Anyone using a light mover?
- Thread starter Stoney Mahony
- Start date
aurora
New member
I have a light mover (Lightrail System 3.1) that moves all three of my 400W MH (on a rack) about a foot back and forth. I used to run 5 lamps to cover the 6 foot length of the tank and switch to the light mover to reduce heat and electricity and cost of bulb replacement. In addition, my colonies all get a fairly even spread of light and grow in a very symetrical fashion. Things tend to grow toward the light and I cured this by having the light constantly moving. It also cures the problem of larger colonies getting shading and the colors are uniform across the whole colony...as opposed to better color nearer a stationary light.
I only use one motor. You can buy a "add a lamp system" that ties a second trolley wheel to the main motor. The system is just a rod and a slave trolley. When the motor moves on the rail, it push or pull the slave trolley via the rod. You can adjust the distance between the main motor/trolley and the slave trolleysince the rod is a long screw. I put my 3 MH lights on a rack and suspend the whole light rack from the two trolley. I use a coated closet rack and secure the reflectors/light to the rack. The rail is aluminum and you can secure it to a 2x4 like I did or any stable surface. You place a screw at the spot on the rail where you want the motor to stop and turn around. The motor has a tab on it that tell it when to move the other way. The motor moves down the rail and push this tab against the screw on the rail and it stop (you can adjust how long it stop for up to 2 minutes) and turn around. Same thing on the other end of the rail. Since I have 3 lamps, I adjust my motor to only move about a foot or so....just enough so that that at each stop, the outside light sits above the left or right side of the tank. If you think about it, the middle part of the tank gets the most light all the time since at anyone one time, either far side of the tank is getting not as much light as the rest. This works out well since I can put low light corals on either side of the tank. LPS does great since they love the 400W intensity but doesn't get it long enough to burn them. Lower light SPS also does well on the side. I have electronic timer for my light and also plug my motor into the same timer as the light...so when the light turns on, so does the motor. I've had my lightrail running continuously for 3 years now without any problem. My understanding is that the motor is sealed and moisture proof since it is built for greenhouses. The beauty is that there is no shaded spot (except the front and back) from side to side on my tank since the light is constantly moving. I think this is the reason my colonies are very symmetrical and the color are uniform. Some of the colonies are more than 12" across. The cost of the system is about the cost of an extra e-ballast and bulb. Since I would need 4-5 lamps to cover the length of a 6' tank. The rail system paid for itself already in bulb replacement and electric cost (2 less ballasts/bulbs to buy and replace every 9 months, the extra energy to run and cool them). If you have the space, the rail system is a no brainer. I really don't know why it's not used more...maybe most people have hoods instead of inwall tank. A hood is not a limitation...just need a taller hood and attach the rail to the top of your hood. You can cut out the hood fan since the lights constantly moving back and forth probable cool them better than any fan if you leave the back of the hood open.
I only use one motor. You can buy a "add a lamp system" that ties a second trolley wheel to the main motor. The system is just a rod and a slave trolley. When the motor moves on the rail, it push or pull the slave trolley via the rod. You can adjust the distance between the main motor/trolley and the slave trolleysince the rod is a long screw. I put my 3 MH lights on a rack and suspend the whole light rack from the two trolley. I use a coated closet rack and secure the reflectors/light to the rack. The rail is aluminum and you can secure it to a 2x4 like I did or any stable surface. You place a screw at the spot on the rail where you want the motor to stop and turn around. The motor has a tab on it that tell it when to move the other way. The motor moves down the rail and push this tab against the screw on the rail and it stop (you can adjust how long it stop for up to 2 minutes) and turn around. Same thing on the other end of the rail. Since I have 3 lamps, I adjust my motor to only move about a foot or so....just enough so that that at each stop, the outside light sits above the left or right side of the tank. If you think about it, the middle part of the tank gets the most light all the time since at anyone one time, either far side of the tank is getting not as much light as the rest. This works out well since I can put low light corals on either side of the tank. LPS does great since they love the 400W intensity but doesn't get it long enough to burn them. Lower light SPS also does well on the side. I have electronic timer for my light and also plug my motor into the same timer as the light...so when the light turns on, so does the motor. I've had my lightrail running continuously for 3 years now without any problem. My understanding is that the motor is sealed and moisture proof since it is built for greenhouses. The beauty is that there is no shaded spot (except the front and back) from side to side on my tank since the light is constantly moving. I think this is the reason my colonies are very symmetrical and the color are uniform. Some of the colonies are more than 12" across. The cost of the system is about the cost of an extra e-ballast and bulb. Since I would need 4-5 lamps to cover the length of a 6' tank. The rail system paid for itself already in bulb replacement and electric cost (2 less ballasts/bulbs to buy and replace every 9 months, the extra energy to run and cool them). If you have the space, the rail system is a no brainer. I really don't know why it's not used more...maybe most people have hoods instead of inwall tank. A hood is not a limitation...just need a taller hood and attach the rail to the top of your hood. You can cut out the hood fan since the lights constantly moving back and forth probable cool them better than any fan if you leave the back of the hood open.
