Light Rail Mover

AngelsAnonymous · 03/13/2010, 11:50 AM

I tried the google Reef Central search and didn't come up with much, other then one person making one but wasn't completed. I am considering running this on a 6ft tank either my 125g or 225g. It would be mostly a FOWLR with some large leathers/soft corals etc, no SPS or anything crazy. I couldn't find a lot of info on them, I really want to find out how much watts these movers draw. I've always wanted metal halide for the shimmer, considered LEDs but the cost is pretty high and I am tired of T5s. I want something that is cheap and energy efficient. I think one 150w pendant on a rail would be fine for a 6ft tank like mine. I could get one LED pendant fixture as well.

So who has one, how do you like it, was it worth it and what specs like energy consumption and problems with it? Thanks!

HighlandReef · 03/13/2010, 02:00 PM

Sunlight supply makes a rail. Go to the web site check. They should list the voltage draw

AngelsAnonymous · 03/13/2010, 04:01 PM

Just went on their site, couldn't find anything about draw. No one really has any details on these things.

szwab · 03/13/2010, 04:36 PM

The motors that run them consume very minimal electricity. Ibet they don't include that info since it's so minimal. The motors are 1-6 rpm motors. I've had one for the past 4 years on my 4 foot tank moving a single 400 watt halide in a lumenarch. I will soon be going to 2 lights I might continue using the mover but I'm not sure. The nice part is the difference in coral growth. Since there is not a fixed point of light(s) IME coral growth has been more natural spread out and full. On a 6' tank I'd go with 2 fixtures with one it'll be very obvious where the light is at. A google search for "light mover hydroponics" will net pretty much endless hits.

AngelsAnonymous · 03/13/2010, 09:10 PM

Thank you for the response. I plan on adding supplement lighting as well, probably some flourscent actinic lighting, maybe a 20k as well. I'll mount the halide up high, so it'll be more dispersed.I'm not worried about growing corals, it'll be mainly a fowlr tank, just looking for that shimmer effect and keep costs down.

szwab · 03/13/2010, 10:16 PM

If you keep it high enough it would probably work out both functionally and aesthetically.

AngelsAnonymous · 03/14/2010, 10:16 AM

Sounds good, thank you! I will look into it when I set up the tank soon.

Landon B. · 03/18/2010, 01:43 PM

I've been running a lighting scheme with a light moving rail for about a month now. I'm lighting SPS and Zoas in a 4' shallow tank. I'm moving a Icecap 250W SE pendant. Supps are 54W T5's on an IC 660.

I've had a lot of fun with this setup. I'll have to dig around a bit and see if I can find the information on the power consumption of the motor. Its very little.

So far performance is consistent. I haven't noticed and random stops of the mover. Seems to be working flawlessly. The biggest issue I ran into is how to manage the cords safely in an enclosed environment. I found that I need to make a larger hole in the back of my enclosure to assure the cords didn't come in contact with anything that would be hot, and to make sure they would'nt rub on any part of the case cause ware to the wires. Other than those little adjustments this thing has been set and forget. I was a little cautious at first because of the lack of information. I know a month is a very short time for problems to pop up, hope I can get a couple years out of the motor anyway... Sounds like some have had them much longer without problems.

Heres a few pictures...

AngelsAnonymous · 03/18/2010, 05:12 PM

Thank you very much for the informative post and the pictures! Your tank is gorgeous! I will more then likely be trying this when I move in the next month or two and setup my tanks! Glad yours is working flawlessly!

Landon B. · 03/18/2010, 06:06 PM

Thank you. My pleasure to share. Shoot me a pm if you think you're going to build something similar. I can get you some helpful information on things to consider.

rtbm · 03/18/2010, 07:37 PM

heres a quick video of mine over my prop tank. I just got it a couple weeks ago. The tank is about 5 foot. It would work over a display but it might not be ideal. I find myself following it when i look at my frags. It would definantly take something away from a display tank visualy but the effect is also pretty cool. If you're looking for lower power consumption maybe consider lower wattage halides. A couple 70 watters may work even.

03/13/2010, 11:50 AM	#1
AngelsAnonymous Moved On Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 195	Light Rail Mover I tried the google Reef Central search and didn't come up with much, other then one person making one but wasn't completed. I am considering running this on a 6ft tank either my 125g or 225g. It would be mostly a FOWLR with some large leathers/soft corals etc, no SPS or anything crazy. I couldn't find a lot of info on them, I really want to find out how much watts these movers draw. I've always wanted metal halide for the shimmer, considered LEDs but the cost is pretty high and I am tired of T5s. I want something that is cheap and energy efficient. I think one 150w pendant on a rail would be fine for a 6ft tank like mine. I could get one LED pendant fixture as well. So who has one, how do you like it, was it worth it and what specs like energy consumption and problems with it? Thanks!

