I've just been thinking for a while, a conopy would be nice! But I have a few questions: Do you guys think a canopy reflects more light into the tank? I also have an Aquaticlife T5 light, How would I make the canopy sit on the tank properly? Also, Do you guys usually add fans into the canopy?
Should I build a canopy for my tank?
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JCambell,
I am kicking around the same questions as I start my reef up. I am old school so a canopy seems logical and easily made. However, most of the lights on market today seem pretty stand alone, and styled well.
It looks to me that the only way to put the AquaticLife T5 light in a Canopy would be to break it down and piece it in, or build a canopy around it.
Just my thoughts
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I agree, don't add things that you don't need
That's exactly why I wanted to build one! My parents always complain about how bright it is in the room! I'm just curious how to cover the top frame of the tank while I have the T5 fixure resting on the tank!
However, I want to add a canopy, it will come in the future...I don't "need" it, but I want it!
Just build a bracket into the canopy to hold the light and lift it off the top of the tank a few inches. With T5, you'll get a fiar amount of light in the room anyway. If you want less light in the room, use LEDs with optics to keep the light directed into the tank.
My roommate and I just started a canopy venture of our own. We are hanging 2 150w halides and adding in 2 actinic t5s. We will be adding fans and a feeding tube so you don't have to lift the canopy. So far its a week old and mostly built. Just have to paint and apply. Ill see if I cant get some pics.
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Why not hang the fixture in the canopy?
Pictures would be nice!:up:
Edit:
I am constantly messing with something in the tank! I move that light fixture all the time...much less do I want to have to deal with it hanging and have to lift the whole canopy off the tank. Plus I would be freaking out that it would fall!
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I'm confused here. If the above is true how do you think you will move the fixture with a canopy built around it ?? Why do you think that the canopy would have to be removed?
I don't understand your not wanting to have to deal with hanging the fixture but you are contemplating building a canopy.:unsure:
So far as it falling I'm pretty sure it could be hung in a manner that it wouldn't fall as hundreds are done that way.
I can accept your dismissing the idea and I understand you are a younger member but your reasons are not logical or maybe I am missing something.
If I don't hang the fixture all I have to do is open the canopy(I want one like the piano hinge style) and slide the fixture back and I can do what ever to the tank! If the fixture were hanging I wouldn't be able to move the fixture without either taking it off of the hangers or taking the whole canopy off, that would get on my nerves. I have glass tops on my tank. They won't open all the way now because my fixture is so wide, so I have to slide it back. I've seen canopies built before with a fixture still on its legs. See what I'm saying? Oh. I left somthing out, my dad used to make furniture as his profession, so he can always figure somthing out. However, I'm not planning on putting any part of the canopy on the sides of my tank frame to the point where I can't slide the fixture back; there would be enough support for it. I may be young, but i've been working with aquariums for quite some time!
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JCampbell;666048 wrote: That's exactly why I wanted to build one! My parents always complain about how bright it is in the room! I'm just curious how to cover the top frame of the tank while I have the T5 fixure resting on the tank!
However, I want to add a canopy, it will come in the future...I don't "need" it, but I want it!
My apologies. Because of the posts/questions from you quoted above I assumed you were looking for ideas. I have a couple of ideas that I have used to facilitate both hanging or using the support legs of a fixture inside a canopy all the time allowing the fixture to be moved out of the way. With your Father being a furniture maker and your years of experience in the hobby, I will instead assume that you have it covered and will humbly step to the side. By all means please post pictures of what you come up with once it is built as I would love to see it.
No no no! I wasn't trying to sound like a...you know! I don't see a bracket on the fixture where I can hang it, and I don't want to tamper with it because, most likely, it would void the warranty! On my next set up, or when I get my own house and take this tank with me, if I still have it, I want to do all LED! Those cool Panorama Retrofits! If I had the money today, I'd so do it!!
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No worries Post some pics when your done:up:
Post some pics when your done:up:Here's how I would build it...
Make the canopy to fit around the outside of the tank. Leave at least 1/4" of play so it goes on easily. Leave the back open. Put 1x4 strips (or 1x2 or 1x3) around the inside of the base of the canopy, leaving some overlap of the sides of the canopy on the tank to hide the rim. The canopy will rest on the rim of the tank on the 1x4, and the light fixture should slide in and rest on the top of the 1x4 inside the canopy. If the back of the canopy is open, you can slide the light back to get into the tank, and you can slide it out forward easily if you really want to get in there.
Rig a plug/powerstrip in the top inside of the canopy so you don't have to fish the cord around if you want to slide the light out. You can use the same outlets for powerheads and such as well. You might want fan or two in the top or sides of the canopy since it will trap heat. Use a computer case fan. Have it blow into the canopy. If the back is open, the air can flow out there. Get a fairly big fan (like 100mm), so you can run it at low voltage (like 6v instead of 12v) and still get good air movement.
Hinge the top across the middle with a piano hinge. Attach the back part of the top to the sides, and attach the front of the canopy just to the front part of the top, not the sides. Think of where you want to place your fans before you put in the hinge. Put the hinge just forward of the fans if you put them in the top. You'll probably need a strip of 1x2 along the inside top sides to stabilze the joint between the top and the sides and to make the top/front sit right when it closes.
You can use solid wood for the sides, but I'd use plywood for the top and front. It won't warp like solid wood. If you use solid wood for the sides, you don't need to show any plywood edge on the outside, so you can stain it and it will look nice. If your dad builds furniture though, he may have some edge veneer, in which case, I'd do the whole thing with plywood.
Make the canopy to fit around the outside of the tank. Leave at least 1/4" of play so it goes on easily. Leave the back open. Put 1x4 strips (or 1x2 or 1x3) around the inside of the base of the canopy, leaving some overlap of the sides of the canopy on the tank to hide the rim. The canopy will rest on the rim of the tank on the 1x4, and the light fixture should slide in and rest on the top of the 1x4 inside the canopy. If the back of the canopy is open, you can slide the light back to get into the tank, and you can slide it out forward easily if you really want to get in there.
Rig a plug/powerstrip in the top inside of the canopy so you don't have to fish the cord around if you want to slide the light out. You can use the same outlets for powerheads and such as well. You might want fan or two in the top or sides of the canopy since it will trap heat. Use a computer case fan. Have it blow into the canopy. If the back is open, the air can flow out there. Get a fairly big fan (like 100mm), so you can run it at low voltage (like 6v instead of 12v) and still get good air movement.
Hinge the top across the middle with a piano hinge. Attach the back part of the top to the sides, and attach the front of the canopy just to the front part of the top, not the sides. Think of where you want to place your fans before you put in the hinge. Put the hinge just forward of the fans if you put them in the top. You'll probably need a strip of 1x2 along the inside top sides to stabilze the joint between the top and the sides and to make the top/front sit right when it closes.
You can use solid wood for the sides, but I'd use plywood for the top and front. It won't warp like solid wood. If you use solid wood for the sides, you don't need to show any plywood edge on the outside, so you can stain it and it will look nice. If your dad builds furniture though, he may have some edge veneer, in which case, I'd do the whole thing with plywood.
