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DIY hanging light fixture assist


lilj104

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I have a deep blue 65 gallon aquarium and I would like to hang/suspend the light fixture over the aquarium. My wife probably won't let me hang it from the ceiling so I need to find and alternative. I plan on using one of the reef breeder photon light fixture.

 

Has anyone built/created their own anchor where you can hang the lights from?

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I've heard and seen a bunch of people use bent electrical conduit to make a diy light hanger that you can attach to your stand. You can also take a look at the manufactured ones light the aquatic life light hangers.

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Will she let you install bookshelf supports on the wall above your tank? They make some really modern cool looking ones these days out of stainless steel.

 

They make good suspension and you can use the thinest of braided or piano wire to hang them with

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  • 6 months later...

Ok now that I am getting closer the purchasing my light fixture I just wanted to clarify some things. So if each hook an hold 20lbs and I am looking to buy the reef breeders Photon 32" light LED fixture that is 18lbs. Then I would need probably 2 hooks for balance which would be able to support 40lbs no problem right? How high up should I keep the light fixture

 

http://reefbreeders.com/shop/photon-32/

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Conduit. Cheap and easy. I used two 3/4" sticks, bent them to a 90*, attached them to back of stand. Painted to the color of your choosing.. Simple, cheap, effective..

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  • 3 weeks later...

Conduit. Cheap and easy. I used two 3/4" sticks, bent them to a 90*, attached them to back of stand. Painted to the color of your choosing.. Simple, cheap, effective..

 

 

I used 3/4 inch conduit bent into an L then an L across the tank. It looks like the second picture down http://reeftools.com/news/building-a-light-rack-from-conduit/ The second bend we left a little high because the weight of the light Use carbiner clips to slip over the conduit to hang the light from. Mine is about 12 to 14 inches from the surface of the water.

 

 

Conduit. Cheap and easy. I used two 3/4" sticks, bent them to a 90*, attached them to back of stand. Painted to the color of your choosing.. Simple, cheap, effective..

I like this idea. Where did you buy your conduit? I want to set up mine like the link from Joy

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Yup, home depot or whatever store you have local. Let me know if you need some instruction, I can take pics for you or whatever..

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Just my opinion, but once your wife sees the conduit lighting rack she may request it be hung from the ceiling instead. Some people just don't diy conduit well imo heh

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Yup, home depot or whatever store you have local. Let me know if you need some instruction, I can take pics for you or whatever..

Yes that would be really nice, if you had some instructions to show me.

 

 

Just my opinion, but once your wife sees the conduit lighting rack she may request it be hung from the ceiling instead. Some people just don't diy conduit well imo heh

I'm pretty handy, and if it didn't look right I wouldn't hang it. I want this set up to be perfect but thank you

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I recently put up my fixture using a wall shelf with a mix of parts from IKEA (EKBY LAIVA Shelf, black-brown - $2.99) and Walmart (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Hardware-House-Hardware-57-0531-6X8-Wh-Shelf-Bracket/37653678) - around $3.00. The L brackets included the hardware to attach it to the drywall.

 

I can post pictures later. I measured multiple times and tried to mock it up as best I could using painters tape as my guides so that I would only have to drill holes once. A level was also helpful.

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I recently put up my fixture using a wall shelf with a mix of parts from IKEA (EKBY LAIVA Shelf, black-brown - $2.99) and Walmart (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Hardware-House-Hardware-57-0531-6X8-Wh-Shelf-Bracket/37653678) - around $3.00. The L brackets included the hardware to attach it to the drywall.

 

I can post pictures later. I measured multiple times and tried to mock it up as best I could using painters tape as my guides so that I would only have to drill holes once. A level was also helpful.

Yeah I would like to see how you did it

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Ok, here is what mine looks like.

post-83200-0-70229300-1408653910_thumb.jpg post-83200-0-21886100-1408653911_thumb.jpg

 

You'll need some drywall anchors. Here is a picture of the kind that I used. The second white one is the type that came with the Walmart shelf brackets.

plastic1.jpg

 

After mocking it up in my mind, and as best I could on top of the tank, I drilled holes in the wood plank that I got from Ikea. Make sure to note how far out you want the wires to hang. It will determine the placement of the fixture over the tank as well. I drilled slightly smaller holes first and then increased the size of the bit to match the hanging kit that came with the light fixture.

post-83200-0-92121400-1408653912_thumb.jpg

 

Using the caribiners provided I just slipped them on to the wired eyelets and it works out pretty nicely.

post-83200-0-99833600-1408653911_thumb.jpg

 

I attached the shelf brackets to the actual shelf using #6 wood screws before attaching it to the wall.

 

I then used a tape measure to determine the height of the shelf. Carefully I held the shelf up against the wall and then used a pointed tipped marker to mark the holes for the brackets themselves. Use a level to make sure your holes are level. Get some help if needed.

 

Before working on the drywall, ensure to cover your tank so that any dust/debris created does not enter your ecosystem. I just covered mine in a large bath towel.

 

If all goes well, you'll have it up in an hour or two.

post-83200-0-87472800-1408653913_thumb.jpg

 

oh and vacuum up any dust/mess afterwards :).

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I used 3/4 inch conduit bent into an L then an L across the tank. It looks like the second picture down http://reeftools.com/news/building-a-light-rack-from-conduit/ The second bend we left a little high because the weight of the light Use carbiner clips to slip over the conduit to hang the light from. Mine is about 12 to 14 inches from the surface of the water.

do you have a step by step of how you did this?

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What I did was order the bender from amazon went down got the conduit and then yelled "Elliott come here and do this" Walked away. Come back say "thank you now please put it up for me." It has worked at least 3 times for me. I had him to a few for other people too. He uses 3/4 inch conduit the first 90 degree bend is always the height. The second one is 1/2 the depth of the tank front to back. There is always extra on the height and also the length of the tank. He uses a hacksaw to cut it. There is at least 3 if not more of the conduit anchors that he uses to attach them to the back of the stand. If you are going to paint it use brake cleaner to clean it then a fine grade sandpaper to go over it quickly then he spray paints it. He found some little caps I had laying around I am not for sure what they care called or what they are used for but he sprayed them black as well to make it look finished.

 

The most expensive part is the conduit bender maybe you be lucky and know someone that has one, the biggest I could borrow was 1/2inch.

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