traveling light rail

zakstrong · 06/13/2013, 01:25 AM

I have a 6 foot tank with 3 250 watt halides over it. What are your thoughts on making a light rack that held 2 250 watt halides, was three feet long and traveled the lenth of the tank and back every minute or so with a pause at each end. There are supplement vhos so the ends tank would never be completely dark.

This would help me save electricity and as well as help me reach every inch of a coral.

Im hoping it would look like cloud cover moving over head and not to obvious.

Thoughts appreciated.

TimeConsumer · 06/13/2013, 01:58 AM

I like the idea, but you'd be better off having it move across the tank slowly throughout the day. Basically start at one side and end at the other. Light movers as described are commonly used in the hydroponics industry, check hydroponic suppliers for what you are looking for.

HippieSmell · 06/13/2013, 02:14 AM

I've used a single halide on a mover (agramover) over my 4 foot tank for years. One minute across, pause for a minute, then back. I did it because the house circuit it's on wouldn't handle two halides, but I'd rather have the entire tank lit at the same time. The track and hanging contraption is also pretty fugly. The mover will also wear out and can get stuck, but overall it's been pretty bomb proof. I rebuilt the mover once in six years.

So yeah, it requires some maintenance, it's ugly, and it only lights one half of the tank at a time, but it saves some money. Worth it? Eh. It gets a shoulder shrug.

On a side note: Why's your avatar look like a ding-a-ling? Haha.

06/13/2013, 01:25 AM	#1
zakstrong Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 357	traveling light rail I have a 6 foot tank with 3 250 watt halides over it. What are your thoughts on making a light rack that held 2 250 watt halides, was three feet long and traveled the lenth of the tank and back every minute or so with a pause at each end. There are supplement vhos so the ends tank would never be completely dark. This would help me save electricity and as well as help me reach every inch of a coral. Im hoping it would look like cloud cover moving over head and not to obvious. Thoughts appreciated.

06/13/2013, 01:58 AM	#2
TimeConsumer Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: New Orleans, La Posts: 1,919	I like the idea, but you'd be better off having it move across the tank slowly throughout the day. Basically start at one side and end at the other. Light movers as described are commonly used in the hydroponics industry, check hydroponic suppliers for what you are looking for. __________________ Steve - Retired from reefing, for now.

06/13/2013, 02:14 AM	#3
HippieSmell Occupy Reef Central Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Orbiting Posts: 4,141	I've used a single halide on a mover (agramover) over my 4 foot tank for years. One minute across, pause for a minute, then back. I did it because the house circuit it's on wouldn't handle two halides, but I'd rather have the entire tank lit at the same time. The track and hanging contraption is also pretty fugly. The mover will also wear out and can get stuck, but overall it's been pretty bomb proof. I rebuilt the mover once in six years. So yeah, it requires some maintenance, it's ugly, and it only lights one half of the tank at a time, but it saves some money. Worth it? Eh. It gets a shoulder shrug. On a side note: Why's your avatar look like a ding-a-ling? Haha. __________________ Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like bananas. Current Tank Info: 78"x36"x27" acrylic, 6 Orphek Atlantik V3+ Compacts, MRC Orca Pro II w/washdown, CalcFeeder Pro AC3, Emperor Aquatics 80w UV, 80/20 aluminum stand, Vortech MP60's, Theiling Rollermat, GHL Profilux 3.1T EX, Kessil H380 Last edited by HippieSmell; 06/13/2013 at 02:16 AM. Reason: Noticed avatar looked like a ding-a-ling. Had to comment.