How to hang light fixture

customdusty · 03/17/2009, 10:24 AM

Hopefully this is a dumb question...

How do you hang suspended lighting fixtures (in my case 48" t5) when you don't have ceiling studs centered over your tank?

turretdr · 03/17/2009, 10:27 AM

Hanging basket hooks secured to the wall.

Fizz71 · 03/17/2009, 01:53 PM

If it's super heavy you can mount a 2x4 to the ceiling then mount the lighting to the 2x4s with eye hooks. Over my setup 2 houses ago I had two 2x4s that I stained and looked VERY cool against the white ceiling. You just need to get good wood.

The 2x4s went against my celing joists so I just used huge screws everwhere the 2x4 crossed a joist. Then mounted chain into the 2x4s wherever I needed it.

I weighed over 300lbs and it held my with no complaints.

..so I wasn't woried about my lighting which was a susspended wooden hood!

If they aren't that heavy you can use toggle bolts on eye hooks.

Jay180reef · 03/17/2009, 03:16 PM

Home Depot has angle brackets that are made for shelves...flip em over and hang those lights!

pb4ugoout · 03/17/2009, 08:33 PM

I used some hooks with toggle bolts holding them into the sheet rock ceiling. Attached some decorative black chain to the hooks with some small 's' hooks. works great

03/17/2009, 10:24 AM	#1
customdusty Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Geneva, IL Posts: 1,095	How to hang light fixture Hopefully this is a dumb question... How do you hang suspended lighting fixtures (in my case 48" t5) when you don't have ceiling studs centered over your tank? __________________ "I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully." --George W. Bush, Saginaw, Mich., Sept. 29, 2000 Current Tank Info: 105g Mixed Rimless Starphire by Miracles - Reefthreads.com "Noteworthy Tank" November 19, 2010 Podcast #13 - Sfiligoi Stealth 12x39 T5 - 2x Vortech MP40W - BK/Vertex Alpha Cone 200 - Neptue Apex - 2 Part - Tunze ATO - BRS 5 Stage RO/DI

03/17/2009, 10:27 AM	#2
turretdr I want to play a game Join Date: May 2006 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 296	Hanging basket hooks secured to the wall. __________________ NO REGRETS.Every decision we make is based on current knowledge. NO REGRETS.

03/17/2009, 01:53 PM	#3
Fizz71 FragSwapper Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: West Lawn, PA Posts: 5,800	If it's super heavy you can mount a 2x4 to the ceiling then mount the lighting to the 2x4s with eye hooks. Over my setup 2 houses ago I had two 2x4s that I stained and looked VERY cool against the white ceiling. You just need to get good wood. The 2x4s went against my celing joists so I just used huge screws everwhere the 2x4 crossed a joist. Then mounted chain into the 2x4s wherever I needed it. I weighed over 300lbs and it held my with no complaints. ..so I wasn't woried about my lighting which was a susspended wooden hood! If they aren't that heavy you can use toggle bolts on eye hooks. __________________ --Fizz Current Tank Info: Current system is 8x2x2 240g peninsula setup with a single "chamber" 100g sump in the basement with an RDSB. All corals are 100% home grown from frags of fellow reefers (low natural reef impact).

03/17/2009, 03:16 PM	#4
Jay180reef Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Calgary Posts: 431	Home Depot has angle brackets that are made for shelves...flip em over and hang those lights! __________________ Jay Current Tank Info: 180G reef, 2x45G sumps, 45G fuge, MH lights w/T5s, ReefOcto skmr, Barracuda pump, Magnum powerheads

03/17/2009, 08:33 PM	#5
pb4ugoout Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Columbia, SC Posts: 148	I used some hooks with toggle bolts holding them into the sheet rock ceiling. Attached some decorative black chain to the hooks with some small 's' hooks. works great