How did you suspend you MH lights over your tank

Jon1234 · #1 10-19-2007, 12:27 AM

Hi There
I picked up a new MH pendent today.
I am looking for some advice as to how to suspend it over my tank.

It is a PFO Metal Halide Horizontal Pendent - Mogul Base
My tank is 3 feet long and 18 inches wide (24" tall)

Should this fixture go perpendicular to the tank or horizontal?
How high above the water should I mount it?

and lastly how would you suspend it
From the ceiling? with what? Wire etc...
I was told to buy a metal bracket and hang it from that but I am afraid of how tacky that might look.

I need it to look good or my wife will be on my case very quickly!!

If you have any advice, I would like to hear it.

thanks
Jon

Chowder · #2 10-19-2007, 12:44 AM

Not sure if this helps you out but I ended up putting a shelf over the tank attached to the wall. Got two sliding drawer tracks from Lee Valley and attached them to the bottom of the shelf . Put two thin bolts through the holes in each end and bent them like hooks. Used picture cable to attach pendents to the hooks on the tracks. My lights are sitting 4-6 inches of the water surface. The lights retract out from the shelf about ten inches and move out of the way so I can work in the tank.

mark · #3 10-19-2007, 01:00 AM

I built a canopy then screwed my pendants to it.

Realize that wasn't much help but for height, when building my canopy I wanted to keep it low. I contact a couple of companies for height and from Hamilton for their Reefstar pendants they recommended 8" above water, from PFO and their mini-pendants they said 5 ". I had indicated was planning 250W DE pendants.

untamed · #4 10-19-2007, 06:16 AM

I hung my lights in such a way as they could slide out of the way, but also be raised straight upward.

In practice, I move them straight up all the time....and only slide them out of the way when I'm changing bulbs. The reason is that when I want to work on the tank, having the lights overhead helps me see what I'm doing.

I think I also get a nice suntan on my back at the same time!

Borderjumper · #5 10-19-2007, 07:36 AM

We hung ours in such a way that it can be slide about a foot frontwards or backwards and also a foot side to side. Its on a H bar made out of pipe and eye hooks. Its simple and works really well.