Building a canopy

[BrooklynsReefMan1]

I would like to make my own canopy i just need to know what exactly do i need i know i need tools like drills etc i have those but i need to know i have a 20 gallon long tank 30 inches long 12 inches width but what type of wood to get and what size to get. and where i run into a problem is i have 24 inch fixturre so id need to but something on top of the canopy for it to rest on maybe egg cratebut if you can link me to a blur print thats be cool thkans

 

[autoponicz]

try google diy canopy and also search in this forum.
theres so many ways of building a canopy...just limits to how creative or ideas you can get.....

 

[iconoclast]

you have to research a bit and come up with what type of canopy you want
i recently did away with my and have MH pendants right now

 

[Bob 1000]

That's a secret:shhh:lol

 

[BrooklynsReefMan1]

well if im planning on getting halides should i not go with a canopy
:lol:shhhhh

 

[tosiek]

depends. all the hood is going to do is let you not have to use eggcrate for fish that jump. And clean up so you dont have light spill out around your tank. Helps people to look at the tank without light glare. cover an ugly fixture. You don;'t really need a hood unless you want one for those reasons or for the aesthetics, And you will have to add some sort of ventilation for the fixture nomatter what type you have (yes even PC's).

 

[iconoclast]

I had a lot of trouble with light spilling out of my tank when i went with a pendant, esp since my tank is high up and i sit to the side of it for the computer...... I ended up putting a piece of wood sitting on the top, with 'legs' going back on the sides for stability. sort of like the front of a hood but easily taken off so i can go 'fishing', ease of access was another big reason i wanted to get rid of my canopy.

 

[dmr2000]

Oak is a good wood tools I have if you need to use you can build in fans for cooling I'm running 3 175 mh and 1 96 watt pc with moonie lights in a canopy

 

[BrooklynsReefMan1]

well when i get my mh im going to get a nice blueprint out on it now does it need to fit your tank exact or a little bigger or a little smaller

 

[dmr2000]

a little bigger it sits over the top and comes down covering the plastic border on the tank in side the canopy there are stops that sit on the rim of the tank.

 

[dmr2000]

I just up loaded some pics in my profile take a look

 

[BrooklynsReefMan1]

o ok does anyone have blueprints i can look at

 

[KathyC]

no blueprints..but this is what I did the the MH over my cube tank. The Halide hangs from the ceiling and fits through an opening in the canopy.

More pics that show how it all fits together are here on the first page:
http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/tank-threads/28362-cube.html

I also did the same kind of thing with my 120...this canopy is really easy to build.

 

[BrooklynsReefMan1]

Very Very Nice kathy. not that id expect anything less:duh:

 

[papare]

nice job on the canopy's but I have a question for DMR about the halides and moons (auto?) how hot and how are you removing all the heat how many fans ?

 

[bueller]

giddy up Kathy!! love the design.

J

 

[masterswimmer]

Kathy, how has this canopy held up? It's been two years since this thread (and your canopy can be even older than that). My question is how has the piano hinge survived?

R

 

[NL146]

Way to go Kathy! Simple and functional, looks good to boot!