So I have an interesting dilemma. I currently have a 75*45*45 cm tank with a DIY LED light over it with a kind of janky mounting system and waaaay overspecced for my tank (180 W !!). Soon Ill be using this on a friends monster 8*2*3 foot tank with narrower lenses to provide some good penetration and create a nice low-medium lighting area in a section of it that is plantable and it gives him a fixture that is reliable, repairable and cost effective at the same time without a crazy budget and is kind of key to the new setup that we are planning.
My dilemma is in finding a suitable replacement for my tank. I cant hang the light from the ceiling because its plasterboard and dont want to risk pulling down the whole section, I also cant hang the light from brackets mounted to the wall behind the tank because there is a bathroom behind it and accidentally drilling through a pipe would result in dismemberment by my better half LOL.
My only option is light fixtures that mount on the tank itself. Since the tank is 75cm long, I cant use a 90cm fixture because in most cases the fixtures "rating" is also the minimum size tank it can fit on unless I hang it which isnt an option
I can only choose from 60 cm fixtures - namely the Chihiros WRGB2 Pro or the current frontrunner the Micmol Master 60 - Because it has a higher output, costs 20% less than the Chihiros and also comes with shades built in.
The main two doubts I have are :
1) Will a single bar type light like the ones mentioned above have enough spread to cover the foreground as well as background of a 45cm tank on the default brackets ? If it was hanging then I could obviously raise it to get more spread but again, that isnt an option. Would they also be able to have good enough intensity at the bottom at 50-55cm, if we take into account substrate height as well as height of the bracket ?
2) I dont like to run equipment at a 100% if possible and instead keep it at a max of 75-80%. Will these 60cm fixtures have enough punch to run a high tech 75cm tank
Another option I have is getting two 45cm fixtures and mounting them front to back but introduces new doubts in case I choose to downsize my tank to a 2 footer or get a narrower 75cm tank - they wont fit on either of those.
The confusion is giving me a headache honestly and I would appreciate the advice
My dilemma is in finding a suitable replacement for my tank. I cant hang the light from the ceiling because its plasterboard and dont want to risk pulling down the whole section, I also cant hang the light from brackets mounted to the wall behind the tank because there is a bathroom behind it and accidentally drilling through a pipe would result in dismemberment by my better half LOL.
My only option is light fixtures that mount on the tank itself. Since the tank is 75cm long, I cant use a 90cm fixture because in most cases the fixtures "rating" is also the minimum size tank it can fit on unless I hang it which isnt an option
I can only choose from 60 cm fixtures - namely the Chihiros WRGB2 Pro or the current frontrunner the Micmol Master 60 - Because it has a higher output, costs 20% less than the Chihiros and also comes with shades built in.
The main two doubts I have are :
1) Will a single bar type light like the ones mentioned above have enough spread to cover the foreground as well as background of a 45cm tank on the default brackets ? If it was hanging then I could obviously raise it to get more spread but again, that isnt an option. Would they also be able to have good enough intensity at the bottom at 50-55cm, if we take into account substrate height as well as height of the bracket ?
2) I dont like to run equipment at a 100% if possible and instead keep it at a max of 75-80%. Will these 60cm fixtures have enough punch to run a high tech 75cm tank
Another option I have is getting two 45cm fixtures and mounting them front to back but introduces new doubts in case I choose to downsize my tank to a 2 footer or get a narrower 75cm tank - they wont fit on either of those.
The confusion is giving me a headache honestly and I would appreciate the advice