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i wanna add a canopy to my 55 gallon. i wanna know the best way to build a canapy.
how to build a canopy
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warloc4326
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There are a few styles of canopies, please be a bit more specific on what type you'd like. Additionally, what type of lights will be housed inside of said canopy?
Once those items are narrowed down it will be easier to direct you to diagrams etc. However a simple search on the forums and through the net resulted in a few helpful links.
Personally if you're going with a high heat lamp (halide or equiv) I'd make sure you have vent fans to help keep the tank stable.
Another consideration is how easy it will be to change lamps in the fixtures. I like some of the new top lifting canopies I've seen lately because there is no need to remove the fixtures and it provides very easy access to the furthest back lamps.
For a basic canopy design it's just a big box with a skin applied and some trim. I use brass piano hinge when I've made or designed canopies as it tends to last much longer than the silver hinge. You can use locking hinges as well but once again I'd stress using brass for the hinge pieces as it will last the longest.
Once those items are narrowed down it will be easier to direct you to diagrams etc. However a simple search on the forums and through the net resulted in a few helpful links.
Personally if you're going with a high heat lamp (halide or equiv) I'd make sure you have vent fans to help keep the tank stable.
Another consideration is how easy it will be to change lamps in the fixtures. I like some of the new top lifting canopies I've seen lately because there is no need to remove the fixtures and it provides very easy access to the furthest back lamps.
For a basic canopy design it's just a big box with a skin applied and some trim. I use brass piano hinge when I've made or designed canopies as it tends to last much longer than the silver hinge. You can use locking hinges as well but once again I'd stress using brass for the hinge pieces as it will last the longest.
i would like to know this aswell
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I just finished one for my 120..Not the best in the world..But its looks darn decent!
warloc4326
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Once I get a chance I'll give you the two common designs that a lot of the custom cabinet makers use that seems to be pretty run of the mill.
One is with doors in the front.
One is with a top hinged front that lifts up and rests on top.
My personal favorite was the one with the support lifts for a light rack that also had front doors. This isn't the most practical and it also has issues with the hinges since most of the time the lift hinges aren't brass. I will not include this one for simplicity just because I also don't have the plans.
The main thing to remember is that the frame needs to be stable and square to begin with. The other suggestion is to make sure that you take into account the lip of your tank (black molding or what not for support) so that when the skin is applied (i use 3/8 birch as it is cheap but anything will do) it covers this up.
Finally when you're done building it out and get the molding or other decorative items on sand it going from a 100 grit up to 200-300 or so. This is so that when you stain or paint you have a nice even surface to work with and an even absorption. Finally, once it's been prepped to your liking I prefer to put a nice 2-3 coats of polycoat on it so that the salt and humidity don't kill it. I prefer a satin coat as it doesn't get too shiny and make sure to hit all surfaces inside and out making sure the applicator is either a new foam brush or a very soft bristled hair brush. Making sure to get even coats is the most necessary part in this stage as you will see brush strokes if you're not careful. When applying stain a trick I like to use is a rag free of lint that I dip slightly into the stain and rub into the wood. I make sure to only apply a small amount of stain each time and work it into a nice large area so that I can control how dark areas become etc. This also works for rubbing out some of the stain if applied with a brush to lighten areas.
One is with doors in the front.
One is with a top hinged front that lifts up and rests on top.
My personal favorite was the one with the support lifts for a light rack that also had front doors. This isn't the most practical and it also has issues with the hinges since most of the time the lift hinges aren't brass. I will not include this one for simplicity just because I also don't have the plans.
The main thing to remember is that the frame needs to be stable and square to begin with. The other suggestion is to make sure that you take into account the lip of your tank (black molding or what not for support) so that when the skin is applied (i use 3/8 birch as it is cheap but anything will do) it covers this up.
Finally when you're done building it out and get the molding or other decorative items on sand it going from a 100 grit up to 200-300 or so. This is so that when you stain or paint you have a nice even surface to work with and an even absorption. Finally, once it's been prepped to your liking I prefer to put a nice 2-3 coats of polycoat on it so that the salt and humidity don't kill it. I prefer a satin coat as it doesn't get too shiny and make sure to hit all surfaces inside and out making sure the applicator is either a new foam brush or a very soft bristled hair brush. Making sure to get even coats is the most necessary part in this stage as you will see brush strokes if you're not careful. When applying stain a trick I like to use is a rag free of lint that I dip slightly into the stain and rub into the wood. I make sure to only apply a small amount of stain each time and work it into a nice large area so that I can control how dark areas become etc. This also works for rubbing out some of the stain if applied with a brush to lighten areas.
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Send me some info for example, type of lights, reflectors, fans and tank dimensions including the trim or bracing as some call it and I will do a cad drawing with some build details for you
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