New lights

I just got in my new 6x54w lighting fixture and it is extremely bright. The only problem is that it sits on legs a couple inches above the water so there is alot of light entering the room. It feels like it is burning my eyes when i sit at the computer across the room. Is there a way to reduce the amount of light runoff into the room? Thanks in advance.

 

Mine are under a canopy!

 

canopy? Are they easy to make?

 

There are tons of DIY pages about making your own. The draw back is that you need a few not-so-basic tools and a place were you can make a lot of noise. ( I live in the F-ing condo... stupid neighbors and weight rated floors.) How big is your tank by the way? I'm trying to imagine run-off and were it's coming from.

 

It is a 55gallon

 

which fixture is it? You may be able to get reflectors and fit them in there so more light is directed into the tank and not around it. (if the fixture doesnt already have reflectors.

 

Man, so a canopy may not fit readily over a fixture like that with stable footing on the tank. I have that fixture and it's really really nice. Any chance of you throwing up some pictures of your set-up?

As far as ideas go I keep coming back to a small strip of dense material along the edge just to block enough eye-level light that you don't go blind as you said.

That is, if the excess is coming from the fixture directly or if it's aiming light through the front of your tank. You could bend the reflector a little bit with a wedge to aim that outside bulb more toward the center of the tank.

Or even easier, move the fixture back a centimeters.

 

It already has individual reflectors built-in for each bulb. I wish i could post some pics but my camera keeps draining the batteries. I'll try looking for something to block the front because that is the main area where it is coming from and see if it helps.