jnbrex
Active Member
I built a wall mount for my Ecotech Radion XR15 G6 using parts from the RMS XR15 G5 & G6 Tank Mount System, an Amazon basics TV mount, and some parts from Home Depot. I did this because I have a Red Sea Max Nano G2 XL and location of the pump control box and skimmer make it impossible to mount the light in the center of the back wall of the tank using the RMS mount. This is just what I did, and I’m sure there are better solutions!
Required Tools
There should be a stud within a few inches of the center of the aquarium and the back of the aquarium should be within a few inches of the wall. You could use drywall anchors if there’s no stud in the right spot, but the mount will be less secure. If the stud is too close the center of the aquarium, the aquarium is smaller, or the aquarium is too close to the wall, this TV mount might not be right for you and you should choose one with a shorter extension. Alternatively, if the stud is farther from the center of the aquarium, the aquarium is larger, and/or the aquarium is farther from the wall, this TV mount might not be right for you and you should choose one with a longer extension. You should measure the front-back distance from the center of where you want the light to hang to the wall, and the horizontal distance from the center of where you want the light to hang to the stud to pick the right TV mount. Since the TV mounts are adjustable and the light can be moved forwards and backwards using the rail there are a few inches of wiggle room here.
Challenges
Measuring is the hardest part of this. You need to measure the horizontal and vertical distance between the point on the wall where you will attach the TV mount and the point where you want the center of the light to hang carefully. Otherwise, it might not be possible to center the light over your tank.
Steps
Congrats, you did it! Enjoy your wall mounted Radion
Required Tools
- Drill
- Adjustable wrench (or wrench set)
- 5/32”, 3/8”, and 1/2” drill bits (3/8” will be used to drill through a metal rivet, so should be titanium)
- Phillips head screwdriver bit for drill or maybe even an impact driver, depending on how tough the wood stud is
- Stud finder
- Metal file (I didn’t need it but it might be required if your jam nuts are slightly bigger than the ones I got since it’s a very tight fit)
- Amazon Basics Full Motion TV Wall Mount fits 12" to 40" TVs and VESA 200x200, Black
- RMS XR15 G5 & G6 Tank Mount System or RMS XR30 G5 & G6 Tank Mount System
- Home Depot Everbilt 1/2 in. Brass Flat Washer (6-Pack) SKU 887480027013
- Home Depot 7/16 in.-14 Zinc Plated Jam Nut (4-Pack) SKU 887480115611
- Home Depot Everbilt 7/16 in.-14 TPI x 1-3/4 in. Zinc Yellow Grade-8 Hex Bolt SKU 887480566482
There should be a stud within a few inches of the center of the aquarium and the back of the aquarium should be within a few inches of the wall. You could use drywall anchors if there’s no stud in the right spot, but the mount will be less secure. If the stud is too close the center of the aquarium, the aquarium is smaller, or the aquarium is too close to the wall, this TV mount might not be right for you and you should choose one with a shorter extension. Alternatively, if the stud is farther from the center of the aquarium, the aquarium is larger, and/or the aquarium is farther from the wall, this TV mount might not be right for you and you should choose one with a longer extension. You should measure the front-back distance from the center of where you want the light to hang to the wall, and the horizontal distance from the center of where you want the light to hang to the stud to pick the right TV mount. Since the TV mounts are adjustable and the light can be moved forwards and backwards using the rail there are a few inches of wiggle room here.
Challenges
Measuring is the hardest part of this. You need to measure the horizontal and vertical distance between the point on the wall where you will attach the TV mount and the point where you want the center of the light to hang carefully. Otherwise, it might not be possible to center the light over your tank.
Steps
- Using the 3/8” drill bit, drill into the smaller side of the rivet connecting the VESA mount portion of the TV mount to the arm. Once you drill through, the rivet should break in half, removing the unneeded VESA mount from the arm of the TV mount and leaving a hole in the arm of the TV mount. This will produce flying metal shavings so use safety glasses!
- Widen the hole on each side to 1/2” using the 1/2” drill bit. This will produce flying metal shavings so use safety glasses!
- Open the RMS mount box and use out the longer of the two metal rails, to give you more forwards-backwards flexibility.
- Push one of the jam nuts into the channel in the rail, starting on the “sharp” side (the side without the threaded hole for the end cap). The farther you push the jam nut the closer to the wall your light will sit. You can always adjust this later. It should be a very tight fit. A metal file might be needed to remove some material from the jam nut if it’s slightly wider or taller than the one I used.
- Use 3 of the washers and push the bolt through the holes in the TV mount arm. You can choose the orientation of the mount (attached to the wall higher or lower than the light) by pushing the bolt through in one direction or the other. I chose to make the wall attachment point higher than the light so that I had more room above the back of the tank.
- Using the wrench, screw the bolt into the nut until very tight.
- Follow the RMS mount instructions to attach the light to the rail and put on the rail end cap.
- Mount the fully assembled structure to the wall using the TV mount instructions.
Congrats, you did it! Enjoy your wall mounted Radion
