Mh over glass brace

[Junkzoo]

Hi all, just my question of the week,,,,my 200 Oceanic has two glass braces across the center and was wondering about a MH(400w)being over them,, when i convert my Hamilton mh/pc retro light panel from my 75 to the 200, i was planning on moving/stretching the lights to cover the tank and probably adding a third mh to light up a 7' tank enuf,,,was wondering on heat affecting the braces. already know about light loss from the glass, just don't want a problem to be caused to a tank with a already "Dark" past history of "blow-outs, from heat from the mh's. the lights will be in a light box suspended over the tank , more likely just above the tank a couple o' inches of the tank frame.
Thanks in advance,

[dark horge]

Jeff,

This has come up in the past ---with one horror story over at AL with the glass fracturing (apparently) because of the temp difference: I seem to recall that that poor fellow's MH (180?) was a mere 8" above the center brace.

You can check if the brace-glass butts right up to the front and rear panes. If there's even an eight inch of silicone in between, that may take up any expansion. But...

If it's do-able, you ought to just replace the single (center) brace with two at every third of the tank length. Easy to order and silicone-in the new braces, then liberate the obstructing old one.