Light mounting recommendations for a 6ft Eurobraced tank

[Florida_Man]

Hi everyone - I recently upgraded from an IM 112 EXT to an IM 200 EXT 6 footer. I’m looking for mounting recommendations for 4 AI HD 16s that will work on this tank and is eurobraced. I thought about ordering some aluminum extrusion and building one out but if there’s something sold online you would recommend I’d rather go that route.

I appreciate y’all and thanks!

 

[exnisstech]

I went custom on my 7ft tank. The design work was not mine but I did the assembly. The stand has an 80/20 frame and the light mount attaches to that. It could be mounted to a wall behind the tank with a little modding.

 

[mmorrison55]

8020 is the way to go.

Check this guys thread out…

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-prime-hd-light-mount.693030/

 

[mmorrison55]

Or stick with the AIO HMS mounting system and buy a set of these modification brackets.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/168093...x8opwddrPP65GtKGKkXfIhk685y8uO9RoCaqUQAvD_BwE

 

[Sickness69]

Just got this tank ordered and delivered last week but looking to get the reefi unos. Curious how yours comes out!

 

[Florida_Man]

I went custom on my 7ft tank. The design work was not mine but I did the assembly. The stand has an 80/20 frame and the light mount attaches to that. It could be mounted to a wall behind the tank with a little modding.

This looks great and thanks for sharing. Pretty cool that you can flip the lights back and get out of the way when needed.

8020 is the way to go.

Check this guys thread out…

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-prime-hd-light-mount.693030/

Thanks for sharing this thread - this one looks super sturdy and will probably look at building this one out

 

[Florida_Man]

Just got this tank ordered and delivered last week but looking to get the reefi unos. Curious how yours comes out!

Congrats to you and so far got it up on the stand filled with saltwater running with a few pieces of live rock from the old tank. Will start moving everything over this week starting with a couple of clowns, more rock and some coral then later the rest my fish & coral. I'll update back here on this thread when I get the lighting sorted out.

 

[mfinn]

Is a ceiling wire mount kit not an option?

 

[Florida_Man]

Is a ceiling wire mount kit not an option?

It could be but the only thing holding me back is running the electric wires up, across the ceiling and down to the outlet. With the 80/20 I can tuck the wires in the channel to hide as going to the back of the tank and down to the outlet.

 

[JayM]

I went custom on my 7ft tank. The design work was not mine but I did the assembly. The stand has an 80/20 frame and the light mount attaches to that. It could be mounted to a wall behind the tank with a little modding.

I built something very similar to that with 3/4" black pipe from Home Depot. Set me back about $50 and a can of spray paint.

 

[ryudo80]

What did you end up doing for your light mount? I will have a 6ft tank soon and ceiling mounting is not an option.

 

[Florida_Man]

I ended up reconfiguring my 8020. I’ve been looking and the Meridian 63s as my next set of lights at some point maybe this coming Christmas.

Here’s what I ended up doing in the meantime:

 

[ryudo80]

Are those 2 pieces of wood coming up from the back of the stand? Also, how thick is that aluminum bar, 1x1 inch?

 

[Florida_Man]

Yup, 1x1 leftovers I had in the shed. The aluminum is also 1x1.

It works for now but obviously not the greatest looking. When it’s the time for the new lights, the optional side mounts will be purchased.

 

[mfinn]

Years ago I saw a pretty cool diy light mount for a Radion on RC a guy had made.




I couldn't get the curve right so I went with this.
It's 2" x 3/8" aluminum flat bar. Heated and bent in a vice.

 

[Florida_Man]

Nice n clean and simple too! I like it, thanks for sharing!

 

[ryudo80]

That looks very nice.

 

[mpatterson42]

I ran into this same issue with figuring out how to try to mount lights above a tank that has eurobracing all around the sides. I first tried to 3d print something so I could use a standard light riser, but the riser I bought sagged and I wasn't really sure if the adapter I made was causing too much stress on the glass. I like the look of the 8020 but had no good way of mounting it to the back of the stand or the wall.

I ended up going a bit low tech and I used black PVC pipes to create something to ziptie my lights to. Not the most beautiful but this is a fish only tank with cheap freshwater lights so I was fine with it.

 

[Florida_Man]

Sometimes low tech is all that is needed to get the job done and you being good with it is all that matters

You’r design is giving me ideas, thinking instead of pvc, use 8020 extrusion and use suction cups on the ends to hold onto the eurobracing. I’m going to see what leftovers I have and prototype something out and see what I can come up with using the 4 existing AI Primes I have now.

 

[RobertK]

I built this out of 1515 T-slot for my Kessils. I used a glass composite T-slot material rather than aluminum and 316 SS hardware. It sets on the eurobrace and has anti-slip covers on the feet. Very sturdy. But mine is inside a canopy, not sure I'd do it this way if I had to look at it all the time.