How far off the sides to place lights

Daddyrawg · 09/25/2018, 10:23 AM

So I am almost done building my custom canopy with built in fans to house my new viparspecta x 2 165 w light hanging from top of canopy in my 90 gal.
My ? is placement.. Is there a rule of thumb to how close to the sides of the tank we should place these lights? 1" 2" 3" away? etc thanks all

Vinny Kreyling · 09/25/2018, 01:41 PM

Generally speaking lights are placed centered over the water because that is where most corals will reside, center outward. Another reason is we tend to leave room @ the front & ends so we can keep the glass clean. Dimmer areas can accommodate species requiring less light.

mcgyvr · 09/26/2018, 05:01 AM

All depends on the size of your tank/canopy and height you want to mount them but just a few inches is way to close IMO.. Make a drawing showing the cones (or angles) of light and go from there..
The light will spread to the ends quite easily..

pecan2phat · 09/26/2018, 10:25 AM

I use to be one of those guys that centered lights to keep them off the sides but after many years of having diminished lighting on the ends of the tanks, I made some changes when I changed out my lights.
So now I have the outer fixtures roughly 4.5" from the ends and they are 5" apart from fixture to fixture. Now the ends of the tank do not look so dim like the classic cone of light look which I did not like at all.

09/25/2018, 10:23 AM	#1
Daddyrawg Registered Member Join Date: May 2018 Posts: 814	How far off the sides to place lights So I am almost done building my custom canopy with built in fans to house my new viparspecta x 2 165 w light hanging from top of canopy in my 90 gal. My ? is placement.. Is there a rule of thumb to how close to the sides of the tank we should place these lights? 1" 2" 3" away? etc thanks all

09/25/2018, 01:41 PM	#2
Vinny Kreyling Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Miller Place, NY Posts: 7,206	Generally speaking lights are placed centered over the water because that is where most corals will reside, center outward. Another reason is we tend to leave room @ the front & ends so we can keep the glass clean. Dimmer areas can accommodate species requiring less light. __________________ 250 gallon mixed reef, 2 Reefbreeder's Photon V 2, Deepwater BLDC 12, DAS EX-3 Skimmer, MTC mini cal, 2-3/4" Sea Swirls, Aquacontroller & 6 Tunze pumps.

09/26/2018, 05:01 AM	#3
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	All depends on the size of your tank/canopy and height you want to mount them but just a few inches is way to close IMO.. Make a drawing showing the cones (or angles) of light and go from there.. The light will spread to the ends quite easily.. __________________ Who me?

09/26/2018, 10:25 AM	#4
pecan2phat Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Wallingford, CT Posts: 4,990	I use to be one of those guys that centered lights to keep them off the sides but after many years of having diminished lighting on the ends of the tanks, I made some changes when I changed out my lights. So now I have the outer fixtures roughly 4.5" from the ends and they are 5" apart from fixture to fixture. Now the ends of the tank do not look so dim like the classic cone of light look which I did not like at all.