How much does egg crate block the light?

[Anonymous]

I ordered (5) Scotts Fairy Wrasse's today (on sale at Drs F &S ) and need to get my tank covered.

I layed a piece of egg crate directly across the top of the tank and couldn't notice any appreciable light loss. Anyone know if they really do block a lot of light?

The halides don't appear to be melting the egg crate either.

Is this the way most of you wrasse lovers keep your fish from jumping?

Louey

 

[Anonymous]

White eggcrate will block a small amount of MH light. It can actually increase the light from flourescent lamps.

 

[Anonymous]

Draw a picture of a lamp (or lamps) and how thick the egg crate is... you should be able to see that if you have primarily MH bulbs down the center that you might cut off a significant amount of light at the sides of the tank. If you had a bank of T12 or something, the ones on one side will have all the light blocked out on the other side as a result.

What they will do is cause more downward light go into the tank, but I dont think you'll get more light out of it.

 

[Anonymous]

I always use eggcrate and have never had a problem with it. There is a article floating around somewhere that breaks the light loss down - I will see if I can find it.

 

[Anonymous]

What they will do is cause more downward light go into the tank, but I dont think you'll get more light out of it.

Downward light means that it's not going to be reflected off the water surface. It won't produce more light obviously but for the typical flourescent it can get more light into the water. Especially the better eggcrate that has tapered or concave grids.

I agree with you on point source lighting with a good reflector (MH).

 

[Anonymous]

I am using Lumenarc III reflectors, so the spread across the top of the tank is very good to start with.

I was thinking I would use the thin white egg crate that HD sells. It can't be more than a 1/4" thick.

Louey

 

[LA-Lawman]

you could always get reflector coated egg crate!!

i see them all the time here at HD.

 

[Anonymous]

well someone with a quantum meter do some testing just below the water's surface of the tank across the whole thing

 

[Anonymous]

well someone with a quantum meter do some testing just below the water's surface of the tank across the whole thing

That would be awesome info! If someone does it then I defer to the results.

 

[Anonymous]

you could always get reflector coated egg crate!!

I could be wrong, but I thing the white actually reflects better than the silvered plastic.

 

[LA-Lawman]

you could always get reflector coated egg crate!!

I could be wrong, but I thing the white actually reflects better than the silvered plastic.

after i wrote that i went to the garage and pulled from the reef dungeon an old 175w ahlide and some eggcrate with the coating on it... i did reflect light but gave a nice disco effect on the garge roof... "Stayin' alive, stayin' alive..." 8)

I guess since the lights are in a lumanarc already the re-reflectoring would be kept to a minimum.... still you would have alot of re-strike.

 

[Anonymous]

I just finished covering the tank with the thin white egg crate.

If there is light loss, it is not noticable to me.

I may lower the halides a bit once the tank is fully stocked and all corals are acclimated.

Should I worry that the 400W halides will melt the egg crate?

Thanks for all the input thus far.

Now go make a nice comment in my "eductor skimmer" thread

Louey

 

[Anonymous]

well someone with a quantum meter do some testing just below the water's surface of the tank across the whole thing

That would be awesome info! If someone does it then I defer to the results.

There is a very detailed article out there somewhere - it had many light readings with diff EC and at diff depths in the tank. I am still looking for it.

 

[Anonymous]

Should I worry that the 400W halides will melt the egg crate?

Yep. You'll have some notice because the stuff will start to bow under the light if it starts to get too hot. Do you have fans already?

 

[Anonymous]

My lumenarc's have the AC kits. They are ducted together and a centrifugal fan blows through them and out of the house through a vent in the wall.

Louey

 

[Anonymous]

Good luck Louey!