Aquarium Covers and Lights

OK, I have a 110 gallon tank, 4 feet long, about 16 deep and too tall!! Anyhow, I originally had the plastic voer with two 40 watt fluorescent tube lamps over it. This was not enough light to keep plants alive so, I bout a pair of clear glass hinged covers and built a light fixture. The homemade light fixture used PVC raingutter and has 6 of the spiral fluorescent bulbs in it.

Here's my issues:

1. the glass covers keep getting algae on the undersides...green, gooey, scummy algae. Any thoughts?

2. The homemade light fixture grows plants well but is somewhat fragile. My construction technique was not the best. Also, the darn thing warped from the heat put off by the six spiral lamps. What is everyone else using? I need something that can get the light down into this deep tank!

Dean

I assume the glass covers must be staying wet for the algae to grow. Is there any way to raise and/or vent them so that there isn't condensation and/or splashing on to them? I've had the same problem in smaller tanks, and it's always been where the underside of the glass was constantly wet.

I've had the blue-green algae on the canopy problem, too; the trouble seems to be that the condensation has no place to go. I haven't tried this, but it might work: run a bead of silicon along the length of each glass section so that the moisture will have something to run down.

That's why I don't use covers on planted tanks.
I trade the dirty glass problem for an evaporation problem. I don't mind the evaporation as much and the plants do grow better. Have to be choosey about fish species. Top minnows and other leapers don't work out too well.

Very true. Glass cuts down on the light a little, too.

However, be careful Dean since you have a home made hood and you probably didn't design it for use in wet applications. If the hood fits tightly, the last thing you want is that condensation to occur around the light sockets/endcaps instead of the glass!

That's why I don't use covers on planted tanks.
I trade the dirty glass problem for an evaporation problem. I don't mind the evaporation as much and the plants do grow better. Have to be choosey about fish species. Top minnows and other leapers don't work out too well.

Very true. Glass cuts down on the light a little, too.

However, be careful Dean since you have a home made hood and you probably didn't design it for use in wet applications. If the hood fits tightly, the last thing you want is that condensation to occur around the light sockets/endcaps instead of the glass!

Thanks for all the suggestions! Yes, I was careful in building the light fixture...it is water tight. However, the PVC rain gutter warps too easily, even with the braces I've installed.

I had thought about just not using the glass covers.....but then I will have fish on the floor...I know it! I currently have two redfin pickerels and 3 pumpkinseeds. In my humble experience, ALL fish jump.

Dean

My 100 gal (about the same dimensions as yours) currently has one double bulb flourescent shop lights, T8 bulbs. Its in the basement so I am not concerned with "looks" so much The light has been plenty to keep the java moss and java fern growing, albeit slowly (I needed the original l2nd ight elsewhere). I have two 1.75' square pieces of glass from an old coffee table on top, there's a 7-8in gap in the center for feeding and water changes. The left side of the tank is where the Aquaclear 500 is so there is also a gap along the back of that side. Up until yesterday the other side was completely covered with the other piece of glass until i noticed the condensation, so I moved the glass on the right away from the side and the condensation went away by morning.

I got around the "too deep" part with 7-8in of substrate to take the edge off and save my shirt sleeves from getting too too wet. When I move all the fish in there to species tanks and it is temporarily empty I am going to put 6 inches of clayey soils from the backyard (supposed to get into the 40's this week so the ground might thaw) and then put 4" of the coarse gravel in the tank now. Its fine gravel that i swept off a small bridge this summer, leftovers from last years salting campaign. Its dark, but perfect sized and no fines. If I can get up north into the Adirondacks this summer I can find lighter colored sand.

I buy my glass covers at the glass cutting place . Its cheap and great quality better than glass cover that comes with lights.

I buy it an inch longer and wider than tank to simply sit it on tank top not touching water. You can get it made into several pieces 2 or 3 sheets thus its not large as you remove each piece to clean it.

You can simply clean it in shower by running shower hot water on it it will kill remove any algae,etc

a big long cover is a real pain to clean . My 55 gallon cover is in 3 sheets thus small and easy to clean its 1/4 inch thick