this looks scary....

Sure, like a canopy?

 

FWIW, if you want to be more secure and can find hte joists bu tthey arent centered. you can always place a 1x4 painted white in the cieling and screw it to the joists then hand the light wherever you need to.



in my most recent build, I hung a 26lb light fixture from the ceiling. Unfortunately the can light in the ceiling was not centered in the joists. I was adamant about hitting the joists, so we just rolled with it since this is the safest way of doing it. I have two hooks and 96lb stainless cable.

Ill take a photo of the ceiling tonight.

 

I did some thinking on your original post. If you dont want to hang them from the ceiling, you can make a rear mount rack. here is one I did.




Made from aluminum.

I used a 1" square tube with multiple holes for adjustment of height. the bent bar is 3/8" aluminum. I heated it up in my vise and bent it. Then 1/2" aluminum angle drilled precisely to match the holes in my Reef Radiance. I used the angle and mount to the lights for my new system. then just hung them form new drilled holes.

 

Cheating!!!!!!!!

It works and its at the right hight

 

If those are pressure treated remove them immediately if not sooner.They will nuke your tank with chemicals.(Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA-C), Alkaline Copper Quat (ACQ-C, ACQ-D, ACQ-D Carbonate), Micronized Copper Quat (MCQ), Copper Azole (CA-B & CA-C, μCA-C) and Sodium Borates (SBX/DOT). Now that is even more scary.
P.S. Cheaters never prosper.

 

I assume untreated would be ok to use since most canopies are made of that? Would that be an acceptable replacement?

 

No theyre not treated. Theyre some planks my neighbor just bought and hes actually using them for a bird enclosure. I thought kt would cover the lights more but it hardly does. I was actually thinking I could screw the boards down to my current canopy and make jt look nice.