LED Strip Under Braces

[LJLKRL05]

I have a glass 210 with two cross braces front to back. I have two 30 inch reefbredder photon v2 fixtures. I should have bought 24 inch fixtures because the shadows from the braces drive me nuts.
I am thinking about putting some led strips under these braces running perpindicular to the main lights. Has anyone done something like this?

 

[sbash]

Great idea! As long as you can control the intensity and they are water proof (i.e. salty splash proof), it should work fine. Post pics, this is a cool mod!

It always drove me nuts too when I used tanks with cross bracing...

 

[mcarroll]

Curious how high you currently have the Photons mounted? And have you tried them higher or lower?

 

[LJLKRL05]

Curious how high you currently have the Photons mounted? And have you tried them higher or lower?

I have them mounted about 10 inches above the water. I played around with the height when I built the canopy, and that was the best coverage. If the braces were clear it probably would not be as noticeable, but they are black plastic so the light does not pass through.

 

[mcarroll]

90º lenses? If your 210G is a 24" wide tank, then coverage-wise you could hypothetically raise them a little more up to around 12".

But do the brace shadows actually get better or worse when the lights go up?

 

[LJLKRL05]

90º lenses? If your 210G is a 24" wide tank, then coverage-wise you could hypothetically raise them a little more up to around 12".

But do the brace shadows actually get better or worse when the lights go up?

When I built the canopy and was playing with the height, I was looking more at coverage. I really did not notice the shadows until a while later.
I have two shelves in the canopy the lights sit on. I will have to remove those shelves and use the hanging kits that came with the lights to be able to raise them up, or I might be able to cut holes in the top of the canopy and set the lights on top.
I don't really know if the shadows get worse or not if a raise up the lights. I will have to play with it some.

 

[mcarroll]

Definitely test just by taking one of the lights in-hand before you go making any major modifications!

Maybe lowering the lights will actually be the correct move.

 

[mcarroll]

Selling out and re-buying 24" fixtures is a legitimate strategy too though.....seems like a rough sacrifice, but in the long term you won't even remember it....whereas the shadow thing will probably keep bugging you forever if it's bugging you today.

 

[LJLKRL05]

Selling out and re-buying 24" fixtures is a legitimate strategy too though.....seems like a rough sacrifice, but in the long term you won't even remember it....whereas the shadow thing will probably keep bugging you forever if it's bugging you today.

Yes, I have some testing to do. Hopefully others with similar tanks will read this and it will get them thinking before the pull the trigger on a purchase.
Thanks for the advice.