willz02 Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 ok so i made some lights with the regular heatsink which work perfectly but i need a way to hang them on my tank, but dont want hang them all the way from the ceiling. problem is all the actual brackets or rails i've seen are ridiculously expensive, for what they actually are (just some peaces of metal put together) so just want to see that people have made or the ideas you have if any, i dont care if is bought or diy just not super expensive for a 40 gallon 3ft long tank. as of right now i have them the gettho way xP i could screw anything to the wall just dont want nothing on the ceiling, and don't wanna spend over $50 also if someone can tell me how much light if too much light, if there is a way for me to know, because i already burned some of my corals ... Link to comment
jedimasterben Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 Holy shit, that IS ghetto lol. You can go to Home Depot and get some of the wire shelf hanging stuff, they have arms that come out like 16 or 18 inches that you can string wire from. Link to comment
Zer0 Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 Seriously though, just get 1/2" electrical conduit from home depot - it's like $3 for a 10ft tube. Bend to your hearts content, drill holes to mount or hang the light, run wire/cable through the conduit, and then sit back and enjoy. Link to comment
Havok_9 Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 I'm not much a of a DIY-er, but I've been researching using conduit and it seems very very simple and very clean looking. I plan on working with it in the next couple of days. I've never really cared for the look of lights hanging from the ceiling. I'd rather the fixture be more streamlined and be part of the tank. Here's a website with detailed easy to follow instructions that should help- http://www.projectaquarium.com/plantedAquariumArticles_EMT_lightstand.aspx I'm only hanging a single 16" fixture so I plan on constructing something like the very last picture, a single arm. But do a quick Google on conduit aquarium lighting and there are lots of variations and styles. EDIT- and on the light intensity for your corals, since you say you've already burned a few, I would dim them considerably and then ramp them up in small increments weekly. This is just advice I've gathered from lots... and lots.. of reading on this forum, hopefully someone more experienced chimes in on that one. Link to comment
farkwar Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 If its up against a wall. Put in a shelf above it. Hang light from shelf. Youre really going to use that shelf. Link to comment
willz02 Posted June 16, 2014 Author Share Posted June 16, 2014 I'm not much a of a DIY-er, but I've been researching using conduit and it seems very very simple and very clean looking. I plan on working with it in the next couple of days. I've never really cared for the look of lights hanging from the ceiling. I'd rather the fixture be more streamlined and be part of the tank. Here's a website with detailed easy to follow instructions that should help- http://www.projectaquarium.com/plantedAquariumArticles_EMT_lightstand.aspx I'm only hanging a single 16" fixture so I plan on constructing something like the very last picture, a single arm. But do a quick Google on conduit aquarium lighting and there are lots of variations and styles. EDIT- and on the light intensity for your corals, since you say you've already burned a few, I would dim them considerably and then ramp them up in small increments weekly. This is just advice I've gathered from lots... and lots.. of reading on this forum, hopefully someone more experienced chimes in on that one. Seriously though, just get 1/2" electrical conduit from home depot - it's like $3 for a 10ft tube. Bend to your hearts content, drill holes to mount or hang the light, run wire/cable through the conduit, and then sit back and enjoy. i have to say this looks awesome, but that tool is nothing cheap. so think i'm going with the shelve Link to comment
bdevillier19 Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 i have to say this looks awesome, but that tool is nothing cheap. so think i'm going with the shelve its only expensive if you buy it. i just used it to do the 2 90* bends and put it back. some places will even do it for you if you explain what you are trying to do. Link to comment
CrazyEyes Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 If its up against a wall. Put in a shelf above it. Hang light from shelf. Youre really going to use that shelf. What he said, my last tank had a shelf over it. It really was pretty perfect. It hung the lights and held shit for the tank. Link to comment
Havok_9 Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 You could buy and return once you're done. Pretty much my game plan. Link to comment
willz02 Posted June 19, 2014 Author Share Posted June 19, 2014 just wanted to update on how i hanged up the lights. actually with the electric conduit isn't that expensive even if you buy the tool, might have been maybe $10 more or so but i picked this cause as you can see i have a lot of crap for it to hold. but the conduit gets even cheaper if you have a bigger tank. just wanted to update on how i hanged up the lights. actually with the electric conduit isn't that expensive even if you buy the tool, might have been maybe $10 more or so but i picked this cause as you can see i have a lot of crap for it to hold. but the conduit gets even cheaper if you have a bigger tank. just wanted to update on how i hanged up the lights. actually with the electric conduit isn't that expensive even if you buy the tool, might have been maybe $10 more or so but i picked this cause as you can see i have a lot of crap for it to hold. but the conduit gets even cheaper if you have a bigger tank. Link to comment
Havok_9 Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 That's perfect- Functional and good looking! Great job. Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.