Forum Ingenuity: Put your brains together to light my tank

[fishscale]

I've got a 20g Long that I'm trying to figure out how to light. I have lots of stuff, but some kind of tricky requirements:

-I want an open top tank
-Some of my driftwood will probably protrude from the water surface 1"-2"
-I cannot drill holes in the walls or ceiling
-I have limited access to tools
-It must look good

Stuff I have to light it with:

24" 2x55W Coralife
30" 1x55W Coralife
2x55W AHSupply Kit

Some might say that 2x55W is way too much light for a 20L. You might be right, but when I put just 1x55W, the light doesn't cover evenly, and it just doesn't see bright enough. Therefore, I think I may run the bulbs one at a time, with a burst at noontime. This tank will have pressurized CO2.

Please note I am not completely adverse to using legs to support the light.

[fish_fasinated]

seems to me that legs would be best as the wood is going to protrude and you want an open top tank. but as far as the lighting amount goies this all depends on how much light you want.

[t0p_sh0tta]

Coundit over-the-tank style hangers? Is the tank on it's own individual stand?

[epicfish]

Originally Posted by t0p_sh0tta

coundit over-the-tank style hangers? Is the tank on it's own individual stand?

+1.

[fishscale]

It's on a bookshelf, not on it's own stand. The book shelf has 3x3 14" cube shelves, kind of like this:

http://www.target.com/Cube-Collectio...20shelf&page=1

But made from real wood.

The problem with the legs is that it'd only work with the 30" fixture. How would you do conduit hangers without a lot of equipment? Will big box stores (HD, Lowe's etc) bend the bars for you? Any idea on how to attach it to the shelf?

[epicfish]

Search for posts from bharada, he shows detailed close-up pictures of how to attach the EMT conduit to stands/bookshelves.

There's also plenty of discussion on bending the conduit.

[brohawk]

You can also buy conduit elbows instead of bending one piece. Premeasure the lenght and height, and Lowes/Depot can cut the straight pieces for you. There will be seams that are slightly visible, but no major tools req'd.

[epicfish]

Originally Posted by brohawk

You can also buy conduit elbows instead of bending one piece. Premeasure the lenght and height, and Lowes/Depot can cut the straight pieces for you. There will be seams that are slightly visible, but no major tools req'd.

Depending on the fixture weight and length of the pieces required, I was advised against using the elbows because they're weaker.

I imagine it'd work for lighter fixtures.

[eyebeatbadgers]

What about hoisting the light with the cantilevered system that Hoppy (VaughnH here I think) dreamed up a while ago? I know there is a thread about it over on T. Barr's forum, might be one here too.

[fishscale]

Hmmm, I tried looking for the posts you were talking about, and I saw quite a few of the conduit stands, but no one mentioned how they stayed upright, if they were attached to the stands, or how they were attached to the stands. The other thing I'm having trouble with (and I'm sure will end up being trivial) is figuring out how to hang the light itself. Where do you attach wires/hooks/whatever to the light? And then, how do you connect it on the other side? Do you just tie the wire up on the conduit? Or do you wrap the wire around and use some kind of tie?

Not trying to be too lazy, but just seeing what kind of responses I get. I'll just pm some people later.

[epicfish]

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/eq...ng-lights.html

[Minsc]

Originally Posted by epicfish

Depending on the fixture weight and length of the pieces required, I was advised against using the elbows because they're weaker.

I imagine it'd work for lighter fixtures.

The prebent elbows actually work just fine for heavy fixtures. They don't look quite as nice, but are a good solution for those of us who don't have the chutzpah to bend in the store, then place the bender back on the rack

[epicfish]

Originally Posted by Minsc

The prebent elbows actually work just fine for heavy fixtures. They don't look quite as nice, but are a good solution for those of us who don't have the chutzpah to bend in the store, then place the bender back on the rack

I admit it. I've bought one, bent, and returned it.