How heavy is too heavy for a canopy?

[vanished88]

I have been trying to find some information on canopy/lighting weight but have not came across any real information. I realize that lighter is obviously better, but how much weight is considered safe to put on top of an acrylic tank wight 3/4" sides?

 

[smallblock]

What i would consider if there were an emergency could you get it off by yourself. Other than that I dont know but I would definattly consider this aspect

 

[hnguyen]

To be honest. I don't think weight matters If all your worried about is your tank. Depending on hoe high your tank is. When you sit your canopy on your tank. The pressure and force is being pushed down. So the whole Height of your tank becomes support. That means if your tank is 24" high. It's the same as you putting your canopy on a 24" block of acrylic. The thickness only plays a small factor into it. You can bend 3/4" acrylic but you can't bend 24" of it and you have 4 sides as well so it will be super strong. Just like your stand. The horizontal support doesn't do much hold if any at all. Only the vertical support is holding up your tank. Same concept goes into the tank. Now your tank becomes the stand for your canopy. If I were at the office. I may be able to tell you exactly how much weight you'll have to put on top of your tank to make it come crashing down. With that said. Just make it light enough to were it won't be a PITA to take down for cleaning.

 

[cr500_af]

Good advice from both! I've helped remove some awfully heavy canopies, and usually ended up thinking "There is no way I'd build a canopy so beefy that I can't take it down by myself". A lifting hoist or sliding device would make that a non-issue.

 

[vanished88]

Thanks for the information. I was curious because the heatsinks I am using add up to 50 pounds. Those + mounting rails, fans, acrylic shielding, and the canopy itself may end up weighting quite abit. As far as being about to take it off/ put it on by myself probably wont be possible just because of the size/hight of the tank. the tank is 72"Lx30"W and sits on a 40" stand.

Edit: I looked into doing a motorized lift. It is going to be another 6 months or so before I even get all my equipment, so I still have time to decide on that.

 

[rbredding]

if you can't pick it up.. I wouldn't put it on top of the tank...

in all seriousness.. 3/4" acrylic is EXTREMELY strong in the inverted axis.. as long as you've got a stable stand and it sits evenly on top of the aquarium, I would think that over $100 is very realistic... especially spread out over a perimeter of that size..