Adjustable Height Lighting system in hood

[Guest Kimo]

Hey everyone -

 

Last Saturday Quazi and I nearly finished the hood for my 180 (Thanks a LOT Mike!!!) - All we have left is to add some side rails, a new back brace and the front door.  I'd also like to come up with some interesting, clean, easy way to be able to adjust the distance of the bulbs from the water.

 

If I can't do this easily I will just move them down about an inch or two so that the bulbs are 8-10 inches above the water.

 

The hood is 13 inches above the top of the tank (internal dimensions due to the 1.5" trim and .5" plywood top.  The Hood itself is 15" tall).  I am going to use 4 MH, 2 175 Watt and 2 250 Watt for now.  I'm looking to eventually upgrade to at least 4 250W 10K Ushios.

 

So far, I have looked at using a piece of plywood with the 4 MHs and reflectors attached to it held up by the little pins used for holding shelves. The pins would be placed in holes drilled in solid wood pieces at either end of the hood and would be adjustable by choosing which holes to put them in.

 

This would not be very easy to adjust, so I am looking for a different method. The height of the canopy is fixed.

 

Perhaps some kind of nylon pulley system and coated metal cable?  There really isn't much room to work with inside the 15" hood but it would have looked funny if my hood was as tall as my tank!

 

Cmon everyone, don't let me down - be creative  :D

 

Whatever I do I'll document it and take lots of pictures!

 

Thanks,

 

Jamie

[michaelg]

I think the pulley idea would work fine.  Center the pulley in the top and make a triangle with the 2 ends of the mounting board.  Just use cloth lines- don't need to worry about metal.  You could put some tie downs on the inside sides of the hood- all sockets/reflectors on a sheet of plywood.  Make some holes in this to run the pulley cords through.  I would also make a physical rim with 1x2 or such on the inside that the board with the lights can not go below.

[Aquariareview]

Simple and low cost

 

4 hooks in the top corners of the hood

4 short chains attached to a board that hangs inside

all lights are mounted  on the board

 

you raise and lower the board by moving the links on the hooks,, nothing complicated but it will last for years.

M's idea for a stop is a good one (will be part of my next hood)