Mounting Hydras outside of a Canopy

[skyeshoppe]

I'm just getting back into reefing after several years. I was making plans for a stand and canopy for a 90 gallon. I am planning to install 3 AI Hydras 32. I was thinking about mounting them outside the canopy instead of inside of it. I would cut a hole and put a polycarbonate holder that would hold the outside edges of the light. I have a picture below of what I was thinking about. I wanted to do this because it should reduce the heat in an enclosed canopy. I just haven't seen much information about people mounting the lights outside of an enclosed canopy. I'm just wondering if there was something I was missing and if maybe there is a good reason not to.

Also if anybody has any suggestions for spacing three Hydras 32 for a mixed reef, I would love to hear them. I've seen BRS videos for either two and four light setup for LPS and softies or SPS but haven't seen much for three lights in a mixed reef. That and I'm wondering if the long side of the Hydras should be perpindicular or parallel to the front. I want to rent a PAR meter from my LFS byt I'm not sure how I can temporarily mount the lights to test. And I certainly don't want to cut holes in the canopy only to realize that the lighting isn't optimal.

Thanks,

 

[vetteguy53081]

I'm just getting back into reefing after several years. I was making plans for a stand and canopy for a 90 gallon. I am planning to install 3 AI Hydras 32. I was thinking about mounting them outside the canopy instead of inside of it. I would cut a hole and put a polycarbonate holder that would hold the outside edges of the light. I have a picture below of what I was thinking about. I wanted to do this because it should reduce the heat in an enclosed canopy. I just haven't seen much information about people mounting the lights outside of an enclosed canopy. I'm just wondering if there was something I was missing and if maybe there is a good reason not to.

Also if anybody has any suggestions for spacing three Hydras 32 for a mixed reef, I would love to hear them. I've seen BRS videos for either two and four light setup for LPS and softies or SPS but haven't seen much for three lights in a mixed reef. That and I'm wondering if the long side of the Hydras should be perpindicular or parallel to the front. I want to rent a PAR meter from my LFS byt I'm not sure how I can temporarily mount the lights to test. And I certainly don't want to cut holes in the canopy only to realize that the lighting isn't optimal.

Thanks,

This will work well

 

[Eagle_Steve]

I'm just getting back into reefing after several years. I was making plans for a stand and canopy for a 90 gallon. I am planning to install 3 AI Hydras 32. I was thinking about mounting them outside the canopy instead of inside of it. I would cut a hole and put a polycarbonate holder that would hold the outside edges of the light. I have a picture below of what I was thinking about. I wanted to do this because it should reduce the heat in an enclosed canopy. I just haven't seen much information about people mounting the lights outside of an enclosed canopy. I'm just wondering if there was something I was missing and if maybe there is a good reason not to.

Also if anybody has any suggestions for spacing three Hydras 32 for a mixed reef, I would love to hear them. I've seen BRS videos for either two and four light setup for LPS and softies or SPS but haven't seen much for three lights in a mixed reef. That and I'm wondering if the long side of the Hydras should be perpindicular or parallel to the front. I want to rent a PAR meter from my LFS byt I'm not sure how I can temporarily mount the lights to test. And I certainly don't want to cut holes in the canopy only to realize that the lighting isn't optimal.

Thanks,

This would work, but how tall is the canopy going to be?

On a standard 90, 10" from the water should be a good height for the lights to get a even spread and blending. You may even be able to get away with 2 lights. I only use 3 lights on my 180, due to how the rock work sits dead center the length of the tank. It is a mixed reef with acros up top, LPS down lower with all kinds of other things mixed in.

As for testing, just take some 1x1 wood and make a fake canopy/light stand. You will just build the 1x1 to be set to your canopy height, then set the lights on them to take measurements. Basically, you will make a frame for the lights to sit on. This is a very cheap way to do it and the wood could be reused for something else. Or, you could even just use the frame of the canopy with the front panel removed, so you can get reading all throughout the tank.

I had a similar issue with my setup on my 180, as I affixed my lights to a self above the tank. In order to only have to drill holes for the hanger bolts once, I stacked up some scrap 2x4s on the edges of the tank (left and right side), laid some 1x1s on them to span the tank, and then moved the lights around while measuring Par to get where they needed to be in regards to spacing between them. I did end up having to use some scrap plywood strips to get the lights at the height I wanted, but was still easy enough to do.

 

[Geebs19]

36 inch tank of 48?

 

[skyeshoppe]

This would work, but how tall is the canopy going to be?

On a standard 90, 10" from the water should be a good height for the lights to get a even spread and blending. You may even be able to get away with 2 lights. I only use 3 lights on my 180, due to how the rock work sits dead center the length of the tank. It is a mixed reef with acros up top, LPS down lower with all kinds of other things mixed in.

As for testing, just take some 1x1 wood and make a fake canopy/light stand. You will just build the 1x1 to be set to your canopy height, then set the lights on them to take measurements. Basically, you will make a frame for the lights to sit on. This is a very cheap way to do it and the wood could be reused for something else. Or, you could even just use the frame of the canopy with the front panel removed, so you can get reading all throughout the tank.

