Different Ways To Make a Hanging Aquarium Light Stand

There are many different ways to hang aquarium lights. You can hang them from ceilings, or shelves, or build something that will save you from having to make holes in walls and ceilings. Ideally, it’s best to build or purchase something that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing. You’ll have to decide how to hang your aquarium lights and what materials to use. This article will hopefully provide you with different options to choose from.

Hanging Lights From a Ceiling

If you’re handy with house renovations, have done some DIY work, or have used a drill/screwdriver in the past, you may be good to hang your lights from the ceiling. Some very easy-to-use Adjustable Light Suspension Kits on Amazon can help you achieve this. A measuring tape, hammer, and drill/screwdriver will likely be the tools you’ll need to do this.

I also recommend covering your aquarium temporarily with a blanket, tarp, or other cover so that debris from drywall doesn’t fall into your aquarium. This will also help provide some cushion if you drop your tools that can crack your glass. I do not like hanging lights from my ceilings because if I decide to move the fish tank, I’ll likely have to patch holes and repaint. There are plenty of other ways to hang lights without messing with your drywall.

Build Your Own Hanging Light Stand

Building a light stand is something that can be very easy to do, and can save you a lot of money. I have made one using conduit, speed thread straps, and spray paint. You’ll have to bend the conduit to your desired length, spray paint it, and then screw it onto your aquarium stand. It’s very straightforward and will cost around 20 dollars to make. The conduit holds the KingLED Grow Light I put on top of it with ease. Here is a video showcasing the process.

You can use a lot of different materials if you’re not interested in using conduit. Another one that might work well is PVC piping. You are limited to your imagination when building your hanging light stand. I decided to go this route when building my aquarium because, with this, I do not have to drill holes into the wall or ceiling.

Build Into Aquarium Canopy

You’ll occasionally see aquariums built with massive canopies above them. It is reasonable to assume that you can use the space inside the canopy to hide lights. If your aquarium has a canopy, you might have braces running through it that can be used for hanging lights. It could be as easy as screwing hooks into the bracing of the canopy, and then hanging your lights from the hooks.

If your canopy does not have bracing, you’ll have to add them yourself or find a different method to hang your lights. Cutting and screwing wood into the canopy will probably be the easiest route. Besides wood, you can also use aluminum for bracing instead. Once you have that made, adding a hook should be very easy.

Hang Lights From Shelving Above Your Aquarium

If you have shelving built above your fish tank or are looking to use the space above your aquarium, you might be able to hang lights under the shelf or build a shelf and then hang lights underneath. Most light fixtures are fairly light, so a lot of shelves should handle the additional weight. Before trying this, look up your shelving max weight capacity to guarantee they can handle the weight. It would be terrible for the shelving unit to collapse onto your aquarium.

Shelving on top of an aquarium could be great if you’re tight on space and need more room for fish food, filter media, and other supplies. I have never tried this method of hanging lights, but have seen it work well. It looks nice with floating shelves (Amazon Affiliate Link).

How High To Hang Light Over Aquarium?

It all depends on the light, the intensity, and what you are keeping in the aquarium. I usually try to keep hanging lights about a foot above the aquarium as a safe bet. Depending on the size of the light compared to the aquarium, a foot of clearance will pretty much guarantee you have access to the fish tank without a light getting in your way. The light spread will increase the higher you go, but you will also lose overall strength the further your light is from the aquarium.

Final Notes

There are countless ways to hang lights to illuminate an aquarium. You can make the build as simple or as complex as you want. The most important thing is that the lights are securely placed and they do not risk falling into the aquarium. If you’re not sold on hanging lights you can consider getting lights that sit on top of the aquarium instead.