Does LED pass through glass or acrylic?

mattymang

New Member
I get a splash from my protein skimmer and I can't have my light over the tank without it getting drenched. Trying to grow corals eventually though so I don't want to lose light output. Sorry if this is a dumb question :confused:
 

2quills

Well-Known Member
Not dumb. But your concerns about losing some of your light's output to the corals are valid.

How much of a loss really depends on the material and the thickness of that material.
 

geridoc

Well-Known Member
Acrylic transmits about 90% of wavelengths above 375 mm, glass extends a little lower. Either material should be fine for your purposes as long as it is reasonably thin.
 

2quills

Well-Known Member
They sell thin sheets (.09") of Optix brand acrylic sheets at lowes and home depot. Has something like 92% light transmission.

Down side to plastics is the tend to warp over time. Evaporation will cause water to collect on either material on the bottom of the covers that can further bend and refract some of the light from entering the tank. Even salt residue as well as haze from algae growth.

Also, important to note that if you cover your tank it can restrict gas exchange within the system. You probably won't find many folks covering reef tanks if they can help it. Doesn't mean it can't be done though.
 

lmforbis

Well-Known Member
I my previous tank I used glass covers on top of the tank. they were horrible to keep clean and I am sure the light was affected. The hoods on both of my current tanks are open on top. I ended up covering both with thin sheets of acrylic below the level of my lights. I did it because of high humidity in the house. They did warp significantly as 2quills said. I ended up just putting a couple brass screws in them on the edge and they stay stable. They are about 8 -10 inches above the water so they don't get any salt spray the way they would on top of the tank.and I don't really get any condensation on them either. It transformed my living room from a steam room to a normal living room. I do have to dust them though.
 

mattymang

New Member
I don't want to have it covered but this protein skimmer is forcing me to do something. It's a Bh100 on a 20g and it splashes like crazy (also micro bubbles, anyone have a solution?), if I don't cover it my light gets soaked. That or hanging it, which is seeming like the better option at this point.. Such an eyesore though.
 

lmforbis

Well-Known Member
Is this the Reef octopus BH 100. I use one and have no splashing or micro bubbles. Can you post a picture of the part going into the water. Mine has a very effective bubble trap.
 

mattymang

New Member


and heres the bubbles, they'll also come out in huge spurts out of nowhere.


Keep in mind that I got this used off of craigslist for $60, so if you see any problems that need adjusting... I don't really know anything about them lol.
 
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lmforbis

Well-Known Member
I'll post a pic of mine when I get home, but the return part is different. This a a pic of what my return looks like. I wonder if you can buy the parts from the manufacturer. Like I said I have zero splash and zero micro bubbles. Yours might be an older model.

http://media.cdn.**************.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/d4e8fcf9aa7a9b8db6e09f216ff5e920/2/0/204056_reefoctopus100hob-c_1.jpg

I am also wondering if it is assembled correctly. My collection cup is on the other side.

Inside each of the chambers there's a baffle. One is higher than the other. Is the high one or the low one on the side where your collection cup is.
 
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mattymang

New Member
Yeah I'm pretty sure the splash is from the bubbles popping. The lights are a couple inches above the water- the fixture has clips on the sides that rest on the rims of the tank, if that makes sense. But I do think it should be high enough that it shouldn't be a problem because any kind of aquarium hood would rest at about the same level, if not lower. They're Marineland LED.
So getting one of these would probably solve it?
http://www.coralvue.com/reef-octopus-hob-micro-bubble-stopper
 

mattymang

New Member
Sweet :cool: thank you a lot!! I'll order it tonight and when I get it all set up I'll post back on here if everything works.
 
T

tomdav

Guest
They also had OPTIX acrylic sheet is the ideal glass substitution when a profoundly tough, straightforward surface is required. This lightweight acrylic sheet is ideal for applications, for example, window substitution, rack lining, work area insurance, picture outline coating, bureau fronts and an assortment of other DIY home undertakings. This effect safe sheet additionally includes astounding climate capacity and protecting properties. I found them of good quality and you can return to Lowes if you bought them from Lowes.
 
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