lighting problems

cutnup · 06-17-2007, 06:56 PM

hello, i have a 46 gallon bow. i bought a mh and put it on and i have a problem with the shadow line it created. i never had one with pcs. so i bought some vho and put them in as atinics supplements, and still had the line, my question is do you think the tank will hold if i cut the brace? if not do i have any other route? besides getting another halide (im not tring to boil my water

) thanks in advance. oh heres some pics

before halide

after

panmanmatt · 06-17-2007, 07:19 PM

No the tank will not hold if you cut the brace out. There is a good reason why the manufacturer put it there in the first place.

You could always go with 2 smaller MH pendants instead of the one larger one you have now. I would think either 2x 150w or even 2x 70w MH would be just fine.

sasquatch · 06-17-2007, 08:02 PM

That is a nasty line! I agree with Matt, I suppose you could euro brace the tank but it would be a fair bit of work. Steve

AdvanceAquatics · 06-17-2007, 09:18 PM

I agree with both above pics and see why you dislike the line. How high is the lighting system from the water? brace?

I think your best bet would be double MH's the 46g isnt to deep so you could do fine with 150w.

But I would not cut the brace and Euro would be a last option.

Triggerjay · 06-17-2007, 11:10 PM

If, and only if you were willing to empty the tank, you could cut part of it out leaving about an inch on each side, and replace the removed peice with some 1/2" acrylic. You would have to use the remaining black support to attach to. I would prob use stainless screws, washers, and nuts to hold it on either side. But ONLY try it if you empty the tank. I had an old 55g that I dropped a peice of LR on thecenter suppport, and the tank spread enough, you could actually see the glass bowing. I held it together long enough for my wife to bring me superglue, and an acrylic strip to fix it. I think I stood there and held that thing for about 1/2 HR waiting for the glue to set.... Not fun!

Jason

BHinAK · 06-18-2007, 02:57 AM

DON'T CUT THAT BRACE. I ment to use caps. Save up the money for another 150w.

BigAl07 · 06-18-2007, 09:07 AM

The brace is NOT optional at all. You NEED it and removing it will most likely cause failure very quickly.

Allen

06-17-2007, 06:56 PM	#1 (permalink)
cutnup Tunicate Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 18 View Gallery Karma Komment	lighting problems hello, i have a 46 gallon bow. i bought a mh and put it on and i have a problem with the shadow line it created. i never had one with pcs. so i bought some vho and put them in as atinics supplements, and still had the line, my question is do you think the tank will hold if i cut the brace? if not do i have any other route? besides getting another halide (im not tring to boil my water ) thanks in advance. oh heres some pics before halide after

06-17-2007, 07:19 PM	#2 (permalink)
panmanmatt Golden Moray Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Waretown, NJ Posts: 2,028 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: lighting problems No the tank will not hold if you cut the brace out. There is a good reason why the manufacturer put it there in the first place. You could always go with 2 smaller MH pendants instead of the one larger one you have now. I would think either 2x 150w or even 2x 70w MH would be just fine.

06-17-2007, 08:02 PM	#3 (permalink)
sasquatch Brunt of all Jokes~ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: the very farthest west coast of canada Posts: 8,917 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: lighting problems That is a nasty line! I agree with Matt, I suppose you could euro brace the tank but it would be a fair bit of work. Steve __________________ castawayreefers.com

06-17-2007, 09:18 PM	#4 (permalink)
AdvanceAquatics Serpent Star Join Date: May 2007 Location: Lumberton NJ Posts: 201 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: lighting problems I agree with both above pics and see why you dislike the line. How high is the lighting system from the water? brace? I think your best bet would be double MH's the 46g isnt to deep so you could do fine with 150w. But I would not cut the brace and Euro would be a last option.

06-17-2007, 11:10 PM	#5 (permalink)
Triggerjay Golden Moray Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Springfield MO Posts: 2,067 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: lighting problems If, and only if you were willing to empty the tank, you could cut part of it out leaving about an inch on each side, and replace the removed peice with some 1/2" acrylic. You would have to use the remaining black support to attach to. I would prob use stainless screws, washers, and nuts to hold it on either side. But ONLY try it if you empty the tank. I had an old 55g that I dropped a peice of LR on thecenter suppport, and the tank spread enough, you could actually see the glass bowing. I held it together long enough for my wife to bring me superglue, and an acrylic strip to fix it. I think I stood there and held that thing for about 1/2 HR waiting for the glue to set.... Not fun! Jason __________________ The start of my journey: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...xperience.html My current journey: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ld-thread.html My clownfish breeding log: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ne-fishes.html

06-18-2007, 02:57 AM	#6 (permalink)
BHinAK Sea Pen Join Date: May 2005 Location: Anchorage, AK Posts: 318 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: lighting problems DON'T CUT THAT BRACE. I ment to use caps. Save up the money for another 150w.

06-18-2007, 09:07 AM	#7 (permalink)
BigAl07 Reef Addict (hopeless) Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Waynesville, North Carolina Posts: 12,834 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: lighting problems The brace is NOT optional at all. You NEED it and removing it will most likely cause failure very quickly. Allen __________________ ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º> ·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. >((((º> Nitrate (NO3) reduction is directly proportional to percentage of Water Change. Allen's home-made formula...(-NO3=WC%) This means if you change 50% of your total water volume (That's EVERYTHING) you'll get a net reduction of (NO3) somewhere around 50%. Ask me about how to increase your REEF budget without going without FOOD!! Allen's testimonial . . ."Let Me help you help YOURSELF" (Click Here) Big Al's 10g Julie's (BigAl's Gal) 6g NanoCube Now in STORAGE and Dry-Docked BigAl's Slow 90g Tank Chronicle Allens OFFICE 12g Nano-Reef

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