Will Going Topless Cause Light Problem?

J

JerseyGuy

New member
I've removed the glass cover from my tank and am now running topless. My concern is that my light fixture (a 48" Coralife w/ 4 x 65W CF Bulbs) is now sitting directly over the water. It does have the clear plastic piece covering the lights but I'm sure the fixture will be subject to more salt water exposure without the glass cover.

Should I be concerned or is it fine? Suggestions welcome.
 
If you can try to raise the light about 4-6 inches to help prevent too much moisture getting into it.
 
How high above the water is it? You will probably have a little bit of salt spray if your water is churning aggressively. Once a month wipe it off (with it powered off of course).

A lot of people run open tops. Just keep it maintained. Electrical equipment + salt creep = rust and no good. Just keep it cleaned.
 
Right now it's sitting about an inch above the water and the way it is set up it would be difficult to raise it up.

I'm torn here...it looks so much better topless, but I'd really don't want to have a problem with the fixture ($$$). Is there a standard height above the water that is considered safe for the fixture (4" - 6"?)?
 
JerseyGuy said:
Right now it's sitting about an inch above the water and the way it is set up it would be difficult to raise it up.

I'm torn here...it looks so much better topless, but I'd really don't want to have a problem with the fixture ($$$). Is there a standard height above the water that is considered safe for the fixture (4" - 6"?)?
Click to expand...

An inch above the water!?!?

That sounds like a disaster waiting to happen... Do you have to take off your light every time you do maintenance?

I would try to get your light at least 6-8" off the top of your water... Especially being open top now, what if a fish jumps into your light? There goes the light, the fish, and the breaker.... Sounds like a bad accident waiting to happen.
 
Perhaps I'm not describing this correctly. I have a Coralife 48" light fixture (and a tank that's 48" wide) that extends the entire length of the tank, it sits on both top side edges. There used to be a glass top on the tank, the light fixture was above the glass sitting on the top side edges of the tank.

I got rid of the glass so now the fixture still rests on both sides of the top of the tank but now there is no glass. The fixture itself is enclosed, the lights are behind a piece of plastic. Maybe it's 2" above the top of the tank but that's it. The fixture is only about 6" wide, so a little over half of the top of the tank is now open.

Problem?
 
from expensive experience with exactly this brand on a freshwater, yes: keep your glass under the fixture. .Put a fan array on the sump or overflow and that will handle any overheating as well as gas exchange.
 
Okay so you're saying that without the glass the Coralife fixture will crap out from the salt? Heat from the fixture has never been a problem I just like the open top look.

How about if I just use the back-half of the glass that sits directly under the light, but leave the front part open?

And thanks for all the help, truly appreciated.
 
I would say if you do not take care of it... Then yes, it will crap out and fail...

You need to do monthly if not bi-weekly maintenance if you are going to do an open top...

I have an open top. My lights are 10" off the water... I get salt spray on my LEDs here and there. I wipe them down once every month.
 
I'm new here but I agree, keep the glass on there. I too use this same fixture on a 70g freshwater planted system, and yes this thing basically sits about an inch above the tank. I'm sure you'd get all kinds of salt creep on it not to mention any splashing at all will reach the fixture.
 
I dont' say it's inevitable: ours may have had an iffy seal. But based on paying for a new one, I'd personally put the glass back.
 
It depends. If you have a six pack, I'm sure going topless will have no problems. But some women will be scared if you have a bit of a stomache, or is too thin.

All kiddings aside, it depends on how much water is splashing upwards. I have a nano tank, and due to the pressure from the return pump, water keeps on 'jumping' up. The cover on the light seems to be holding out fine at the moment, though there is quite a bit of salt build-up (that I clean off every once in a while and let back into the tank). But it is about 5cm above, so not sure what it'd be like closer. I would definitely be worried though. Perhaps test how much water splashes up by holding a sheet of plastic or something 2 inches above for a while, and see what happens?
 
Azedenkae said:
It depends. If you have a six pack, I'm sure going topless will have no problems. But some women will be scared if you have a bit of a stomache, or is too thin.
Click to expand...

:lol: haha! i didn't understand it first. i thought u were talking about beer! :D
 
I had this fixture on a freshwater tank with these legs:

http://www.marinedepot.com/Coralife...ixtures-Coralife-ES53090-FILTACMOFTLG-vi.html

They're discontinued on Marine Depot but maybe they can be found on ebay or Amazon...if anything, they'll raise the fixture up farther from the surface. When I had mine over my 55, I had no glass underneath with no issues, but I did keep the clear plastic strip over the bulbs.

There's this style legs too:

http://www.bigalspets.com/mounting-...Hxp8tMwadSBvb6fX8qRF93xqDidzRQgJpVxoCsCjw_wcB

The 1st set of legs has a hinge, which makes it easy to flip the fixture up when you need to get into the tank.
 
I'm so glad I asked the question, everyone's been super helpful.

I am nervous now, I'd hate to have light problems so this weekend I'll check out my DIY options. I really like the way the tank looks without the glass so I hope there's a good way to raise them up.
 
Observing the light over time will tell you if it will work or not (how much salt spray builds up on the fixture).

You could take some preventive measures like coating the entire fixture in 100% silicone grease. I'm talking just a light coat, thoroughly wiping away all excess and leaving just a film that's hardly noticeable to the touch. You could also shoot the fixture with Never Wet. Of course the guts of the fixture are what's really important so perhaps sealing up any seams with some 100% silicone would help to keep moisture out. I'm not familiar with this fixture but with most lights the cooling design is to have the fan blow air out so I think it should stay relatively dry as long as the fan intake is not pulling a ton of moisture. As for the clear protective glass/acrylic just wipe it down as needed.
 
Azedenkae said:
It depends. If you have a six pack, I'm sure going topless will have no problems. But some women will be scared if you have a bit of a stomache, or is too thin.

All kiddings aside, it depends on how much water is splashing upwards. I have a nano tank, and due to the pressure from the return pump, water keeps on 'jumping' up. The cover on the light seems to be holding out fine at the moment, though there is quite a bit of salt build-up (that I clean off every once in a while and let back into the tank). But it is about 5cm above, so not sure what it'd be like closer. I would definitely be worried though. Perhaps test how much water splashes up by holding a sheet of plastic or something 2 inches above for a while, and see what happens?
Click to expand...
Though, if you are unaccustomed to going topless, you may experience a sunburn. I would consider that a light problem. haha
 
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