Light Rail, who is using one

[trueperc]

I can upon this in another thread and just thought it was a really cool idea. I did not want to hijack that thread so I am starting a new one. Just wondering on people who use these and what do you think and can you post pics.
Thanks

Here's a few link

Reef central thread

Light rail

Also this link

[EBOLII]

I hate Dr Foster & Smith…I had some very bad dealings so never again.

As far as the light rail I like the idea. Common sense wise it makes perfect sense to a more natural light ideology. The confusion comes as to a proper setup as I am still in the research phase of a good light setup. Having said that I am incorporating this on my systems

I do have this link on a good purchase source if anyone cares.

http://www.homeharvest.com/lightmovers.htm

[aninjaatemyshoe]

Also, look on eBay for some good deal on them. I got mine for just over $100.

I will state one thing before someone else meantions it. There is one alleged downside to using these things - the motors supposedly break down easily. Don't know if that pertains to the Light Rail 3.5 in particular or if automated light movers in general, but this is what some people have meantioned. Personally, I've been using mine over 6 months now and have had no problems. It probably is related to how moist/humid the setting is that you are operating it in. I don't have a large tank and my canopy is rather open-air with fans blowing air out of it. This might have something to do with my continued success with them; don't know for sure.

Another thing that should be meantioned is that you'll need a rather high canopy for these units (certainly higher than average).

Aside from these problems, they are soooo worth it. They are a far more efficient means of using light and they allow for light to reach places that it normally wouldn't. Myriad of other benefits. Even if my motor went out on a continual basis, I probably would keep on buying replacements.

[trueperc]

I've been reasearch and a few people even put these on timers to even have more of delay. Could the motor, if it was moisture, be encase in say acrylic.

[aninjaatemyshoe]

The timer thing would be odd. I doubt you could easily time it so that the mechanism is shut off at the ends instead of more or less randomly shut off. I don't see how you could encase the motor in acrylic and still have it work... I think the best solution is to keep a well circulated well ventilated canopy. Also, the higher it is from the top of the aquarium the better.

[hahnmeister]

Hah, you beat me to it> I was going to start a 'Light Mover Club' thread last night asking people to post their specs/pics of setups with light movers. I am interested in their experienced/suggestions because Im using one on my new reef. Next week I finish the canopy and wire up the 4x54wattT5s for more blue...

[EBOLII]

Does that setup create allot of noise? Is that a 48" length?

[trueperc]

Sweet pics. I just pmed a store that I believe has used or is using them. Hopefully they will respond to this thread.

[aninjaatemyshoe]

Mine is not noisey at all. It isn't a very powerful motor really, and it runs at a rather slow rate. The most you'll hear is a slight whirring, and you'll only hear that if the rest of your tank is rather quiet.

[hahnmeister]

Mine is dead silent. Gualala Robotics Light Rail 3.5, which is what Foster & Smith / Live Aquaria uses. One LFS that uses alot of them is Cappucino Bay in Atlanta. They have a huge online site, so check it out. They have huge 400 and 1000 watt 20,000K pendants moving over their large acrylic frag vats across the whole store. Awesome looking setup they have.

My light rail is actually 1m long. Its a 4' tank, but I only need 2' of that.

[Hop]

I should be getting a mover next week and want to incorporate it into my system. I'm trying to get it to run 3 400 watt MH, w/ supplemental lighting on an 8' tank. The problem is that I'll only have about 1' or so of movement. The challenge will be figuring out how to get it to time correctly moving from end to end and stopping in the right spot and then returning to the spot of origin after the lights are out.

My goal is to be able to effectively light an 8' tank w/ 3 halides and provide a little better light for the corals and they are not receiving the light in the same spot all day.

I may have to do some tweaking once it's here and I get playing with it. I was just about to start running some searches here on RC and see what others have done...

[EBOLII]

Why run 3 400watt pendants on an 8' track? I would run 2 with supplement T5 fluorescents. If you have a 2' separation I think that would be more than efficient. How deep is the tank? Would a lesser watt be more suitable?

