Are spiderlight reflectors right for me?

[Hal1]

I tried to search this, but the network was having problems, so at the risk of being redundant, I'll post anyway.

Are spiderlight reflectors worth it for me?

I'm going to run 2 250 MH with 2 VHO actinic on a 48x24x30h mixed reef.

I hear that spiderlights give better light distribution, but do I need it since my tank is only 4 ft long? It would seem that I'll be spreading the light out of the tank, and not in it , since spiderlights are designed to give 3 ft spread. Wouldn't I be better off with a standard reflector (24 inch spread), or are the spiderlights much higher reflectivity?

I was planning on mounting the MH's perpendicular to my tank front.

The extra cost for the spiderlights is only $20, so cost isn't really an issue.

 

[Roach]

From what I have heard, they really do make a difference. Standard reflectors seem to be OK to so I think it's really a matter of preference. Do you want that extra bit or not?

 

[Hammer]

I do not find that their clam for 3 feet per light is accurate for my 250 watt lights. I do find that two over a 48" tank is about perfect for coverage for most corals. So unless you want to go crazy with SPS and/or clams, the spider reflectors will work very well over your setup.

Also note that how far above the water makes a big difference in the coverage you can get per reflector.

 

[EmilyB]

I've got three and I can hardly wait....six foot tank.

I'm curious, if you are mounting perpendicular, where will you put the VHO's ? Won't the spiders take up all the room (they are in mine ?)

 

[Pman]

Speaking of Spider reflectors...does anyone have any specifics on it such as Dimensions and angles...you know..for the Do It Yourselfers out there?

 

[Hal1]

I went ahead and ordered the spiders.

EmilyB: Yes, I am mounting them perpendicular. They are 16 inches in that dimension, and my tank is 24 inches, so I've got 4 inches on each side for the VHO's. I'm snugging the VHO's right up next to the reflectors to get the VHO's away from the walls of the tank for a better light distribution. Since the reflectors are perpendicular, they block very little of the VHO (effectively, they are a point source to the vho).

My Dad is laying the whole thing out on AUTOCAD to scale (you've got to love retired engineers), so I know that everything will fit.