03/13/2010, 04:36 PM	#4
szwab RC Mod Join Date: May 2002 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 15,225	The motors that run them consume very minimal electricity. Ibet they don't include that info since it's so minimal. The motors are 1-6 rpm motors. I've had one for the past 4 years on my 4 foot tank moving a single 400 watt halide in a lumenarch. I will soon be going to 2 lights I might continue using the mover but I'm not sure. The nice part is the difference in coral growth. Since there is not a fixed point of light(s) IME coral growth has been more natural spread out and full. On a 6' tank I'd go with 2 fixtures with one it'll be very obvious where the light is at. A google search for "light mover hydroponics" will net pretty much endless hits. __________________ Mark "I got a fever, and the only prescription, is more cowbell" ~ Christopher Walken Current Tank Info: AGE 240 Flatback Hex

03/13/2010, 10:16 PM	#6
szwab RC Mod Join Date: May 2002 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 15,225	If you keep it high enough it would probably work out both functionally and aesthetically. __________________ Mark "I got a fever, and the only prescription, is more cowbell" ~ Christopher Walken Current Tank Info: AGE 240 Flatback Hex

03/18/2010, 01:43 PM	#8
Landon B. Premium Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 61	I've been running a lighting scheme with a light moving rail for about a month now. I'm lighting SPS and Zoas in a 4' shallow tank. I'm moving a Icecap 250W SE pendant. Supps are 54W T5's on an IC 660. I've had a lot of fun with this setup. I'll have to dig around a bit and see if I can find the information on the power consumption of the motor. Its very little. So far performance is consistent. I haven't noticed and random stops of the mover. Seems to be working flawlessly. The biggest issue I ran into is how to manage the cords safely in an enclosed environment. I found that I need to make a larger hole in the back of my enclosure to assure the cords didn't come in contact with anything that would be hot, and to make sure they would'nt rub on any part of the case cause ware to the wires. Other than those little adjustments this thing has been set and forget. I was a little cautious at first because of the lack of information. I know a month is a very short time for problems to pop up, hope I can get a couple years out of the motor anyway... Sounds like some have had them much longer without problems. Heres a few pictures... __________________ "Ideas are meant to be shared." Current Tank Info: 40 Breeder Mixed Reef

03/18/2010, 06:06 PM	#10
Landon B. Premium Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 61	Thank you. My pleasure to share. Shoot me a pm if you think you're going to build something similar. I can get you some helpful information on things to consider. __________________ "Ideas are meant to be shared." Current Tank Info: 40 Breeder Mixed Reef

03/13/2010, 02:00 PM	#2
HighlandReef Chalice Monger Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: NW Indiana Posts: 1,163	Sunlight supply makes a rail. Go to the web site check. They should list the voltage draw

03/13/2010, 04:01 PM	#3
AngelsAnonymous Moved On Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 195	Just went on their site, couldn't find anything about draw. No one really has any details on these things.

03/13/2010, 09:10 PM	#5
AngelsAnonymous Moved On Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 195	Thank you for the response. I plan on adding supplement lighting as well, probably some flourscent actinic lighting, maybe a 20k as well. I'll mount the halide up high, so it'll be more dispersed.I'm not worried about growing corals, it'll be mainly a fowlr tank, just looking for that shimmer effect and keep costs down.

03/14/2010, 10:16 AM	#7
AngelsAnonymous Moved On Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 195	Sounds good, thank you! I will look into it when I set up the tank soon.

03/18/2010, 05:12 PM	#9
AngelsAnonymous Moved On Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 195	Thank you very much for the informative post and the pictures! Your tank is gorgeous! I will more then likely be trying this when I move in the next month or two and setup my tanks! Glad yours is working flawlessly!

03/18/2010, 07:37 PM	#11
rtbm Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: wisconsin Posts: 958	heres a quick video of mine over my prop tank. I just got it a couple weeks ago. The tank is about 5 foot. It would work over a display but it might not be ideal. I find myself following it when i look at my frags. It would definantly take something away from a display tank visualy but the effect is also pretty cool. If you're looking for lower power consumption maybe consider lower wattage halides. A couple 70 watters may work even. __________________ "Better to act while you're still foolish enough to think you know everything than to be slowly frozen by the creeping uncertainty of bitter wisdom..." L.Person Current Tank Info: 30x30 miracles starfire sps reef + 800 gal sps prop system