Canopy 101

oceanminded

oceanminded

Member
Ok will someone please help me in detail building a canopy for my 55 gallon tank. My stand is maple so I want to match it up. The tank is the average 55 gallon rectangular tank. I have 2 660 icecap ballast to use for this hood. Thanks in advance.
 
thedogofwa

thedogofwa

Member
I'll help you out if you still need it. I'm preparing to build one for a 55 very soon myself. You gonna use VHO's?
 
oceanminded

oceanminded

Member
Yes I still need the help. Only thing is I think I can get one from all-glass that would match my maple stand for about 150 bucks. Can I build one cheaper and if I can will it match my tank? Yes I am going to use vhos
 
liquidskys

liquidskys

Member
:D
i really like that design..
both stand and canopy..
I am in the process of buying a 60gal upgrade from my 29gal
might just have to jump in on the band wangon and build one as well..
 
oceanminded

oceanminded

Member
Hey Thedogofwa, is the link you posted without the wood being stained because it is nowhere close to the color my maple stand is....?
 
xxvietxjustinxx

xxvietxjustinxx

Member
I built my 180 gallon a canopy (oak) for about 150 and it actually came out very nice. I also put vho's in mine; but of course they were a little bigger. Heres a picture; I'll try to take one in the day time if i can get my mind off CS in the afternoon
 
memole

memole

Member
built mine too for a 120 cost was around 200 bucks but I used Red Oak. you shouldn't have any problems matching up the color of your existing stand. Home Depot can now tint stains... thats what I had done wot match the cabs in the kitchen and its dead on.
 
reefer60

reefer60

New Member
I made a top for my 55 earlier this summer. If you have access to jointer and a planer, I would recommend not shopping for wood at Home Depot. I got red oak from a local sawmill for $2/board ft. Home Depot was charging like 4 or 5 times that much.
Let me know if you need any plans/advice on the construction.
 
ems101

ems101

Member
hey reefer60. if you still have those plans for the canopy you were talking about in this forum that would be greatly appreciated
thanx
 
reefer60

reefer60

New Member
EMS-
I don't have real detailed plans, but I have lots of sketches/pictures/measurements. If you need anything specific, let me know. If I don't have it on paper, I can just measure my top. It's 2x175 MH and 2x48" VHO actinics with cooling fans and glass shield built in.
 
reefer60

reefer60

New Member
Here's her "guts." Please excuse the peeling weatherstripping and the very raw wiring. This picture was taken during her first trial run.
 
thedogofwa

thedogofwa

Member

Originally posted by oceanminded
Hey Thedogofwa, is the link you posted without the wood being stained because it is nowhere close to the color my maple stand is....?
I'm guessing so.
heres a few pics of a canopy I just built for a friend. It was made to house a PFO acrolight on a 75G. It was made from select pine and the total was just under $100 for what you see here.
I'll be using a very similair design for the 55 I need to build.





 
hansgruber

hansgruber

Member
Hey Reefer,
How hot do MH lights get? I see that you placed them really close to the wood, are you not scared they are 2 close? I have a situation where i'm scared of the possibilty of fire, Ill post some pics when I get home.
 
balistikb

balistikb

Member
reefer60
What kind of fans are on the side?
Do you find them loud?
Do you find that alot of the light shows from there?
Do you have one fan blowing and the other sucking?
(and I am not being fresh)
 
reefer60

reefer60

New Member
The fans are 420 mm (~ 4") variable speed (76-101 cfm) computer fans. I haven't had any trouble with noise, but I mounted rubber gaskets between the fans and the wood. They also came with brass fan covers that look really nice. I bought them from an online computer hardware retailer for like $12 per fan.
Yes, light escapes from the fan holes, but the fan blades are a clear blue plastic which adds a cool effect.
Yes, one fan sucks and the other blows (Literally.). I am very happy with these fans. I've had no problems with them at all.
 
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