Light fixture on trolley system

onecansay · 08/10/2014, 04:02 PM

Hello everyone.

We all know that we need to properly cover our aquariums with as much
uniform light as we can.

Lighting fixtures can become very expensive trying to achieve this.

I am in the beginning of a new system build. All LED DIY lighting.

Looking at having one fixture connected to a trolley to slowly
move over the tank giving full front to back coverage at any one time.

The tank is 36 inches long and 28 inches deep and 20 inches high.
Overflow and return are dead center of tank.

I am going to use the motorized trolley to move the fixture end to end. I either have the choice of small incremental moves over say an 18 hour period OR move end to end more quickly say 30 minutes one complete cycle over a 14 hour period.

Not sure how each of these scenarios affect the corals.

Would the second scenario confuse corals or give what may seem a cloudy day effect over the 14 hour time period.

Thanks,
onecansay

Mark Bianco · 08/10/2014, 05:57 PM

You pose an interesting question. I can tell you I was at a large fish and coral store in Pennsylvania and they had the led pendants moving from side to side at about 30 minute cycles. Not sure what fixture you will be using but the AI Hydra 52 and the Radion G3 Pro with the wide angle kit will cover a 36 tank nicely and there would be no need for any expense to move the fixture back and forth.

Mark

onecansay · 08/10/2014, 07:13 PM

Interesting.

I will be using a 20 inch x 6 inch heat sink with two Rapid Led Borealis Luxeon Z Array (37 LED) pucks.

Remember the tank is 28 inches deep and I would like to cover as much as I can. The pucks will have no lenses so I do not know the complete spread.

The travel would literally make the tank seem to have three of these fixtures applied IMHO.

Give me your opinion on this:
After doing rotation calculations I would be moving the trolley side to side in about 7 minutes full cycle. Me thinks this would simulate the cloud scenario across the entire tank. Still would have sunrise and sunset modes.

Still my question is how slow can I go before corals think it is a sunrise or sunset scenario to them. I know, ask the coral!!

Believe me, I can build this trolley system for a lot less than the extra fixture. LOL.

Thanks,
onecansay

slief · 08/10/2014, 07:25 PM

The whole idea is cutting a major corner.. One that is a very important one if not the most important one.. By moving the lights back and forth you cutting down the time time they are exposed to the higher levels of lighting which could most certainly impact growth. The concept is popular in the hydroponics industry as you can add multiple spectrum lights or cover a great area. As I said, you are cutting a corner to save costs and while the savings may be great, there are going to be areas on either side of the tank that will also pay a price.

onecansay · 08/10/2014, 08:05 PM

Thanks slief.

Ok. The amount of light exposure is the issue. I agree.

How about then I go too plan B, which would be to move the fixture over the same distance with interval stops over each area so as to give max 'high noon time' to each section. Say 3 hours? Total tour from one side of tank to the other would be 18 hours. On this new build it would have six stops.

onecansay

supra400hptt · 08/11/2014, 07:55 AM

I prefer plan B. My tank on order is going to be 29" front to back. I'm going to use 4 lumina 5.2s for full coverage.

gone fishin · 08/11/2014, 08:02 AM

I have seen this used over very large retail frag tanks.

08/10/2014, 04:02 PM	#1
onecansay Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 48	Light fixture on trolley system Hello everyone. We all know that we need to properly cover our aquariums with as much uniform light as we can. Lighting fixtures can become very expensive trying to achieve this. I am in the beginning of a new system build. All LED DIY lighting. Looking at having one fixture connected to a trolley to slowly move over the tank giving full front to back coverage at any one time. The tank is 36 inches long and 28 inches deep and 20 inches high. Overflow and return are dead center of tank. I am going to use the motorized trolley to move the fixture end to end. I either have the choice of small incremental moves over say an 18 hour period OR move end to end more quickly say 30 minutes one complete cycle over a 14 hour period. Not sure how each of these scenarios affect the corals. Would the second scenario confuse corals or give what may seem a cloudy day effect over the 14 hour time period. Thanks, onecansay

08/10/2014, 07:25 PM	#4
slief RC Sponsor Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 14,173	The whole idea is cutting a major corner.. One that is a very important one if not the most important one.. By moving the lights back and forth you cutting down the time time they are exposed to the higher levels of lighting which could most certainly impact growth. The concept is popular in the hydroponics industry as you can add multiple spectrum lights or cover a great area. As I said, you are cutting a corner to save costs and while the savings may be great, there are going to be areas on either side of the tank that will also pay a price. __________________ Director Customer Support Royal Exclusiv USA For All Royal Exclusiv & Bubble King questions please refer to our Sponsor forum: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/fo...play.php?f=745 Current Tank Info: 480G display mixed reef, 90G sump, 90G refugium, 60G display refugium. Check out my build thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1783476

08/11/2014, 08:02 AM	#7
gone fishin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Wyocena Wi Posts: 6,936	I have seen this used over very large retail frag tanks. __________________ Tony Current Tank Info: 180gal DT, BM NAC77 skimmer,3 Maxspect razors, Maxspect Gyre 150, 30g QT

08/10/2014, 05:57 PM	#2
Mark Bianco In Memoriam Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Infinity and Beyond Posts: 2,445	You pose an interesting question. I can tell you I was at a large fish and coral store in Pennsylvania and they had the led pendants moving from side to side at about 30 minute cycles. Not sure what fixture you will be using but the AI Hydra 52 and the Radion G3 Pro with the wide angle kit will cover a 36 tank nicely and there would be no need for any expense to move the fixture back and forth. Mark

08/10/2014, 07:13 PM	#3
onecansay Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 48	Interesting. I will be using a 20 inch x 6 inch heat sink with two Rapid Led Borealis Luxeon Z Array (37 LED) pucks. Remember the tank is 28 inches deep and I would like to cover as much as I can. The pucks will have no lenses so I do not know the complete spread. The travel would literally make the tank seem to have three of these fixtures applied IMHO. Give me your opinion on this: After doing rotation calculations I would be moving the trolley side to side in about 7 minutes full cycle. Me thinks this would simulate the cloud scenario across the entire tank. Still would have sunrise and sunset modes. Still my question is how slow can I go before corals think it is a sunrise or sunset scenario to them. I know, ask the coral!! Believe me, I can build this trolley system for a lot less than the extra fixture. LOL. Thanks, onecansay

08/10/2014, 08:05 PM	#5
onecansay Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 48	Thanks slief. Ok. The amount of light exposure is the issue. I agree. How about then I go too plan B, which would be to move the fixture over the same distance with interval stops over each area so as to give max 'high noon time' to each section. Say 3 hours? Total tour from one side of tank to the other would be 18 hours. On this new build it would have six stops. onecansay

08/11/2014, 07:55 AM	#6
supra400hptt Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 295	I prefer plan B. My tank on order is going to be 29" front to back. I'm going to use 4 lumina 5.2s for full coverage.