AQUATICLIFE HYBRID & HALO MOUNTING SYSTEM AND LET'S SEE YOUR'S

[pelphrey]

Been using the AFS for awhile now, as far as noise I’m only home 2 days a week (Saturday and Sunday) when it rotates. It’s been mounted to my aquatic life Fixture since adding the light to my tank.

 

[siggy]

Thank you. Also by the way let me know how you like the aquatic life fixture I may add it to my 360’s as well

I Realy like the coverage, the coraline LOVES this fixture! just exploding on all the rockwork

 

[siggy]

@Kyl How's it hanging? the light that is.

 

[Kyl]

It's not, but Dave @ AL is seeing if they can help me out. Posted on my build but;

Now for the opposite of success. I set out last evening to get some of the T5 brackets done, and when it came time to mount the first screw / nut, there were only about three threads going into the nylock I was using. Completely forgot about thread loss with 1/8" channel use, and it doesn't feel safe to suspend all this by four nuts with three threads in them. Tried to brainstorm a work-around last night for a few hours after, and the only thing I could come up with is using some M5 stand-offs or bolt couplers. Going to see what Aquaticlife comes back with first, but I did come across knurled thumb nuts like the ones used on my 3D printer bed and that may actually work out the best.

So, barring something else, the new plan is to order these in and enlarge the bracket hole to 10mm, matching the threaded body diameter, and letting the top of the nut hang the fixture down approximately 8mm. This would screw down fully just like the hanging kit wire nuts for the fixture, and be easy enough to remove without requiring the sliding rail to be un-bolted.

If I can get longer screws, win. If I can't, the light will get suspended slightly lower but still. Every fastener place locally I've gone to can't replicate the little square ended screw used, and I'd rather not cut up a bunch to try and make something 'sort of' fit. I had wanted the knurled nuts or something like it in the first place, but picked up some nylocks to get it going. We'll see how long this ebay takes to show up, and if longer screws can be sourced through AL. The brackets did show up though, seems to fit the 160's pretty well but may need some minor bending on the tabs to make them seat 100% perfect.

 

[siggy]

@Kyl the extrusion will take these without tapping and go in so far that it will hold very well. Add an inch to the materials thickness you are using

The fasteners came in, I wired and assembled last night. The #4-40 x 1.5" worked nice without having to tap the extrusion.

 

[Kyl]

I'm not screwing into the taps, but mounting the bracket to the hanging channel the kit utilises (and trying to use the same screw base). I thought about using the end plates, but then would need to figure out another way to make a bracket up.

 

[siggy]

 

[Kyl]

Tried that route, it was actually my first thought, but too large. The channel is 7mm wide and 4mm at the "neck" for lack of a better word. The hanging kit bolts have the flat square head, a threadless portion about 2mm long which sits in the channel "neck", and then the threads start. M5 T-bolts are too wide on both measurements, the guys at fastenal who carry pretty much everything were stumped on this. Aquaticlife is trying to help me out, so we'll see what comes.

 

[LetItReef]

Just hang with two Kessil arms, it doesn’t weigh much!!

Nice set-up!
Roughly, how much it weigh?
Planning to get the 24" for my tank.

Thanks!

 

[bdmach1]

Great thread! I was blown away by @Denisk use of a TV mount! I have a TV mount on the way for my 24" Hybrid/Kessil 360 setup...

 

[rbadger]

Just hang with two Kessil arms, it doesn’t weigh much!!

I'm scared to put that much pressure on my 1/2" glass with my 2 Kessil arm mounts. Have you had any issues using the 2 arms? Thinking about adding the extensions and screwing them into the stand to take the pressure off the glass.

 

[waxhawreefer]

I'm scared to put that much pressure on my 1/2" glass with my 2 Kessil arm mounts. Have you had any issues using the 2 arms? Thinking about adding the extensions and screwing them into the stand to take the pressure off the glass.

So far no problems, I would have added the extensions if I could but the tank is filled, 1/2” glass is pretty strong!

 

[siggy]

UPDATE: I changed out my sump and had to modify the lower bracket. I did not have the space to use the clamp, so I just used the flat plate and drilled a hole tru the lower support and used a nut and bolt.
I dint know if you seen the Light modification I did with one cord and two LT-switches but It was well worth the work I run most of the time with 1 bank and kessil's. Check it out
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/aquaticlife-hybrid-mod.342072/

 

[Kyl]

So I finally got version 1 of my under cabinet bracket done. It's rough, isn't pretty and will basically be replaced when some other things come along, but for now the fixture is hung and I can start to progress on other things!


t5_hybrid_3 by Kyl, on Flickr


t5_hybrid_5 by Kyl, on Flickr

 

[siggy]

the fixture is hung and I can start to progress on other things!

Looks Fantastic and Solid. I can see a couple of radions or a ap700 in the future.

 

[Kyl]

Yeah, the cans are.. not exactly svelte! I've always loved the Kessil shimmer, and for whatever reason I can see the disco effect in the G4's like night and day versus the cans. That and I don't really want to be spending $1.5k to replace them.

 

[siggy]

I received a MSG from a member with a reefer 250 and thought I would share How I mounted a bracket on the back of the stand without moving it.
Member
Thank you for the reply, do your arms stop at the screw down clamp? Or extend down to bottom. I won’t be able to get behind my tank at this point to do any drilling...

Reply:
THAT is the challenge I faced. I didn't want to move the tank. I have an open back so I was able to mount a two point support from the sump area. check the halo thread for ideas. its a short thread. I did change my sump later and had to remove a clamp so i drilled from inside the cabinet, pushed a screw from the inside so i had a stud sticking out from the back of cabinet, reach behind and installed just the pole plate and a nut on the stud. works great, and probably the way you will have to go.
Steve please post questions on the halo mounting thread for ideas for others to see and share. We will both learn new tips & tricks.
thanks

 

[siggy]

I know sump removal is a pain or not an option so this layout may help. The greater the distance between points the more stable your application, Use your Bracket as your template. measure over and drill first hole using same sized bit as screw (you want a tight fit to hold) now install bracket with screw inside cabinet temporarily, LEVEL bracket and use other hole as a drill guide to drill second hole, remove bracket install screws into the holes you drilled, then reach around cabinet and install bracket...you will probably need some help turning the screwdriver while your holding a wrench on the back. As I stated I did this behind my sump and it works. GOOD LUCK

 

[leepink23]

So far no problems, I would have added the extensions if I could but the tank is filled, 1/2” glass is pretty strong!

Is it still doing good?

 

[siggy]

Been awhile for this one any updates would like to see some 80/20