need help on canopy designs

skeletor121 · 02-23-2004, 12:42 PM

I am planning on building a canopy for a 150 gallon tank that I will be setting up once I move houses. I'm not sure of the dimensions of the tank (I'm at work right now) but I would like to see some designs for canopies. I have built 1 canopy for a 125 gallon fw tank, but I'm looking at trying a different setup. Also, How far off the Water surface should I place MH lights? I plan on using MH ligths on this canopy and want to make sure that the canopy is tall enough. Any help would be appreciated.

MojosReef · 02-23-2004, 01:01 PM

Here is one I built. It has a raised center for MH lights.

Click Here to see all of the construction pics.

skeletor121 · 02-23-2004, 02:59 PM

Thanks. How high up is the front part and how high is the raised part? I'm not sure how high the lights need to be off the water. I like that design. Nice work.

MojosReef · 02-23-2004, 03:08 PM

The ends and front are 10" tall but overlap the edge of the tank 1 1/2" and the center is raised another 6" . It puts the bulbs about 12" from the water, helps with heat.

skeletor121 · 02-23-2004, 04:31 PM

Cool. That will help with my design. Thanks again.

skeletor121 · 02-23-2004, 04:32 PM

Forgot to ask in the last post. Do you have any type of glass/eggcrate/plexi between the water surface and the lights? What is the best type of material to use for this?

MojosReef · 02-23-2004, 05:16 PM

There is nothing between the water and the lights.

Maxx · 02-23-2004, 07:43 PM

here is a design I "liberated" from another person. It has been modified to suit my needs, so feel free to play around w/ it if you like.you could easily build a box frame around the lid of the tank and then build the canopy/light hood on top of that. This would allow you to raise the lights should you need to and allow you to have what amounts to an open tank w/ regards to heat issues.
Nick

Pro_builder · 02-23-2004, 07:50 PM

Hood Open

Hood Closed

Another with Hood open

PM me if you have any questions.
MH Lights are 7" off the water. Total hood is 12" tall

02-23-2004, 12:42 PM	#1 (permalink)
skeletor121 Fire Coral Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 60 View Gallery Karma Komment	need help on canopy designs I am planning on building a canopy for a 150 gallon tank that I will be setting up once I move houses. I'm not sure of the dimensions of the tank (I'm at work right now) but I would like to see some designs for canopies. I have built 1 canopy for a 125 gallon fw tank, but I'm looking at trying a different setup. Also, How far off the Water surface should I place MH lights? I plan on using MH ligths on this canopy and want to make sure that the canopy is tall enough. Any help would be appreciated. __________________ -Scott Don't need no gang to watch my a**, Just loyal friendship and a pint of Bass!. -Dropkick Murphy's

02-23-2004, 01:01 PM	#2 (permalink)
MojosReef Limpet Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Millington, TN Posts: 142 View Gallery Karma Komment	Here is one I built. It has a raised center for MH lights. Click Here to see all of the construction pics. __________________ Jeff http://www.mojosreef.com/files/Header3b.gif My 80g Tank My 20g Tank My other past time http://www.gifs.net/animate/fish08.gif

02-23-2004, 02:59 PM	#3 (permalink)
skeletor121 Fire Coral Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 60 View Gallery Karma Komment	Thanks. How high up is the front part and how high is the raised part? I'm not sure how high the lights need to be off the water. I like that design. Nice work. __________________ -Scott Don't need no gang to watch my a**, Just loyal friendship and a pint of Bass!. -Dropkick Murphy's

02-23-2004, 03:08 PM	#4 (permalink)
MojosReef Limpet Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Millington, TN Posts: 142 View Gallery Karma Komment	The ends and front are 10" tall but overlap the edge of the tank 1 1/2" and the center is raised another 6" . It puts the bulbs about 12" from the water, helps with heat. __________________ Jeff http://www.mojosreef.com/files/Header3b.gif My 80g Tank My 20g Tank My other past time http://www.gifs.net/animate/fish08.gif

02-23-2004, 04:31 PM	#5 (permalink)
skeletor121 Fire Coral Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 60 View Gallery Karma Komment	Cool. That will help with my design. Thanks again. __________________ -Scott Don't need no gang to watch my a**, Just loyal friendship and a pint of Bass!. -Dropkick Murphy's

02-23-2004, 04:32 PM	#6 (permalink)
skeletor121 Fire Coral Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 60 View Gallery Karma Komment	Forgot to ask in the last post. Do you have any type of glass/eggcrate/plexi between the water surface and the lights? What is the best type of material to use for this? __________________ -Scott Don't need no gang to watch my a**, Just loyal friendship and a pint of Bass!. -Dropkick Murphy's

02-23-2004, 05:16 PM	#7 (permalink)
MojosReef Limpet Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Millington, TN Posts: 142 View Gallery Karma Komment	There is nothing between the water and the lights. __________________ Jeff http://www.mojosreef.com/files/Header3b.gif My 80g Tank My 20g Tank My other past time http://www.gifs.net/animate/fish08.gif

02-23-2004, 07:43 PM	#8 (permalink)
Maxx Manta Ray Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: St Louis Mo Posts: 3,079 View Gallery Karma Komment	here is a design I "liberated" from another person. It has been modified to suit my needs, so feel free to play around w/ it if you like.you could easily build a box frame around the lid of the tank and then build the canopy/light hood on top of that. This would allow you to raise the lights should you need to and allow you to have what amounts to an open tank w/ regards to heat issues. Nick __________________ "Chaos, confusion, despair...my work is done here." ...Some guy named Murphy.... A good friend will come and bail you out of jail...but, a true friend will be sitting next to you saying, "Damn...that was fun!" Reef Sanctuary Knowledgebase (Answers to all your questions and then some!)

02-23-2004, 07:50 PM	#9 (permalink)
Pro_builder DIY Moderator Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Oxford, Iowa Posts: 1,746 View Gallery Karma Komment	Hood Open Hood Closed Another with Hood open PM me if you have any questions. MH Lights are 7" off the water. Total hood is 12" tall __________________ -Troy 180 gallon Reef, 3- 250 XM 15K MH Electronic ballast, 380 watts VHO Actinics, 2- 5 watt LED Moon lights, 100 gal rubbermaid sump, 75 gallon Fuge, ETSS 600 Skimmer, 4700-5400 gph pump for return, Octopus 3000 controller, Iwaki 40 RL skimmer pump, 2- 65w PC 10K fuge lights, 2 55 gallon barrels, Custom light oak stand and hood, misc pumps, extra 600 gallon rated tank size protein skimmer. Purple tang, yellow tang, pacific blue tang, 2 green chromis, 1 Sand sifting star, snails, hermit crabs, 2 mated perculas, pulsing Xenia, Anenome, mushrooms, ricordia, zoanthids, kenya tree 1 1/2" tall, misc other hitchhiker stuff. DIY is my dream... ...well OK the only way I can afford this Addiction!! Just as the light goes on in my head... ... I break the bulb!!

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