light cover

[chemjoey]

hey guys i just got my light an 130w orbit pc and the little glass protector things to keep water and stuff from gettin to the lights keeps getting build up of splsh on it, is there anything i can do to stop this?

 

[fatman]

Stop aeration if your using an air pump. Drop th angle of your water noozles or power head direction so there is less turbulance at waters surface. Water movement at the surface is enough it does not have to be turbulent or streaming at surface (you just need enough really to break the oil barrier at surface caused by dissolved organiccompouns). Are there bubbles in your water. If bubbles are in water their bursting at surface causes water to be constantly sprayed into air above tank. Lots of hang on back filters and skimmers release bubbles causing salt creep on liggting. Your last option should be raising your lights.

 

[Bifferwine]

Yep, I agree with Fatman. How often are you having to clean them? It's normal to have to clean off the build up once in a while, I usually wipe mine off weekly. Some salt build up is inevitable.

 

[chemjoey]

yea i have a hob filter and well ive only had the light since wed but u can see where its starting to build up i cleaned it today and its already gettin spray back on it

 

[fatman]

Do you think you really need the hang on back (HOB) filter. Unless you have no, or inadequate bacteriological filtration sites such as live rock or a deep sand bed, an addition filter is seldom needed. Mechanical filters can be a headcahe when used constantly, and that is even without considering thesalt creep problem you notice. Therfore they are seldom recommended, but for extremely heavy fish loads and intermittent use with carbon or phosphate removers.

 

[chemjoey]

well i live in an apartment at college and dont have the room or money for a sump so i went with the hob filter. do i not need one?

 

[fatman]

I would not use it unless there is a need, and then for only a few days at a time. If you do not have live rock though you will need it until you get some live rock I would get 20 pounds being you have no skimmer, and I would change a gallon of water every 3 to four days or two gallons once a week. The one gallon twice a week would be safest and the least stressful for your fish. Mark the level of your tanks water when full and add water every day to replace evaporated water, even if it only seems like a trivial amount. Replacing evaporated water is very important with small tanks. Because replacing the water with new mixed water will raise the salinity of a small tank quickly.

 

[IraqVeteran]

everyday when I get home I wipe down my PC lights on my 30gal. It takes like 15 seconds to do and I never have to worry about salt creep on my lights.