which way to install reflector

[90gal]

just wondering what the recommended way to install a 250watt se bulb/reflector would be over a 3 foot tank. parallel with length of tank in the center or front to back in the center.


Trevor

 

[dwdenny]

do you know what brand of reflector? Some are made for parallel and some are made for perpendicular. I would say probably perpendicular would be best. hth

 

[Entropy]

I think you would have to go parallel to get close to full coverage with most reflectors.

 

[dwdenny]

So parallel would be better I thought perpendicular was better to get coverage to the sides! I am in the same situation 35.5" long tank and only one MH bulb. Glad to hear this I would have made a mistake and put it perpendicular. Would if be a good idea to get one that can add a actinics to as well like the PFO one(going with the Iwasaki 15k bulb)

 

[e-dog]

That's a good question I have a 3' 65 gal that I'm gonna put a single 250 over.

 

[Ironman]

I'm using two perpendicular reflectors on my 250W se XM's. I get a nice coverage of whole tank. I personaly found that on the parallel reflector, I was losing a little light from behind the socket which left the ends of the tank not so bright. IMO

 

[crash519]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6900730#post6900730 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dwdenny
So parallel would be better I thought perpendicular was better to get coverage to the sides! I am in the same situation 35.5" long tank and only one MH bulb. Glad to hear this I would have made a mistake and put it perpendicular. Would if be a good idea to get one that can add a actinics to as well like the PFO one(going with the Iwasaki 15k bulb)

I've got a 36" PFO Parallel over my 58 gal. with 39 watt T5's as supplimental. Coverage is great with just a bit of shadowing in the top ends. Oh, 250w XM 10k for the MH

 

[Entropy]

The problem with perpendicular and most reflectors is that the reflector is designed to focus the light in a area below the reflector, but the wings (on a spider reflector for instance) will block the light from getting the sides. A Lumenarc reflector takes care of this by being big, and have four equal sides. That might be an option for you. The other option would be to bend the sides of the reflector up to get wider coverage which might work better, but you would have to experiment with it.