thing on my gf's 10 gallon, current brand 40watt pc lites....no lids.

 

I agree with luvreefs23, not to mention a tank should be uncovered to allow the gas exchange. Luna

 

;DThanks guys! There are glass covers over the bulbs themselves--the fixture does have its own builit-in fan to cool the bulbs--so I should be safe leaving the tank top uncovered--even though the mounting legs raise the fixture only 3" off the water?

 

u should be fine, u could always use some wood to build some kind of props to heighten the fixture. My t5's are about 5 inches off the water...

 

3"? The legs usually raise the light fixture 6" off the water surface. Luna

 

Yep--just re-measured--it's only 3.

 

u got hosed j/k...lol what fixture?

 

Mh lighting only needs UV protective glass covering for lights themselves.

Salt creep is something we all have to learn to live with...

Do see CoralLife is a product out now called "Salt Creep Eliminator"

(Marine Depot)
Description:
Coralife Salt Creep Eliminator contains corrosion-blockers and rust-inhibitors which effectively eliminate salt creep and protect equipment from future salt damage.

Just got bottle at local Petsmart. It does help get existing salt creep off...if works as advertised, may be just the thing for light covers, etc...(too soon to tell yet...:-/)

May not be "new product" but I just tripped across it...