My Arch Nemesis... Center Brace!

BrooksReef · Apr 3, 2013

Whats up R2R?!

I am setting up our new 135g reef, and it has a center brace. I was planning on putting a 60" ATI T5 fixture over it... do you think the center brace is going to cause a HUGE, UGLY, EVIL shadow on the reef? Would it be better to go a different route, like MH?

I do NOT want LED. Been there, done that. Love 'em, and hate 'em.

Thanks!

cymaster007 · Apr 3, 2013

BrooksReef said:
Whats up R2R?!

I am setting up our new 135g reef, and it has a center brace. I was planning on putting a 60" ATI T5 fixture over it... do you think the center brace is going to cause a HUGE, UGLY, EVIL shadow on the reef? Would it be better to go a different route, like MH?

I do NOT want LED. Been there, done that. Love 'em, and hate 'em.

Thanks!

The Center brace makes a terrible shadow unless you clean it every week to prevent the glass from hazing from the salt water.

BrooksReef · Apr 3, 2013

cymaster007 said:
The Center brace makes a terrible shadow unless you clean it every week to prevent the glass from hazing from the salt water.

Bigger problem: The center brace is BLACK

Dustin1300 · Apr 3, 2013

How wide is the brace is a good question?

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

BrooksReef · Apr 3, 2013

Dustin1300 said:
How wide is the brace is a good question?

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

Exactly 2"

WVUreefer · Apr 3, 2013

Mine causes no problem with my t5s

BrooksReef · Apr 3, 2013

WVUreefer said:
Mine causes no problem with my t5s

Do you happen to have a picture of your tank? Is your center brace black?

Rmorales13 · Apr 3, 2013

I have a back brace in the middle of mine, using t5s and no shadow. You shouldn't have a problem either, I was using mh and had a shadow with the mh over the middle of the brace....it was too annoying, but it went away when I switched to t5.

BrooksReef · Apr 3, 2013

Sweet. Thanks for the info!

Dowtish · Apr 3, 2013

No shadows with T5's, the only problem to me as far as a center brace is having to place corals, grab things that fall, or catch fish. THAT is when the center brace becomes a problem.