perpetual98
New member
Well said aurora! I was leaning that direction anyway, and I think that you may have sealed the deal. How do you think that the Agramover would compare to the LR3?
Eric
Eric
Stoney Mahony
New member
Very nice explanation Aurora 
. They are 100% sealed. I tried to open mine up and take a look and there is no way into that bad boy. Do you use any supplemental lighting with the 10k's? A pic would be awesome!
. They are 100% sealed. I tried to open mine up and take a look and there is no way into that bad boy. Do you use any supplemental lighting with the 10k's? A pic would be awesome!
perpetual98
New member
What do you think the minimal amount of vertical space one of these would take up? I'm guessing you could mount the pendant/reflector/fixture fairly close to the motor, right?
salmon alley
Premium Member
Great thread. I was just looking into lighting options for my 4' tank and I'd really like to go with a light mover.
For those of you that go with a combination of MH + supplemental actinic (T5s, VHOs, etc.) do you plan to get full length fluorescent bulbs and just have the MH move or would you go with a combination MH/T5 pendant and have the pendant move over the length of the tank?
FWIW, on another board one of the experts was asked a question about the light movers vis-a-vis one pass versus multiple passes. He advised multiple passes.
I'll try and post the link if I can find it.
For those of you that go with a combination of MH + supplemental actinic (T5s, VHOs, etc.) do you plan to get full length fluorescent bulbs and just have the MH move or would you go with a combination MH/T5 pendant and have the pendant move over the length of the tank?
FWIW, on another board one of the experts was asked a question about the light movers vis-a-vis one pass versus multiple passes. He advised multiple passes.
I'll try and post the link if I can find it.
sps_addict
New member
Update:
Receive the agramover today and installed it. It is dead silent. I have it setup to go on a 5' rail but only run it at 4' with the stoppers. I have also set it to stop for 30 secs before going the opposite direction.
Hope that helps.
Receive the agramover today and installed it. It is dead silent. I have it setup to go on a 5' rail but only run it at 4' with the stoppers. I have also set it to stop for 30 secs before going the opposite direction.
Hope that helps.
perpetual98
New member
Cool! I lost my ebay bid on the LightRail 3 
Is the agramover something that runs on the rail, or is the motor at the end of the rail and moves via a chain or something?
Eric
Is the agramover something that runs on the rail, or is the motor at the end of the rail and moves via a chain or something?
Eric
sps_addict
New member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8780512#post8780512 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by perpetual98
Cool! I lost my ebay bid on the LightRail 3
Is the agramover something that runs on the rail, or is the motor at the end of the rail and moves via a chain or something?
Eric
It runs on the rail. It doesn't use a chain, which was one of the reasons I got this one over the other ebay light movers. It uses rubber wheels or what not. It has wheels (that also act as a type of clamp) on either side of the movable rubber wheel. So this thing can run in a horizontal or vertical position (not sure what you would use it for).
perpetual98
New member
Good deal! Thanks for the info! Too bad I don't think I'll be able to get one before my long weekend coming up. LOL At least I've have some time to work on it.
Stoney Mahony
New member
Awesome stuff! I am trying to get my rail this weekend and then I should be set. Just need to build my new canopy now .
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