How High are your lights off the surface?

[FaviaFreak]

How high are your lights off the surface of your tank?

 

[twinspots_goby]

I'm running T5s on mine and it's a 14" above my tank. My tank is 30" deep with 4" of sand bed.

 

[Mariner]

Mine are pretty close on both my tanks -- one by design, one due to lack of design :squigglemouth:Mariner

 

[modifyd]

I have T-5's sitting on the tank.

 

[laskopyre]

My T5's are about 4 inchs off the tank.

 

[EliteReefs]

i run 400's in one and 250's on the others. all are about 10-15 inches away.

 

[nellahtes]

mine are about 3 inches off the tank

 

[Azurel]

I have a 14k SE and it is about 8-9'' of the water and the T-5s are about 4''...

 

[killingseed2000]

2x 175w SE , with PFO parallel reflector and 2x 54w t5 at 4 to 5" off the water.

 

[Reef Empire]

1,000w 20K Ushio about 14" off the water of the SPS tank.

 

[Mariner]

I guess the main factor here is whether or not you're trying to get every bit of PAR out of your lights that you can. If I feared that my lights were a little overkill for my tank, I'd try to raise them, or go to weaker lights. If I want to get all the PAR I can from them, I'll keep them as close to the water's surface as safety and sense permit. Remember that PAR diminishes over distance, whether the light is moving through water or air.
FWIW,
Mariner

 

[mpoletti]

9" off the water here

 

[Robthorn]

It might seem par is getting over rated. Sure we need lots of power and high intensity to grow sps. My 250 14k phoenix is suspended 16 inches from my waters surface and I have never had more growth or color. Of course every tank is different and you should do what works for you.

 

[Chrissy]

I have an Outer Orbit Pro with 2x250w 10k halides and 4x54w t5 and it sits 4-5 inches from the water surface.

 

[mevstheworld]

T5's around 3" off the water with a total depth of around 14" to the sand.

 

[subielover]

I would say my halide is about 5 inches above my tank. No heat issues here.

 

[Zoalover34]

Id guess about 6", running 2x175 mh

 

[JR's Reef]

2x250 Radiums 9" but still think they need to be a bit higher

 

[KingRicky]

I have 4X54w T-5's 12" above the water and what few SPS that I have grow nicely.

 

[StanD]

Solana disco ball - 150w - about 5" off water surface (4" above glass cover on Cardiff 24g curved glass tank.