Lighting - angle question/light visible above canopy

This may be a slightly odd question .. but ... I recently got my 30 gallon tank up and running in my home office after many years in storage. It has a very old fluorescent light hood that does not provide great light. So considering upgrading to an LED light, which of course will mean a new glass canopy as well.

My question is, the top of my aquarium is roughly at eye level when I sit in my desk of my home office, I have multiple computer screens but the one I use the most has me facing in that direction. My concern is the visible light that 'escapes' sideways between the light and the top of the aquarium. If that makes sense? My LFS only has Marineland lights and they seem to be quite bright when you bend down and look at them straight on, due to the LEDs being right along the bottom of the fixture. Do particular makes put off less light "sideways", as in the lights are up-and-in the fixture? Or the fixture is curved? Hard to guage without being able to see them in person.

Alternatively, has anyone put some sort of hood over a particular model to cut down on this escaping light? My concern is it will be blinding me when I am sitting at my desk.

 

Most fixtures are going to have that light bleed because they are 120* leds. The more intense fixture may have less but only because they will use optics or have more focused beam.

Just as a quick and cheap way to block the light would be with some cardboard or solid color acrylic. A more costly but visually pleasing look would be a hood and would certainly do it.

Welcome to Fishlore!

 

Thanks for the welcome!

So I was looking at lights such as the Finnex Stingray or the Current USA Satellite Freshwater LED Plus, but all the installs of these seem to have them mounted over a flat glass canopy top. Are there hoods that go over these type of setups? Or do you mean an LED in an integrated hood?

My LFS only has the long strips over glass canopies other than very small tanks with LED's integrated into solid hoods. Nothing in the size I would need (36" x 12").

 

Sorry for the confusion. I interchanged hood with canopy. Yes, you would need to get the canopy separately if that is what you preferred.

Most setups in integrated hoods (not canopies) are only OK if you are looking for only OK lighting and no plants.

The fixtures you mentioned are better quality and are more of a "light bar". Some of them would allow you to hang them from a hood or hanging setup.

If you are only looking to block the light from your face and not too worried about looks, I would lean a piece of acrylic or cardboard from the front edge of the tank to the light.

If you could find something like this for your size aquarium-

Hope that helps


*update-
Otherwise something like cut to size or cardboard to at least test.

 

Yes, it's definitely a light bar design I am interested in. I actually contemplated building something like the picture in your link (canopy), I'm lucky in that I have a full woodworking shop at my house. I kind of put it out of my head though as I was concerned about all the moisture around the wood. May have to Google around a bit and see how people have handled that. Thanks!

 

If you have a glass top, it will help drastically. I have a friend with a salty tank with untreated oak canopy and glass top, the only thing i've noticed on it is the salt buildup.

Otherwise putting on poly sealers or painting should help the wood. Overall, I think as long as it isn't "air tight" and there is a way for the air/moisture to escape, it shouldn't be of much concern. Hopefully someone with more experience will be able to help. Lucky to have a wood working shop. Get to building and post it up!

Outlaw

 

Will do! I built the base for the aquarium already after seeing my old, ugly metal frame base had some rust on the welds .. made me a little nervous about its strength.

So I suppose I will build a canopy to match. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

If you already have the base, the canopy is a must! They look really nice imo.

Np. glad it helped and don't forget to post some pics.