Neptune Aquatics

Light bar suggestions?

Ibn

Ibn

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Anyone have a suggestion or two in regards to a light bar that can hold 30-35 lbs.? I'm interested in something other than conduit from HD/OSH.
 
Light bar in what sense? A single bar to hold all your reflectors? A light bar that is bent to hold up a pendant? I have many solutions but I don't know your problem :lol:
 
damn pricy though. My favorite portable frag tanks have the stands made out of that and skinned with thin veneer.
 
I've built a few things out of 8020. I've been really tempted to make a stand out of the stuff.
As for lights, I was looking to do a hood on a counter balanced rail so that the big heavy hood could be completely lifted above the tank by a couple feet with little effort.
 
Probably 2 sets of bar to suspend a giesemann 230+ pendant that's 24" long (shows up as being 30 lbs. fixture). Why 2 instead of 1? It's because there's no center backing on the stand.
 
so you're looking for 2 "L" shapes poles? The stuff Tony posted is about as cool and tech as you can get :) Other then that you could get some stock and have someone weld you a nice one and have it powder coated.

Another option is ZeroEdge Aquariums makes a L bracket for mounting lights above their tanks. I bet they'd sell you a few.
 
You could use aluminum, HD sells square tubing, c-channel, angles, I made my whole light bar out of it, and rivotted together. Had to imagine what you're looking for though.
 
Yeah, I guess basically 2 "L" shaped poles to hang the lights off.

BTW, how do those extruded aluminum and the HD stuff do with saltwater? I take it that both of them have to be anodized/coated?
 
well the aluminum rack I made above my tank hasn't shown any sign of corrosion, and yes salt water does spray on it (at least my reflectors which I'd gather also on the frame).

Aluminum AFAIK does not rust... the problem comes when you introduce dissimilar metals, i.e. using stainless steel screws and rivets, you basically can make a battery where you have current flowing... then you get corrosion of materials that are "rust proof".
 
It pits pretty quickly with direct contact IME. I'm using aluminum for mine but it's getting powder coated (and welded).
 
Aluminum from 8020 is anodized afaik.

Also, aluminum doesn't last long (seconds/minutes) exposed to air. It very rapidly forms an Aluminum oxide layer. This thin layer is EXTREMELY tough and chemically resistant (sapphire, the gem, is aluminum oxide with a small impurity for color).

The "miro" type reflectors... think they are coated polished aluminum. Coated with some verythin layer of sealant or such. I can take aluminum in the machine shop and polish it super smooth and it ends up looking the typical grey (oxide coating). I speculate that this is why our reflectors actually "pit"
 
pretty sure it is as well. It feels slicker to the touch.

Ditto on the MIRO. I've "melted" it off accidentally once. Long story.....
 
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