Of course it is your system….thought I would say

[EBOLII]

aninjaatemyshoe can you up some images?

[Hop]

Originally posted by ebolii
Why run 3 400watt pendants on an 8' track? I would run 2 with supplement T5 fluorescents. If you have a 2' separation I think that would be more than efficient. How deep is the tank? Would a lesser watt be more suitable?

Of course it is your system….thought I would say

It's 30" deep and I want SPS at the bottom and don't like 10k I don't want to run 2 as I don't want significantly dimmer spots, but want to hit the corals with light from angles that 3 won't get to. I also don't want 400 watt bulbs passing directly over the acrylic braces at the top. So the goal it to have the MH go from the edge of each of the 3 open areas to the other. Like I said the equipment should all be here next week sometime... Once that's here, I'll start playing with things and see what works the best

[EBOLII]

Originally posted by Hop
I also don't want 400 watt bulbs passing directly over the acrylic braces at the top. So the goal it to have the MH go from the edge of each of the 3 open areas to the other.

See this is a great point. My whole thing is efficiency. I too wish for an innovative way to light feed a sps tank without the high heat excess. I didn’t even consider the acrylic braces

I like the 24hr seasonal light approach as well as lunar cycle. This light bar is a outstanding way to achieve some of the natural effect. I also have a idea to protect the main motor/track without encasing in acrylic

Will have to post on this theory later…

[trueperc]

Just found an interesting article

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/staticlgtg.htm

[EBOLII]

See that article is a long explanation of traveling light makes sense. Why? because the sun is not static. Who is not convinced of this theory?

[gtrestoration]

I've been running one on a 48" x 24" x 15" tank for about 5 months now. Others involved in the project were sceptical but the science behind it seemed sound enough to me to give it a try.
Lighting a tank this size which contains 80% SPS with a single bulb just makes economical sense. We're all convinced now that with a tank this size there's no better way to go. So much so That we plan on rebuilding part of the system around these movers which means replacing some narrow tanks.

I've look at using them on the other tanks but it seems to me those tanks would need supplemental lighting since they are 72" long. Using them with the supplemental light or adding another MH will just add to the cost of operation. I can run 72" tanks with 2 stationary bulbs now if species are placed correctly.

I charging up the camera so if possible I shoot a couple shots before weekend quitting time.

The space above the tank needed to add these is considerable so I'm not sure how I would deal with that if using with an enclosed canopy on a display tank. I don't really care for monster looking canopies in my livingroom though.

SteveU

[gtrestoration]

Some pics.

South side.




North Side.





End view.





Piece of true 1/2" eggcrate to show scale.




End view with descriptors.




Sump Monster.




Sump monster in 2" PVC 90 for scale.



Sorry I have to post him or I could lose an arm.

SteveU

[salmon alley]

Hahnmeister-

This is exactly the setup I'm going with...although it looks like you're running a PFO mini-pendant? I'll probably try and track down an ROIII or lumenarc.

I assume you are going to run T5s on either side of the pendant the length of the tank?
How many do you plan to go with? and do you plan to go with actinic or both actinic and white?

[salmon alley]

Also to all:

How much extra space do you estimate the light rail and pendant require in the canopy? (ie. How tall should I build this thing?)

[aninjaatemyshoe]

I would say add at least 12" beyond what you would normally have as far as canopy height for a pendant. You can, to some extent, position your pendant lower to the tank as the movement back and forth will help prevent overheating any one spot. This could help with canopy height restrictions.

[want2reef]

The only downside I see to this is, when the light is on one end of the tank the other end of the tank would be darker.

I would really like to give the mover a try though, and maybe add some T5's to help the darkness issue.

[EBOLII]

I say T5's supplemental are a definite addition if you are running 60"+

[gtrestoration]

In my systems if I feel there's a need to add supplemental lights I might as well just add the additional MH instead and eliminate the mover. My reasoning is long term savings in both power consumption as well as bulb maintenance.

SteveU