High Ceilings & a 92 Corner

[lapizzaro]

I need some advice I have 22 feet ceilings in the area I want to place my 92 Corner tank so hanging pendants from the ceiling and for that matter the walls are out. A custom canopy at this time is not a possibility or a desire.

Given the traingular shape of the tank of the tank does anyone have any ideas how I could light the tank with some sort of fixture with legs? I would appreciate any advice. Thanks

 

[lapizzaro]

One more piece of info - I would prefer MHs but since this is going to be a fish centric tank with LR and maybe some coral or anemones in the future. However I am willing to deal with different option eg pcs, t5s and focus on my immediate needs fish and LR. The tank comes with glass cover that I could remove or leave on. Thanks

 

[liveforphysics]

Just as an FYI, hanging a Halide pendant from a 20ft ceiling is no different than hanging it from an 8ft ceiling. For hanging round pendants, a single black slender aircraft cable (kinda like bicycle cable, only rated to around 2000lbs) connected to an eyelet ring threaded into the ceiling, with the wires running up next to the cable, or some people do a little spiral wrap around the cable. They make some rather nice looking flat black tear drop shaped hanging pendants. Perhaps 2 of those in a 400watt variety would enable you to have all the light you would need for most anything you wanted to keep.

Any lighting type can easily be made to connect to a metal frame work. If you decided you had to have it supported by the floor, you could take some measurements and draw up a simple structure on paper. If you were local you could take that to me and i could weld up the frame for you in a few minutes for about $20 in time and materials. Since you aren't local though, you would likely be looking at a minimum welding shop labor time of $35-$50 to have it built to your specs. Depending on how elaborate your design is, it should be something that any welding shop could easily make for you in 20-30mins.

 

[Willy]

Without hanging them from your ceilings or building a canopy you really dont have too many options.. I would lean towards a canopy. Running cable and your ballast wiring 22 feet in the air would be a pain not to mention it would not look very nice in my opinion. Also I think 2 400W halides on a 92 gallon tank would be a bit excessive I wouold go with 2 250W halides IF you plan on keeping coral that needs that amount of lighting...Another option for a canopy housed light system is to use a T5 or a Power compact retro kit.. Again it all depends on what you want to keep in the tank.

Hope That Helps

 

[mmkeeper]

What about something like this?http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=3956&d=1106542297

 

[Detri]

Well, if I was thinking like you. I would buy a similar material (say, wood that is an accent in the room the tank is in) to the accents in that room. Build a frame to make it look like a frame surrounding the tank. Use it to hide the edges of the tank and stand that are against the wall. Take it above the tank any height you want. Then hang the lights from the frame work above the tank. Try and design it to match either the tank shape or a shape that is prominent in the room.

 

[John Henry]

Or legs on the light fixture, standing on the rim of the tank?

 

[John Henry]

Oooops. Just realized it was a triangular tank. That....um....complicates...

Modified suggestion: find a way to make a 3-legged light housing.


It should be easier to 'stand' the lights on the tank (even if it's 3 sided), than to hang them from the height of a cruising Cessna.