Light Height: How high are your lights above your reef tank? This one is 5 feet!

[revhtree]

Light Height: How high are your lights above your reef tank?

Obviously the answers for this will vary depending on many different factors including the depth of your tank, the brand and type of lights you have, the types of corals you have, do you have a canopy and so on. Some hobbyists are leaning towards a more "artistic" aquarium so they may have a uniquely designed lighting system for their reef.

So let's talk about that today! Also if you have a "unique" lighting solution or set up please share a photo!

1. How high are your lights mounted above your aquarium?

2. What lights are you running over your reef and how deep is your tank?

3. Do you think there are advantages to mounting your lights higher and if so why do you think that?

4. Would you want to mount your lights higher if you could?


@WWC has Radion G5 lights on their 1200g lagoon tank mounted about 5 feet high!

 

[Brian82143]

Great poll idea! I am debating this myself right now as I am setting up a new 120 gallon reef. I decided on 12" off the water as it is a 24" tall tank and will be running (4) ATI Blue Plus bulbs with (2) Kessil A360WE's. I considered going higher for better light spread and will be following these results closely to see what others recommend.

 

[piranhaman00]

ATI Sunpower 6 bulb 15" over a 40B, LPS. Slowly lowering it, no idea what the PAR is.

 

[ca1ore]

1. How high are your lights mounted above your aquarium?

Some as low as 6", others at about a foot!

2. What lights are you running over your reef and how deep is your tank?

Combination of ETM Radion Gen4 and Kessil spots (360WE, 360X and 160) over a 96" long x 36" deep x 30" tall display.

3. Do you think there are advantages to mounting your lights higher and if so why do you think that?

I hate light spill, and the design of my canopy means I have to keep the lights lower. Plus I have taken a slightly different approach to coverage as I only light the back 24" (mostly to prevent algae growth on the front panel, but partly to have a trough to store all the cords and power bricks).

4. Would you want to mount your lights higher if you could?

Probably not. I don't love the design of my canopy mainly because some of the lights hang down too low .... but I want easy access to the top of the tank.

 

[DaneGer21]

1. My lights are mounted 14” AWL.

2. I am running 4-hydra 26hds in a aquatic life fixture while also using 2-blue+, and 2-actinics. My tank dimensions are 60Lx36Wx24H. Full floating canopy, with motorized winch for raising and lowering.

3. Yes I think there are advantages for higher mounting, such as better spread and less “hotspots”.

4. I wouldn’t mount mine any higher for two reason. Biggest reason is for my particular programming(Original BRS AB+), my par values are where I want them to be, checked via par meter. Second reason would be so I dont produce more light spill.

*side note, I haven’t skinned my stand yet so don’t flame me! haha

 

[Victor_C3]

I’m running an ATI Sunpower 8 bulb T5 fixture over my tank. My tank is 28” tall and the light sits about 5-6” above the surface of the water.

If anything, I’d like to lower my lights, but that is purely because of aesthetic reasons. I have an auto feeder sitting on the rim of my tank that prevents the light from being any lower. The lower the light, the less light spillage into the rest of the room.

 

[ReefGeezer]

1. How high are your lights mounted above your aquarium?
10"

2. What lights are you running over your reef and how deep is your tank?
Overkill ATI Sunpower 8X54W Dimmible T5

3. Do you think there are advantages to mounting your lights higher and if so why do you think that? Not as much with T5's, but raising lights reduces shadowing.

4. Would you want to mount your lights higher if you could?
I think I have mine about right. There isn't a lot of light spill, and the light is uniform across the tank. Shadowing is minimal. I think I would lose some of the light reflection off the front and back glass if I raised the higher.

 

[waterskiguy]

I run 5 hydra 52's and 4 - 60" T5's around 15" above a 24" deep tank. Peak par is mid 500's at the top (6" down) and 260-290 on the sand bed. I can't mount my lights and higher, but I don't feel it would be advantageous to do so anyway.

 

[Auquanut]

1. How high are your lights mounted above your aquarium?
About 7".

2. What lights are you running over your reef and how deep is your tank?
4 no name black boxes. The tank is 24" deep.

3. Do you think there are advantages to mounting your lights higher and if so why do you think that?
Better spread, better blending (hot spots not quite as hot), less shadowing. Downside would be more light spillage into the room.

4. Would you want to mount your lights higher if you could?
Yes. I have a tall tank/stand in a finished basement with a drop ceiling, so my options are limited. Might be able to raise them a couple of inches though.

 

[ATI North America]

Just in case someone finds it helpful:

How High Should I Hang / Mount My Aquarium Light? - ATI North America

One of the most frequent questions we get is “How high should I hang my light over my aquarium?”. And it’s an important question to answer. Mounting a light at the proper height can make a big impact on your coral. Mounting an aquarium light too low creates shadows and less light gets to the...

www.atinorthamerica.com

 

[Backtoreefing]

1. How high are your lights mounted above your aquarium?

5 inches above water

2. What lights are you running over your reef and how deep is your tank?


Two xr-15 Blues

3. Do you think there are advantages to mounting your lights higher and if so why do you think that?

If I could go 8” I would try but I can not(without a different hood).

4. Would you want to mount your lights higher if you could?

I would have tried 8” first, but my tank is 30” deep and the par levels are about the same at any given level in the tank except the top 6”. Meaning par increases evenly across the tank the higher you go.

