Help Ideas on hanging lighting

[rogergolf66]

I need help hanging my lights. This is my first build from scrach, and I made a mistake when I built the top wall above the tank. I built the 2X4 wall flush with the front of the tank, so the 2X4 is accually hanging over the front of the tank and it is stealling 4 inches of the top of the tank. to keep it simple I lost 4 inches of room for my lighting.

Well here is my problem. I already have my HQI pendents hung. I need to find a way to hang the T5's and keep as much light as I can going into the tank. I think I need to have the T5 retrofit reflectors dangiling. If I screw them or bolt them to the top they will be to far from the water and I will loose a lot of light.

what do you think?

here is the best pic I have.

Roger

 

[BankerJohn]

What about hanging some IceCap T5 reflectors on a small chain from the bottom of the shelf so they are on the same plane as the face of the HQI's?

OR

From the 2X4 wall, mount a moon light strip that will give night lites to the tank.

Good luck and let us know what you decide.

 

[adnup]

Maybe you can cut out that 2x4 and turn it, so you'll get back the 2". I would then hang the T5's from the light shelf. From chains so you can still lift up the shelf. I would also screw in a 1x2 (or something) around that shelf to make it alittle more sturdy.
GL

 

[rogergolf66]

Banker John I have moon lights under the 2X4 now you can see them in the picture. I was thinking the same thing to hang from a chain at the same hight as the HQI. will that work you think?


Adnup I thought of that also but it seems like a lot of work, but I will need to add a trim around the shelf you are right I am getting a slight bowing of the board.

Thanks

anybody else got any ideas?

Also guys I have 4 T5s I want to put up can I bend the reflector so I don't loose light outside the take onto the walls, or will it not penitrate the water anyways if I do that?

 

[Steven M]

I would not bend the reflector. You could get some angle aluminum for HD and make some hanging brackets so the lights are at the same height as your MH. You could allso rivet the angle to the MH housing and T5 reflector. I see people put T5 and VHO under there MH and I don't like how it blocks the light.

 

[BankerJohn]

Roger, I really hope you were only looking for ideas from me and not advice. Mechanically speaking, I am a slacker. I own "a" hammer. I bought it to open my 5 gallong buckets of salt. I can give an idea but to get that idea into reality, I would ask someone like Steve, Paul or Ted.

LOL, thanks for thinking I could be of help. By the way, I *may* have stayed at a Motel 6 last night.

Banker John

 

[rogergolf66]

lol yes only looking for ideas bankerjohn and thanks for it.

we thought the same idea that is what i was thinking of doing just wondering if there are any other ideas out there.

thanks again.

steven I don't want to hang them under my MH either I don't want to block them. maybe the rivot idea would work.

Thanks

if you think of anything else let me know

Roger

 

[adnup]

What Steve says sounds good. You could ditch the shelf altogether and make something like mflamb's. Use a pulley system for the lights to raise them straight up. Maybe a shelf on top of it for storage (if needed)

 

[rogergolf66]

that looks great but Im not very handy with anything but wood. and I don't know anything about pullies