New Compact Florescents set-up HELP

[aqualady]

I just bought new compacts for my anticipated move from FO to soft corals. It's a Current Satellite. It came with mounting legs. can I put in over the open tank without the legs, or do I need to buy a glass cover? I'm worried about the heat production of having it over the glass. The fixure has a splash cover, but the instructuons say to NOT place it over an open aquarium. Will raising it above the aquarium cut dowm the intensity of the light, or is it better that way? I feel so ignorant, but I want to have everything set-up correctly.

 

[rdz1]

I would not put over an open tank!!!! That said you can set on the tank if if has a glass lid. That is how I have mine. As for heat, during the summer I put a small fan to dissapate the heat.

 

[lcstorc]

Use the legs to raise it above the aquarium. As long as it has a shield to keep water from splashing on the bulbs. All of my aquariums have open tops to increase aeration and decrease heat.

 

[deaclauderdale]

Ditto Lynn, the splash guard will keep any inadvertent splashes away from the bulb.

 

[HowardW]

You can do it either way as long as you keep the acrylic splash shield in place.........either install the plastic legs or you can also stick on the little rubber feet it came with and place it right on the tank. The closer the fixture is to the water the better, however the closer it is you will get more salt spray on the shield and perhaps a little more heat to the water.

 

[Briang]

I've had mine directly on the tank for 2 years without a problem. I think they just don't want to be responsible if you knock it into the water and fry your butt. That said, I read on a differant site yesterday that someone did that and got a really good shock., My tank has a support going down the middle as well, so it would be hard for it to fall in. But without that support I wouldn't do it.