I Hate my Powermodule!

[layer3switchguy]

I must be the only person in the world that hates his Powermodule! It is such a pain feeding my fish and doing tank work with this beast hanging over the tank.

The other day I had to do some work inside the tank, and the only way I could easily get inside was to remove the fixture. The hanging kit is a pain, as it's not easy to move the fixture vertically to get it out of the way... I miss my SolarFlare!!!!

 

[FoothillCorals]

How high above the tank is it mounted?

 

[layer3switchguy]

Only about 2 inches... Tank is mostly SPS so I wanted the light down low. It sits about 4" above the water line...

 

[RetroAndreas]

I noticed that with most T5 fixtures.

I like that with a MH pendant you can view your corals from above and easily work on your tank.

 

[James77]

What was the difference with the Solar Flare?- just the weight?

 

[drtrash]

How do most people with hanging fixtures get into tank. I am afraid of the light falling in. Most/all hanging kits don't allow for moving sideways or up or down with alot of adjustments.

 

[luvreefs23]

u have to buy a marineland deep dimension 200 gallon that way u have 5-6 inches in the fron of the tank exposed to work in it. I got the powermodule for my 250 marineland and i have about 6 inches in the front, it is heavy and i can see your point tho.

Dennis

 

[TheH]

Can't you just swap in the tension hanging wires? I've heard that these allow for reasonably easy lifting and lowering of light fixtures.

 

[moo0o]

Uhh, a buddy of mine has his power module about 10 inches from the top of his tank. t5s don't have to be THAT close to the surface, ESPECIALLY the powermodule.

 

[redfishsc]

Well, my T5 hangs over my frag tank, but it's in an enclosed canopy.

I use big screw-hooks (like you use to hang potted plants with), and the light is suspended by a potted plant chain (just browse the plant potting equipment area at Home Depot, they usually have some HUGE looped chain for dirt cheap).


When I want to raise the light, I just lift up one of the middle links and hang it on the screw-hook (both sides).

 

[rholguin]

I have a sunpower and i have it 8" above the water line and does not get in the way.

 

[spsgtr]

No problems with mine. I keep it 7-8 inches above the tank and i have mainly sps. in fact it bleaches my lps on the bottom of a 24" tank. I use the vertical tension hanging system and can raise or lower it easily. should have come with the PM

 

[eho72]

I used to have my PM 4" above the water. That was a pain to get in to feed and clean the tank. Raising it to 7" made life much easier. I don't have to mess with raising and lowering the PM all the time. I don't see any bad affect on my SPS corals with being higher up either. Actually, I think it's better. Not as much bleaching anymore.

 

[vanillagorila]

I just pull my fixture up high if I need to get in my tank.

 

[nikon187]

Look into the sun lift hanging system by sunlight supply. They are a yo-yo type hanging device that easily goes up and down when you touch them due to tension. Each pair holds 22lbs, I would assume 2 pairs would hold the power module up fine.

 

[daveonbass]

I too agree that this is an easy fix. I too have had issues with "getting into" my tank with the light over it. But I had the same problem with MH...the light was just RIGHT THERE...The only way to get around it is to raise the fixture...which 2"-4" seems really low...just imagine a MH that close, it too would be in the way. I would just raise it.

I never did clip all the extra hanging wire that came with the light. I just looped it up and out of the way like a brand new guitar string. It's so that I can raise it up for lots of maintenence. But for the most part I keep it 4-8" off the water (higher now so that some new stuff can acclimate) and for regular feeding that is plenty high...I can get my arms in there to drop food and stuff with no problems.

For piece of mind i didn't clip the extra wire so that just in case I slip when I'm lowering it there is still plenty of wire for the latch to catch. (read: the wire will not slip out, cause there is so much extra)

this is such a good light and I love how it looks too...I can easily look past this issue cause it's so easy to get around. and like I said...all lights are in the way when they are that low.

 

[rhoptowit]

i dont find it hard at all to lift the PM vertically with the hanging kit....

 

[daveonbass]

+1

 

[TheDogFather]

2" from the surface is way closer than it needs to be...

My 8x54W PM is hanging 10" above the surface and it's puts out more PAR at the same height than my 2x250W/4x54W T5 Giesemann Infiniti ever did. Granted my tank is only 18" deep, you should be just fine with 8" from the surface.

-TDF

 

[layer3switchguy]

Thanks folks, I will play around with the height and move it up a few inches.