light set up question

[tunicata]

sooo, I am mechanically incapable...at the very least.
I have a metal halide pendant, the type that are made with hooks to hang from the ceiling or some contraption (i.e. there is no stand).
It's about12-14inches long and 4-6 inches wide, 150 w 10k bulb.

My question is:
What/how can I build/put something together that will allow this to hang over my tank?
The tank is 45 gallons, and has a plastic divider in the middle.
Right now I have it sitting on small pieces of wood placed on the top of the tank.

I'd prefer it to hang about so the light reaches a wider area, I know I need another light source as the tank is long.

Also,
What should complement the 150w 10k HQI?
The tank will mainly house LPS and some other invert life (cleaners, echinoderms, very few if any fish)

 

[saltwater4life]

You want it to hang from the ceiling or you want it to sit on top of the tank?

 

[ReeferBobRW]

I've seen a post online where a guy made a light hanger out 3/4'' PVC. Basically it was a rectangle made from 4 elbows and straight PVC that sat on top of the tank, a tee on both sides cut into the middle of the shorter side of the rectangle extending upwards, a short piece of pipe cut to the hight you want to hang the lamp goes into the tee, another elbow and a straight piece in the middle where the light was hung. Afterwards it was painted black. ???

I know it sounds confusing but it is fairly easy concept and cost is minimal. I'll try and find the post online.


Bob

 

[mladencovic]

I've seen a post online where a guy made a light hanger out 3/4'' PVC.

Ugly ;D

I made almost the same thing from the 1/2" aluminum L profiles from Home Depot. Much more elegant 8)

Just try not to position the lamp over centerbrace because it will deform it and melt it.

 

[tunicata]

I actually want to hang it from the ceiling but this is a newly rented apartment.

The other options are more likly, I just don't like the way it looks.
I guess in the end it really is the only option. Just wanted to check the minds here, to make sure that's all that could be thought up, while still being practical.

Thanks!

Now, next question, What lighting demands are needed for a refugium/phyto/zooplankton/shrimp culture?

I'm going to see if I can just edit the topic of this thread, to have my own "omg I don't know this section" instead of having 3 threads a week as I go through this 'think outloud' process.

 

[Subliminal]

For the hanging, just go to home depot or lowes and spend some time looking around.

You'll find something to use there...

 

[tunicata]

ok, can't do that, but is there a newb section here? I did a quick check, but since I have time I'll go a bit indepth in a few mins.
Maybe I'll just make one post with a subj. of GENERAL questions (ongoing), since topics with fresh posts are bumped up folks will always know when its active.

my next question is based on phyto cultures and how I can mod my quarantine/refuge.

Here are the stats for my tank (45G maybe 36x24x18??) w 1 10 g sump:
Nitrite: ~.1 (should have put more money into my test kits, but that's the color it seems)
Nitrate: .5
Ph: 8.3-8.4
Alk: 5
Salinity: 1.025

I use a 6 stage RO/DI unit for all water, currently have 5 polyps of SOMETHING growing on 1 rock, and 2 types of "baby" fan worms on the rocks in general.


Now I recently bought a quarantine tank that includes a small wet/dry, and skimmer. I'm thinking I want to use it as a culture/hatchery or add its volume capacity to the main tank and house chaeto and mangroves, anything I want (when I am allowing flow to and from the main tank) or recently cut coral, new coral, etc (when I'm not allowing flow to and from the main tank)
With simple fluorescent lighting.

Hm, these are just my thoughts, I don't have anyone else to share my ponderings with (my friends bite), and I don't want to let myself make too many unchecked errors.

 

[Talonstorm]

I hung the fixture over my cube at my apartment. The holes it made were actually very easy to patch when I left, and since most ceilings are white, it hid the touch up paint I put there too.

This is the only picture I have access to at work, but you can kind of see the wires it hangs by. Those wires extend to the ceiling and I put those spring-loaded hollow-wall type anchors through the ceiling to hold it.

Picture:

Tina

 

[mladencovic]

ok, can't do that, ...

As Tina has pointed out, that is just as hanging the picture and is probably the easiest thing to do if you do not want to tinker with the tools and materials. It is also the most aesthetic way for pendants. And can easily be hidden in a rented appartment.

ok, can't do that, but is there a newb section here? I did a quick check, but since I have time I'll go a bit indepth in a few mins.

Not really, but do search for previous posts and threads in this club. So many things have been so widely and deeply discussed that you would probably find most of your answers here already. Just use the Search feature.

Maybe I'll just make one post with a subj. of GENERAL questions (ongoing), since topics with fresh posts are bumped up folks will always know when its active.

Don't do that. There are different forums for different questions. Also these threads are some kind of cumulative and polled knowledge, and wide meandering of topic in a thread is contarproductive. Threads are read by not only those that will answer you but by those who will want to learn something from the discussion

my next question is based on phyto cultures and how I can mod my quarantine/refuge.

Assuming you are talking about phytoplankton, people usually reaise them (in significant quantities) in a completely separate culturing systems (usuallu just plain soda bottle with low air bubbles and some simple light source). Do you have any particular need to raise phytoplankton. Its use should be selective since you have to know what and how much will eat it.

If, on the other hand, you are talking about the refugium grown plants and plankton, then refugioum with macroalgae and pod cultures are a way to go. There are several ways to do it depending on your resources and tank setup.

Nitrite: ~.1 (should have put more money into my test kits, but that's the color it seems)
Nitrate: .5

How old is the tank? These should be undetectable, and it seems that your tank is still in the cycling phase.

Alk: 5

If it is in dKH it is too low, if it is in meq/L it is too high.

I use a 6 stage RO/DI unit for all water, currently have 5 polyps of SOMETHING growing on 1 rock,

It is usually nice to know what is growing in your tank Post pics here if you need help in identifying and/or search the web.

Now I recently bought a quarantine tank that includes a small wet/dry, and skimmer. I'm thinking I want to use it as a culture/hatchery or add its volume capacity to the main tank and house chaeto and mangroves, anything I want (when I am allowing flow to and from the main tank) or recently cut coral, new coral, etc (when I'm not allowing flow to and from the main tank)
With simple fluorescent lighting.

Yes there are so many possibilites ;D

Hm, these are just my thoughts, I don't have anyone else to share my ponderings with (my friends bite), and I don't want to let myself make too many unchecked errors.

Wellcome in taking refuge here This place can be really frandly and will definitively be very understanding of your hobby. ;D As for mistakes, we all make them and hopefully learn from them :

 

[tunicata]

Thank you for a thoughtful reply!
I only have a few minutes so i'm just going to respond to one thing:
If they numbers are high, how do I fix that or does it naturally fix itself after a few weeks. What should I be doing to ensure my tank is on the right path.

I will post tomorrow what units of measure my kit works with so we can be sure if its too high or low.

oh, and yes, it's still in cycle!