DIY ADA Style Light Bars
So here’s how I made my light bars to hang my lights above my aquarium:
Shopping list (this is to make two bars to hang a 48″ lighting fixture)
2 -10′ lengths of 3/4 conduit pipe (get a 3rd because you’ll make mistakes on bending)
2 - sets of “Sunlifts” from sunlight supply (http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewIt…915~tab~2.html) Got mine from SWI much cheaper
4- 1″ hooks
4- Decorative nuts (got mine from a current light fixture set, but I’m sure they sell something like it at HD)
4- 3/4 brackets for attaching to the wall or stand
1- Bag of end caps (1/2″) see picture for type **optional**
Screws for mounting to the wall/stand
Tools-
Drill
3/4 Pipe bender ($40 @ HD) –gonna return mine 
Pipe Cutter
To make these light bars I needed them to hang a 14″ light fixture 16″ over a tank. (I chose to hang it slightly closer to the front of the tank)
Measure Twice, Cut Once
I measured 18″ to start my first bend. That gives me 2″ extra on each side of my fixture of dead space.
If you’ve never worked with a pipe bender before, you have to line up the little star with your line.
Bend your first 90 degree angle by stepping on the pedal and forcing it up.
I needed my light bar to extend 15-16″ out from the wall.. so I made my next mark 12″ from the top of the perpendicular pipe. Bending with the 3/4 in pipe bender adds about 4″ extra to the finished bend. Thus a 12″ mark becomes 16″ finished product.
Bend your second 90 the same way as the first.
Cut the excess length off the foot of your pipe. I cut 7.5″ off the end for my purposes.
Drill holes straight through the pipe to screw in the hooks
I finished mine off with a decorative nut, but any nut will do.
I went the extra step and capped the pipe for a finished look. This is the bag for these caps…Notice they are 1/2 to fit inside the 3/4 pipe.
This is what the final close up of the hangers look like
My pipes sit on the floor behind my tank because I couldn’t access behind my stand to attach them to the stand (my first choice) so I attached them to the wall
Final Product
Update with the 48″ light fixture I use now
3 Comments
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By Riverboa, July 17, 2009 @ 5:35 am
Hi Jessy, thanks for the nice write up. I am planning on doing a similar DIY for 4 ft tank. Based on your experience do you think that if the 3/4″ conduit could hold up if I stretch it across the length of the tank (instead of having two halves like you did yours)? The fixture I am planning to hang is 48″ 4×54 Tek (probably lighter than the one you use on your reef setup).
Thanks.
By Jessy, July 17, 2009 @ 12:57 pm
Hi Riverboa,
Yes I think the conduit would be sturdy enough to withstand the weight of that fixture across 4ft without bowing. The only concern I’d have would be the fact that 10′ lengths bended in the middle don’t leave much behind the tank. You’d have to affix the bar to the stand or the wall pretty securely because the way that I designed mine the bar goes to the floor for added stability.
By Riverboa, July 17, 2009 @ 5:48 pm
Thanks for the response. =) I didn’t realize that I only have 10ft of conduit to work with. Height might indeed be an issue - after two bends, I would have max 4ft of vertical reach? I guess I could affix the 3/4″ conduit to a 1″ conduit that is secured to the tank?
In any case, your guide has been very helpful. I’ll let you know how mine goes.
Thanks