Wanted: Ideas for Custom Light Rack Design

[22bfan]

The ask:

 

Ideas for a light rack design that can be suspended from the ceiling or mounted to the back wall behind the tank that can be moved out of the way for tank maintenance.

 

The caveats:

 

It has to look presentable and if possible be automated by motorized crank, servo, etc. The "bones" can be tactfully covered with a facade.

 

The details:

 

This will be above a 72" wide x 36" front to back tank and will currently host the following lights/fixtures:

 

3 - Lumenbrite Large MH fixtures

6 - AI Hydra 52 classics

1 - Reefbrite 72" XHO Blue

 

My deep dimension tank has 2 top braces making for 3 equal open sections over the top of the tank. My thought is for each of the 3 open top sections to have a MH fixture mounted over the center of the opening, a pair of Hydra52 fixtures, and a single ReefBrite XHO Blue strip that spans the entire width of the tank sort of like this:

 

~~~

OOO

~~~

_____

 

~ = Hydra 52

O = Lumenbrite Large MH Fixture

_____ = 72" Reefbrite XHO Blue

 

 

Im looking at a few materials that might be suitable (extruded 80/20 aluminum) but am not set on anything specific. I have a friend with a TIG so a welded frame is an option.

 

Thanks in advance for any ideas!!

Edited September 17, 2017 by 22bfan

[mari.harutunian]

How high is the ceiling? You could just have them lift and sit flush against the ceiling while doing maintenance? Not that I have any experience with this.

 

 

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[22bfan]

Great question. Ceiling is 9ft. If i had to guess, the top of the tank comes up to about 5'5".

[YHSublime]

I had a set of retractable wires that held my canopy when I had a 150 setup. You pulled down and they retracted up, and then you pulled down again and they locked. I miss that tank. 

[AlanM]

I've made nice light racks out of 1" extruded aluminum 80/20 material.  You can get cut sizes relatively cheaply on ebay direct from the company along with attachment pieces and the aluminum is pretty easy to cut cleanly.

[molcott]

I was using a simple clothing rack that had wheels

[22bfan]

Thanks for all the replies.

I think I found a good source for 80/20 extruded (Zoro).  They even have anodized black. 

The part i'm struggling with is how to set it up so it is motorized to go up and down for intensity adjustment on the MH's as well as maintenance . . .

 

I was thinking about something like a garage door opening style belt drive but not sure that would be smooth enough and would definitely require a lot of modification to shorten the travel compared to a normal garage door track.

[AlanM]

how much you want to spend?  

 

Could use one a linear actuator and a few pulleys to do the job.

 

https://www.firgelliauto.com/collections/linear-actuators

[bravanc]

http://vid228.photobucket.com/albums/ee8/bravanc/LEDs/20140404_221246_zps0ce128fd.mp4

 

here is a project I did a few years ago.  it utilizes a tubular motor, tube and misc materials I purchased on line.

 

 

[22bfan]

Bravanc - that is super cool!!

Could i bug for a listing of parts to set up the roller movement?

[22bfan]

Love the Lumenbrite reflectors in the background too!!

[scott711]

This is what I did for my tank build:

 

http://melevsreef.com/tanks/light-rack

[scott711]

Not finished, but this is what it looks like right now.

 

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[bravanc]

sure it will take a couple of days have to research back. I have the info for the MH setup too

Edited September 28, 2017 by bravanc

[22bfan]

Thanks for all the ideas. 

The sliding rails are pretty cool but i need the bracket system to go up and down since i want to use it to adjust PAR of the metal halides and for getting in the tank (literally) to do maintenance. 

No doubt i will use some of the items in that build thread.