I had a similar issue with my setup on my 180, as I affixed my lights to a self above the tank. In order to only have to drill holes for the hanger bolts once, I stacked up some scrap 2x4s on the edges of the tank (left and right side), laid some 1x1s on them to span the tank, and then moved the lights around while measuring Par to get where they needed to be in regards to spacing between them. I did end up having to use some scrap plywood strips to get the lights at the height I wanted, but was still easy enough to do.

So far the plan is to make the canopy 14" off the water. This is because BRS's recomendation based on their tests.

I have lots of wood so I think I will take your suggestion of making a fake canopy for testing. I'll use that to determine the height of the canopy as well as spacing.

 

[skyeshoppe]

36 inch tank of 48?

It is a 48" tank

 

[Geebs19]

It is a 48" tank

I would go with the 3 lights then and mount them vertical as you have it shown above. I have a 36 inch tank and 2 hydra 26s (older version of the 32). For awhile before I had mine mounted on arms I had mine hooked up to PVC arms.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

So far the plan is to make the canopy 14" off the water. This is because BRS's recomendation based on their tests.

I have lots of wood so I think I will take your suggestion of making a fake canopy for testing. I'll use that to determine the height of the canopy as well as spacing.

Just a heads up, I started around 14" also and there was some light spilling beyond the tank edges. On a standard 90, you may end up coming down lower, but either is not an issue. Especially, as you plan to have a canopy.

I do agree with the suggestion of mounting the lights to where they sit long ways in regards to front/back of the tank. This will help with full coverage and less shading, especially as you are using 3 lights.

One thing to note, is do not try to center the lights on the tank to start with. You may end up getting the best/most even numbers with the 2 outside lights moved closer to the outside (left/right) edges of the tank. This is the way I went with mine, as it gave me nice and even par with reduced hotspots where the lights "beams" crossed underwater. It also helps with the edges of the tank getting even light spread and a little more par from the reflection off of the glass. Of course the glass has to be clean to get that extra bit of par.

Either way, good luck in getting them how you want and if you do use a par meter, report back and let us know how it works out. Tons of par numbers out there for 180s and 40b tanks lol. Not much on standard 90s lol.

 

[skyeshoppe]

Either way, good luck in getting them how you want and if you do use a par meter, report back and let us know how it works out. Tons of par numbers out there for 180s and 40b tanks lol. Not much on standard 90s lol.

I will certainly report back on the PAR numbers. It might be a few weeks though. I'm just in the planning stages yet. Designing the cabinet, canopy and making my shopping list.

Is it okay to test PAR in freshwater? I ask because I want to probably test before building my canopy and aquascaping. I don't want to fill with salt then dump out all the salt. Well I wouldn't dump the saltwater but I'd have to fill it and once I have my Par results I can finish building and painting the canopy.

Also, with the lights mounted on the outside, should I be concerned with extra ventilation. I was thinking of adding two fans pushing air in on the sides and having two exhausts at the top.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

I will certainly report back on the PAR numbers. It might be a few weeks though. I'm just in the planning stages yet. Designing the cabinet, canopy and making my shopping list.

Is it okay to test PAR in freshwater? I ask because I want to probably test before building my canopy and aquascaping. I don't want to fill with salt then dump out all the salt. Well I wouldn't dump the saltwater but I'd have to fill it and once I have my Par results I can finish building and painting the canopy.

Also, with the lights mounted on the outside, should I be concerned with extra ventilation. I was thinking of adding two fans pushing air in on the sides and having two exhausts at the top.

I always vent hoods, but do not always use fans. It would help to use fans, but may cause additional evep or cooling of the tank. The lights should be fine with cooling themselves, as the heatsink will be outside of the tank, as will the fan. You just have to make sure the top is not too thick to slow or prevent airflow across the cooling fins on the heat sink.

For par in SW to Fresh, I am not sure if there is a difference. I believe @Dana Riddle does all of his light tests in FW, but could be wrong there. If there is a difference, I would see it being very very small.

 

[skyeshoppe]

I always vent hoods, but do not always use fans. It would help to use fans, but may cause additional evep or cooling of the tank. The lights should be fine with cooling themselves, as the heatsink will be outside of the tank, as will the fan. You just have to make sure the top is not too thick to slow or prevent airflow across the cooling fins on the heat sink.

For par in SW to Fresh, I am not sure if there is a difference. I believe @Dana Riddle does all of his light tests in FW, but could be wrong there. If there is a difference, I would see it being very very small.

How do you vent your canopies? If I did install fans I would likely use them with an Apex Controller to turn on when the tank temperature got high.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

How do you vent your canopies? If I did install fans I would likely use them with an Apex Controller to turn on when the tank temperature got high.

I typically cut slits in the sides and the top. My house is like an icebox, due to the wife thinking she is an eskimo lol, so not really a need for fans when I ran a canopy.

For ones I have done for others with fans, I mount a fan (usually a small quiet PC fan) in the side(s) and then slits in the top for it to vent out. In order to prevent light from coming through the slits, I build a false wall just larger than the slits. I use dowel rods and a piece of wood just larger than the slits. It only sits 1/2" to an inch off the inside of the canopy, but works really well to prevent light from bleeding out of them too much.