Curious about suspending lights

[sampets1984]

Anyone have any good ideas and or pictures that could give me an example about how using 2 L shaped pieces of steel beams which I can bolt into a stand to suspend M/H lighting from a aquarium. I wish to do an open top 125 set up without a canopy I figured the shimmering water would be a nice look as well as a money saver. Perhaps even efficient for cooling the lighting down as well.

 

[lvsuckerfish]

Sampets I am looking for the thread of someone building with conduit piping the metal electrical pipe. it was attached to the stand and bent over the top to the height needed to place the lamps. What lights are you going to use? m/h vho's t5's

 

[lvsuckerfish]

http://reeftools.com/news/building-a-light-rack-from-conduit/

there you go

 

[sampets1984]

I want to run Metal Halides at least 3 of them on a 125 to be safe or 2 depends on how this rack turns out.

 

[lvsuckerfish]

is it a 60" or a 72" long tank

a 60" you can use 2 72 you can get away with 3 over the tank

I had a 60 100 and used 2x 250's with the tank covered in lighting with diy reflectors not the best but they did the job. I now have a 72" 240 with 3x 400's going over the top. and my 100 I plan on going with a t5 6 blub fixture it will be a softie only tank.

 

[sampets1984]

72" my friend. I am trying to decide if its best to get an already built stand in which I would have to bolt metal shafts to or just build it myself . its a process i want to get worked out before the summer

 

[lvsuckerfish]

also talk to this guy he builds metal stands and light racks his name on here is veralteaquatics he is a sponsor and has threads of whats he has built.

 

[sampets1984]

he the type of guy who has pictures of his work by chance?

 

[roscoe]

Here is a thread to my build. I have my canopy suspended about 16'' above the tank.

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42958


Here is the thread to my 270g DT progression journal. Which I havn't updated for almost 2 months

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=49254

 

[sampets1984]

Jeeze that is a nice setup god I wish I wasnt iin an apartment and had more access to certain tools to do a design like that. makes it a bit tough at times or just not having the knowledge. how'd you get your stand finish work to look so damn sexy how you do that?

 

[DolphinLVR]

I am going to be building a light rack for my tank soon out of angled aluminum. My tank is 72 inches long as well

 

[sampets1984]

Any way you want to build a secondary one and Id gladly pay you for it ?

 

[DolphinLVR]

Any way you want to build a secondary one and Id gladly pay you for it ?

I wouldn't mind, it is really dependant on the spacing of the lights and your tank!

My tank is going to have euro bracing and more than likely 3 openings. So depending of the openings will determine where my lights will be.

It is pretty easy to build, Just need a hack saw, rivets made for metal and a rivet gun and a drill with drill bits.

 

[sampets1984]

Hmmm interesting yeah I have a 90 set up right now with 4 vho's and I am not a big fan of them right now the canopy I have is maybe about 7 inches in height or even possibly lower and I wanted a bigger tank so that I could start from scratch while I slowly watch what direction this 90 is going to go. I like the ideas of hung lights then buying a canopy really for some reason.

 

[DolphinLVR]

Yeah I didnt want a canopy either, so I really only had 2 options!

1) All in one unit that either had legs or was able to hang from the ceiling
2)build my own light rack and suspend from the ceiling

 

[sampets1984]

Well see since I live in an apartment thats why I was trying to figure a way to have a hanging system that uses the weight of the aquarium and the stand to keep the lighting suspended. Some have suggest using L brackets in a stud in the wall but how do you find studs in an apartment hah.

 

[DolphinLVR]

Well see since I live in an apartment thats why I was trying to figure a way to have a hanging system that uses the weight of the aquarium and the stand to keep the lighting suspended. Some have suggest using L brackets in a stud in the wall but how do you find studs in an apartment hah.

get a stud finder at home depot or Lowes, they are easy to use

 

[sampets1984]

do you suggest that over building a lighting rack to a stand though?

 

[roscoe]

Jeeze that is a nice setup god I wish I wasnt iin an apartment and had more access to certain tools to do a design like that. makes it a bit tough at times or just not having the knowledge. how'd you get your stand finish work to look so damn sexy how you do that?

Thanks.... I used what is called solid paint I believe. I can't remember right now. I have the can at home. I then put a few layers of clear coat.

 

[sampets1984]

Looks are super professional and smooth and rounded. I asked my uncle to build me a stand was the nastiest looking thing for the materials I bought.