Glass for lights getting salt any suggestions!

[Mark 75g]

I have a 72in light fixture with 3 250wt bulbs and 4 t5s. The glass that protects them continuosly gets salt deposits which is probably affecting the amount of light that reaches tank.

Light fixtures is about 8 in off the water and cannot be moved any higher due to canopy.

Has anyone ever taken the glass off and just ran the fixture without it- how does this affect the light bulbs and the reflectors?

Any suggestions???

 

[vr697getta]

my lights are not covered they sit about 10 inches above the water. i have yet to clean the reflectors but after 5 months there is a good bit of water spots on them.

 

[raynist]

You have double ended hqi bulbs in that fixture from what I remember (maristar?), so you must run them with the glass or else you will emit harmful uv rays. Also, if that salt spray didn't hit the glass it would hit your reflectors which would stain them and reduce the light not to mention shatter your bulbs. I have to clean mine about once a week.

 

[NaClH2Opgh]

What kind of MH lights, SE or DE? You can't run DE without the glass. Also if you are getting salt spots on the glass and you remove it then you will just get it on the bulbs so it's a matter of cleaning the glass or the bulbs.

 

[Mark 75g]

Yeah ray they are the de bulbs. Thanks guys I guess I will just keep cleaning the glass. Oh by the way, Ray, that acro that is sort of brown with blue is growing great and already had to frag 2 large pieces.

 

[cloakerpoked]

The only other possibility is to reduce the amount of surface disruption going on with your currents of water in the tank. I have a SE bulb about 9-12" above my tank, and get no salt creep on it or the reflector thanks to an active, but not turbid water surface.

 

[LeviChar1]

I find myself agreeing with Cloak again. I was going to say the same thing. My VHOs have no salt creep after 5 years being about 6" or less over my 150.


All of my water movement happens below the water surface and the movement at the surface is very gentle, and only breaks in two 2" spots over the entire footprint area.

 

[bmiller1234]

+1 to cloak and Levi. I have a little salt in my t5s that was caused by a powerhead to high in tank. Lowered it so it still moved surface but didn't make it choppy. Also if you have any type of bubble or subtle splash from return or powerheads it will shoot small drops into light and start building salt.