Viperspectra light help please.

[Horse8mymoney]

You won't need to raise them. You could probably lower them what kind of coral do ypu keep or plan to?

It was a mix. However all of my sps is either dead or dying. So it is mainly softy now.

 

[billyocean]

It was a mix. However all of my sps is either dead or dying. So it is mainly softy now.

most corals should be fine but sps would be wise to check with a par meter and have a good idea. The blending and spread is much better without lenses but the par is less. Hence, you may need to lower the lights to achieve the intensity you need...you may not.

 

[Minifoot77]

I took mine apart and took all the lens out it seamed to spread more and I still had them 13 inches off the water

 

[Dbichler]

You could use hanging screws to capture the wire and raise them that way.

 

[Semisonyx]

Unless you can get them 12” or more off the water, you’re much better off (and easier) to remove the lenses and run them at a higher power.

 

[oreo54]

My tank is 300 gallons. I have 4 Viperspectra lights across the top.
My issue is… I can not raise my lights any higher than 9” above the water. What do you suggest? Taking my tank down and cutting the stand is not an option with a 300 gallon tank.

A crude graphic may help.
This shows the "ideal world" heights and front/back spread of a vipar (dk blue to scale) at the 2 common angles.
It's more complicated than ( considering lenses could be measured using FWHM data) this but it will give you a starting point and an idea on how much light is lost, or not.
Though with the hood and it being white you will recapture a bunch of that light.
Angles are from the center so keep in mind that you have outside leds.
2 heights..2 lens angles
Lights 2.4" thick and would need fan clearance of say 1"
So a max height would be determined from that restriction of 3.4" from "top" to front face of light.
Then front face of light to water surface, whatever that turns out to be.
At the rough ideal for 120 that would mean your "cavity" (ceiling to water line) is 3.4" + 7" = 10.4"
Putting 90 degrees at 7" gives your tank darkened zones f/b for about the first 4" of depth.
For a fully lit tank (top to bottom) 90's are problematic given the space restriction.
Fixing that is a choice though. I personally like to see all areas all lit as best as possible regardless of whats inside it.


Now "mix and match" as some have done is valid.
Like 90 lenses on the perimeter , 120's in the center, but really complicated (compared to just removing all lenses and possibly adding a diffuser) and generally not necessary though it improves depth penetration a bit. May increase color separation and some say the 120's really don't spread as expected.

 

[Horse8mymoney]

I wanted to thank everyone for your help. I took the lenses off and kept the same height of the lights. In just a couple of days my corals are bouncing back!!! Thank you so much!!!!