Does Cross Bracing leave shadows in the tank?

[LadyTang2]

Say for extra strength on a long tank you have a cross brace, I mean across the top going the short way from front to back connecting the glass.

I would think it might leave some shadow, like the feint outline of the brace even if it is a clear brace, have you noticed this or is it not noticeable? Thanks!

 

[Hermie]

what type of lights are you going to run?

 

[Biokabe]

It depends entirely on how large it is, what it's made of, and what lighting you run. There's no one answer... if it's made of thick black plastic, six inches wide, and your lighting is a single Kessil pendant that you mount directly over the brace, obviously you're going to have a huge and noticeable shadow.

Less facetiously, point-source lights (like an aforementioned Kessil pendant, or a MH pendant) will display more noticeable shading, and there may be some impact on the tank. More diffuse lighting, like a T5 fixture, should give you minimal shading. Overall, though, as long as you have lights coming from more than one point, bracing shouldn't impact your light intensity except perhaps directly underneath the bracing.

 

[LadyTang2]

T5s, brace would be 1 inch acrylic or glass and maybe 12 inches wide I am guessing. I know the shadowing wont be much, but noticeable?

 

[X-37B]

My 120 has center glass brace 10".
3" on the sides.
Ran 8 T5' for a year no shadow.
Halides now.
Wont be an issue with glass.
One of my fastest growing stags grows right under the glass.
Same with my WD so no issues or shading.

 

[vlangel]

I have about a 2" brace that reinforces my 56g column tank down the center from front to back. I have a Coralife HOT5 quad fixture and there is a faint shadow. It's not enough to create any noticeable impact to my coral but it is vaguely noticable.

 

[SaltISlife]

My 120 has center glass brace 10".
3" on the sides.
Ran 8 T5' for a year no shadow.
Halides now.
Wont be an issue with glass.
One of my fastest growing stags grows right under the glass.
Same with my WD so no issues or shading.

Well a glass brace would just let light through. A typical plastic brace.. yes will have shadows.

Its only reason i love the tanks i have. A 60g hexagon a 92g corner bowfront, and a 40 year old 135g 6 foot tank. None of them have braces. The 135 is because the glass is so thick it doesnt need the two typical braces a regular 125 today does.

And the bowfront and hexagon is due to the shape of the tanks. They do hsve the typical plastic rim around then sure but these tanks were also 200$ and under used vs a multi thousand dollar rimless tank you see buying today

 

[LadyTang2]

My 120 has center glass brace 10".
3" on the sides.
Ran 8 T5' for a year no shadow.
Halides now.
Wont be an issue with glass.
One of my fastest growing stags grows right under the glass.
Same with my WD so no issues or shading.

Wow nice halides.

 

[lapin]

I have cut outs on 1" acrylic and use 9 kessils. I do not see any shadows execpt the shimmer from water ripples.

 

[Hermie]

with T5s it should be ok