MH lighting for inside AGA modern canopy

[johns120]

I am in the market for mh/pc lighting for my AGA 75 with modern cherry canopy. There is very limited space inside though. I cuurently only have a pc fixture without the legs sitting onto of the glass and there is no problem with the heat. I used to have a retrofit mh/pc in a custom woooden "box" that sat on top of the aquarium frame and the same canopy fit perfectly over the "box". There were problems with the mh though-it warped the acrylic that sat onto top of tank, it warped the black plastic strip part that held the glass panels, and when I went without any cover, salt covered the bulbs. There is only 5-6 inches total clearance to work with. Does anyone else have mh lighting inside there AGA canopies?

 

[LA-Lawman]

u might consider a currentUsa fixture... they are "lower" profile than most and are fan cooled and stuff right out of the box....

 

[FragMaster]

Buy a retro Double end MH kit withwattage to suite your needs.
Loose the glass canopy. Make a "canopy in a canopy" if you will, atatched to the lid of your cherry canopy. I would simply buy some shelving planks, coat them with poly, buy some angle bracketts, coat them with poly as well, form a skirting extending down from your cherry lid.
Mount the reflectors and bulbs directly to the cherry lid inside the newly formed skirting. MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE AROUND 1/2" space between the reflectors and the cherry lid to allow for a proper heat exchange. You dont want your cherry lid to discolor due to heat!
Next cut a hole on either side of the skirting for fans, cut some acrylic tofit the bottom of the skirting, Use small "L" brackets to hold it snug and in place and VIOLA!!! The lighting you want inside the canopy you love!!
I have personaly installed NUMEROUS units JUST LIKE THAT in brandnew aquariums for my Aquatic interiors friends down the road from me, when thier customers wantted to utelize thier beautifull cherry or oak hoods, but still have halide lighting.
It DOSE WORK. The key is the acrylic lense, GOOD FANS, and the 1/2" minimum space between the reflector and the top of the canpoy.

Hope this helps you!!!

PS:
If it hase a slotted lid simply fix a 1/4" piece of white painted, poly coated plywood over it.

PSS: Going with DOUBLE END MH will eliminate your space problems and allow you to make a smaller "Box" type skirting so it will NOT sit directly on your aquarium frame.



EDIT!!!!!!
Strike the acrylic!! Use POLYCARBONATE It is more heat resistant.

 

[johns120]

Thanks for the replies. I havent found dimensions of a current usa yet but the outer orbit is only 4.25 inches high. As for Fragmasters reply-I would need someone to do that for me. I am not the DIY guy. Also, if I attached the lights to the lid, the tank would not be lighted when the lid is opened, right? Also, I used to have a 120 gallon with a retro fit attached to the canopy. In addition to the weight alone of the canopy, the attached wires made it extremely difficult to take the canopy off. But, maybe im not getting it (in the head) Fragmaster do have photos?

 

[johns120]

I have found the Aqualight Pro to be only 2.75 inches

48" Aqualight Pro 48" Aqualight Pro, 2x 250W HQI + 2x 96W Actinic + 3 Blue Moonlight LEDs


Coralifes revolutionary Aqualight ProTM light fixtures combine HQI Double-Ended Metal Halide lighting with two 96W Compact Fluorescent Lamps and Lunar Blue-Moon-Glow LED lights in an ultra-sleek, fan-cooled unit that is only 2.75" high. 10,000 HQI Metal Halide lamps provide high-intensity, purified super-daylight that simulates the midday sun. Actinic 03 Blue lamps provide a blue light in the 420nm range that simulates the blue hue of deeper water. The Lunar Blue-Moon-Glow LED 470nm lights create rhythmic glittering and shimmering effects while promoting spawning cycles in corals and reef life. Backed by the proven quality of the Aqualight product line, these superb lighting fixtures allow you to Capture the Sun and now...the Moon