Should I cut or not?

deucey

deucey

Member
Hi, well I got my 175w MH and have installed it over my 36g bow front. Looks really cool! Anyway I am having a problem with the brace in the middle of the tank at the top is casting a shadow right down the center! :( It has been suggested to me to cut this brace out and that will take care of the problem, but will that compromise the integraty of my tank? Any advice in this matter would be appreciated!!
thanks for your time!
 
broomer5

broomer5

Active Member
Removing the brace by cutting it would not be the best approach in my opinion. The manufacturer of your tank included the brace in their design for a good reason, or else it would not be there. It might just be there for glass top or hood support, but I don't know for sure.
You might try contacting the tank manufacturer and go with their advise.
Is your new MH lighting in a hood, canopy or pendant? I'm sure the shadow is distracting, and is preventing light from reaching that part of your tank - but I'd strongly recommend you reconsider cutting out the brace to eliminate this shadow.
 
deucey

deucey

Member
yeah the MH is in a custom Canopy my father and I built! It is centered of the tank and it is all lit very well except for the shadow. I have emailed All-Glass but it will prob be a few days before I get a reply. Also this is a hamilton set up with a german true 10000K bulb and it seems very white..I have two NO actinics 20w bulbs with it but the MH just washes them out what do you recommend to go with this MH?
thanks in advance
 
broomer5

broomer5

Active Member
If the budget allows - IMO - VHO actinic w/ballast with your set up would be VERY nice.
I'm sure you guys put a lot of time in building the canopy, and want to rid the tank of the shadow. One other thought - would you have room to install one more MH fixture in the canopy ? Having two seperate MH bulbs would give you two seperate point sources of light. I'd guess that that in itself would help to eliminate much of the shadowing you experiencing.
 
daluminum

daluminum

Member
2 words... parabolic reflector.. the reason you have a shadow is becuase the light is coming from one focal point.. if you had a reflector.. light will come at different angles from the light.. and the shadow will be gone.. please dont cut alter your tank in anyway.. its just bad business.. a parabolic reflector simply is a reflective rain gutter.. meaning it surrounds the bulb and makes all the light go into the tank instead of into space.. :D
 
deucey

deucey

Member
Yeah I thought of adding a second MH but I feel like it will be TOO much light...i mean two 175w MH over a 36g bow...man that sounds like alot..it did cross my mind though...and i really don't think that the parabolic reflector will help much because I do have the Super White reflector that comes with the Hamilton MH system, I am just having a problem with the light being shadowed by a cross brace at the top of my tank....when I had just FLOR tubs over the tank i didn't have this problem i just wonder if i add those VHO's or PC if the saddow would not be as notice able.....
P.S. Broomer your tanks look really nice...how long have you had them!
thanks in advance...
 
broomer5

broomer5

Active Member
IMO - Adding VHO or PC fluorescent would certainly help get rid of the shadow.
If you got the room in the canopy - maybe try it if ya want to.
My 55 is no longer a reef tank - it's sitting in my basement room - freshwater - Anglefish tank.
The 30 has most everything in it now - and I set up a 75 end of December. Just waiting to make it my main reef tank. Then ... what to do with the 30 <img src="graemlins//silly.gif" border="0" alt="[silly]" />
Thanks for the nice comments
 
twoods71

twoods71

Active Member
For what its worth the center brace or braces on the tank is there to help support the glass and keep it from bowing or worse busting the seals on the corners.
 
rlv695

rlv695

Member
i would have to go with Twoods on this one... it was put there for a reason....dont cut...
you mention you have a refectoe now... are the ends open or closed? closing the ends with some reflective material to aim lighting towards center of tank....might help with shadowing....
Have fun <img src="graemlins//urrr.gif" border="0" alt="[urrr]" />
rlv695
 
deucey

deucey

Member
Yeah I thought of the reflector ends too.....they are open on the ends or the sides. I am not going to cut it b/c All-Glass says the same thing about the tank bowing out in the front and it will prob pull apart over time. So I guess I need to get those VHO's or PC's on order and get some reflective material on the sides to see if that helps too. Can anyone suggest some good reflective material I could go get?
Thanks for all the responses!!
 
rlv695

rlv695

Member
as for refeltive materail.. alum gutters and either some nice polished alum. sheets cut-to-fit insit gutters or even alum foil will do as a temp...
have fun <img src="graemlins//angel.gif" border="0" alt="[angel]" />
rlv695
ps, to ustek... im in Hampton Va. near Langly.AFB
 
deucey

deucey

Member
have not tried anything as of yet to correct this....still looking for a plan of attack...though I have started a web page where you all can go and check out the shadow....I have a few picks of my tank....though alot has changed sence the main tank pic was taken...check it out and give me so ideas.....most of the calurpa is gone some still left.......
<a href="http://www.geocities.com/reefguy79/reefguysmicroreef" target="_blank">my web page</a>
 
ratbattey

ratbattey

Member
I suspect that the "brace" is probably just part of the plastic rim on the tank, and is not structural to the tank. Probably just there to support the cover so I would bet that you could remove it with no problem. I cracked the support on my 72 bowfront accidentally a year ago and have had no problem. (Of course it would be you floor that floods, so it's up to you to decide.)
 
deucey

deucey

Member
03 why do you ask if this is a joke?? I would like to know! Check out he shadow and see how much of a joke it is.....
<a href="http://www.geocities.com/reefguy79/reefguysmicroreef" target="_blank">my web page</a>
 
von_rahvin

von_rahvin

Member
i think i would go with another MH bulb. this would give you 2 point sources. other than that i think you are going to still have one. even if you add some VHO's the MH will still overpower them and create the shadow.
 
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