 

[ReefLab]

18” off tank.
kessil 360x/T5 hybrid.
I wish I could mount it higher but light spill is really bad. Maybe I’ll look at getting narrow reflectors

 

[Jeto2004]

1. How high are your lights mounted above your aquarium?

24 inches

2. What lights are you running over your reef and how deep is your tank?

8x XR15 gen 4pro and 2x XR30 all with diffusers

3. Do you think there are advantages to mounting your lights higher and if so why do you think that?

well blended light blanket

4. Would you want to mount your lights higher if you could?
No

 

[DeniseAndy]

1. How high are your lights mounted above your aquarium?
My 210g display metal halides are about 12" from surface of water. The t5s are closer to 6". In my 40g and 20g they t5s are about 6" and the 6g the t5s are about 8".

2. What lights are you running over your reef and how deep is your tank?
My 210g is 24" deep. The MH and t5s are what I have used for so many years, never got around to researching the LEDs.

3. Do you think there are advantages to mounting your lights higher and if so why do you think that?
Much easier to get into tank to do stuff if lights are higher. Plus less salt creep and damage from water.

4. Would you want to mount your lights higher if you could?
I would not make them higher, but easier to move up and down to mess around in the tank.

Older picture from 2018 after rebuild with new tank. Lights have not changed even if everything else has.

 

[Mark Bielby]

Light Height: How high are your lights above your reef tank?

Obviously the answers for this will vary depending on many different factors including the depth of your tank, the brand and type of lights you have, the types of corals you have, do you have a canopy and so on. Some hobbyists are leaning towards a more "artistic" aquarium so they may have a uniquely designed lighting system for their reef.

So let's talk about that today! Also if you have a "unique" lighting solution or set up please share a photo!

1. How high are your lights mounted above your aquarium?

2. What lights are you running over your reef and how deep is your tank?

3. Do you think there are advantages to mounting your lights higher and if so why do you think that?

4. Would you want to mount your lights higher if you could?


@WWC has Radion G5 lights on their 1200g lagoon tank mounted about 5 feet high!

It appears to have a leak, it’s only half full... just think of all that Extra space for the tang police to moan about...

 

[Reefer Reboot]

1. How high are your lights mounted above your aquarium?
5.25"

2. What lights are you running over your reef and how deep is your tank?
AquaticLife 36" Expert Series LED, 36" deep.

3. Do you think there are advantages to mounting your lights higher and if so why do you think that?
Less heat transfer due to better heat dissipation capabilities.

4. Would you want to mount your lights higher if you could?
No, light spread fits the tank and inhabitants needs where it is. Heat transfer is mitigated by a couple of well placed fans.

 

[Don Lidtke]

6" above the top of the glass but 8" above the water level.

 

[RevMH]

Light Height: How high are your lights above your reef tank?

Obviously the answers for this will vary depending on many different factors including the depth of your tank, the brand and type of lights you have, the types of corals you have, do you have a canopy and so on. Some hobbyists are leaning towards a more "artistic" aquarium so they may have a uniquely designed lighting system for their reef.

So let's talk about that today! Also if you have a "unique" lighting solution or set up please share a photo!

1. How high are your lights mounted above your aquarium?

2. What lights are you running over your reef and how deep is your tank?

3. Do you think there are advantages to mounting your lights higher and if so why do you think that?

4. Would you want to mount your lights higher if you could?


@WWC has Radion G5 lights on their 1200g lagoon tank mounted about 5 feet high!

My lights are about 7-8 inches up, but I run custom LEDs with no lenses that cover the entire top of the tank. Two t5s in the middle to even it out a bit.
I tried 14 inches with lenses, but the corals liked it a lot less.

 

[aquaregia]

1. lights mounted 34 inches from bottom of 18 inch deep tank.
2. One Orphek Atlantik V4 and two forty eight inch Orphek OR2 bar lights
3. water depth is 16 inches so lights are 18 inches AWL
4. I am very satisfied with my tank lighting and placement and don't feel the need to mount the light any higher.
The Reef Wholesale coral lab model that seemed to start the Radion AB+ lighting craze have their lights mounted 24 inches above 12 inch deep tanks,ie. 36 inches from the bottom. I am pretty close to WWC and TSA in Orlando and noticed in my many visits that their lights are mounted somewhere in the 24--30 inch AWL range, except the large tank in the front of the store where they are at 60 inches. I'm amazed how many folks mount their lights so close to the waterline. Never worked for me.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Light Height: How high are your lights above your reef tank?

Obviously the answers for this will vary depending on many different factors including the depth of your tank, the brand and type of lights you have, the types of corals you have, do you have a canopy and so on. Some hobbyists are leaning towards a more "artistic" aquarium so they may have a uniquely designed lighting system for their reef.

So let's talk about that today! Also if you have a "unique" lighting solution or set up please share a photo!

1. How high are your lights mounted above your aquarium?

2. What lights are you running over your reef and how deep is your tank?

3. Do you think there are advantages to mounting your lights higher and if so why do you think that?

4. Would you want to mount your lights higher if you could?


@WWC has Radion G5 lights on their 1200g lagoon tank mounted about 5 feet high!

I just set up a 7.5 gallon nano for NPS and photosynthetic corals. The light I went with, style was one reason I chose it.
Here's what it can do

favorite dawn, sunrise, daytime, sunset and night-time light settings. You can even dial into auto-cloud cover, a moon phase and moon light and a handy acclimation setting for new coral.

1. How high are your lights mounted above your aquarium?

To be determined when par meter gets here

2. What lights are you running over your reef and how deep is your tank?

Zetlight UFO
Tank depth 12 inches

3. Do you think there are advantages to mounting your lights higher and if so why do you think that?

I don't know the answer to that this is my first photosynthetic tank in the modern Age of reef keeping.

4. Would you want to mount your lights higher if you could?

I do know the light fixture for this nano-tank can light up to 24 in deep. And with a special lens you can do 1.5 m deep. I just received the light today and set it up, waiting on the Wi-Fi controller to simulate lightning, cloud coverage and of course sunset and sunrise.