DIY canopy finally started!

escape2thewater

escape2thewater

Active Member
I finally got to start my new DIY canopy for my reeftank. It will fit on my 60x18x25 120g tank and house my 2 -250w MH & 4-110w VHO bulbs w/ 2 fans & an open back. Should be room for the ballasts too. Heres some pics starting with the frame then with the oak panels on and doors made.
Escape



 
escape2thewater

escape2thewater

Active Member
Heres some updated pics. Its ready to be stained next. The stain I bought didnt work too good so im going back to lowes tomarrow to try a different one.
Escape

 
thegrog

thegrog

Active Member
Looks good!
You mentioned that there should be room for the ballasts too. Hope you only meant the VHO ballasts. MH ballasts are very big and heavy, not to mention they put out a lot of heat. A long MH cord won't hurt anything performance wise. Put them under the tank and just run a cord up the back.
Cant wait to see it stained!!!
 
hot883

hot883

Active Member
Originally Posted by escape2thewater
Heres some updated pics. Its ready to be stained next. The stain I bought didnt work too good so im going back to lowes tomarrow to try a different one.
Escape
VERY Nice work. Looking good!
 
escape2thewater

escape2thewater

Active Member
Thanks Corpjet & Grog. I was going to try to mount all the ballasts on the "outside" of the hood on the back of the back brace. I am trying to keep the wieght down on this hood so maybe just the icecap 660 will go there. It would be stained now but the minwax pastel stain I bought for it didnt really do much to the oak panels. I did get to paint the inside bright semi-gloss white though.
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acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Looks very good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2 thumbs up on the doors and tips for building the doors? I agree wouldn't even try to put the MH ballast up top IceCap should be fine though
 
escape2thewater

escape2thewater

Active Member
Thanks everyone!
Originally Posted by acrylic51
Looks very good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2 thumbs up on the doors and tips for building the doors? I agree wouldn't even try to put the MH ballast up top IceCap should be fine though
The doors are made out of 1/4 oak panels & 3" moulding from lowes. I just cut the moulding to length first, then made the angle cuts using a miter box. Then used a router with 1/2 x 1/4" bit to cut groves on the inside of the moulding to fit the oak panels. The only probs I ran into was the moulding I used had a lot of pattern/groves cut into it which made it hard to use the staples to assemble everything (staples went through moulding were groves were cut deep). Gotta watch out for that stuff. Also dont get glue anywhere you want to stain later or else you will have issues...even if you just wipe it off real quick!
I stained it today, heres another updated pic.
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oceana

oceana

Active Member
looks nice. how tall is that thing?? i thought mine was tall at 18 inches. maybe its just the pic but that things looks as big as my 36" stand.
 
escape2thewater

escape2thewater

Active Member
Originally Posted by oceana
looks nice. how tall is that thing?? i thought mine was tall at 18 inches. maybe its just the pic but that things looks as big as my 36" stand.
Its 20" tall. I like lots of room to do stuff!
Escape
 
escape2thewater

escape2thewater

Active Member
and drum roll.................................here it is complete!
I am very happy with how it came out overall. The only problem is now I have to build a matching stand!!!
We are moving late this summer when my new house is completed so that gives me a few months to have the new stand ready to go when its time to move the tank.
Escape
:happyfish



 
trainfever

trainfever

Active Member
Really nice work.
When putting the frame together, I couldnt tell by the pics but it looks like all your joints are butt joints and no lap joints, is this correct? Also, what kind of mechanical fasteners did you use, or was it just glue?
 
escape2thewater

escape2thewater

Active Member
Originally Posted by trainfever
Really nice work.
When putting the frame together, I couldnt tell by the pics but it looks like all your joints are butt joints and no lap joints, is this correct? Also, what kind of mechanical fasteners did you use, or was it just glue?
Butt joints, I think. Im no cabinet builder, Im not up on the lingo
!
Some of the fasteners are finishing nails but most are glue & staples. I used screws to attach the moudling to the top & bottom for added strength.
I looked at a lot of pre-fab stands & canopy's before I made this one and I saw there was literally nothing to them! Most dont even have a frame at all. They are simply made from plywood panels from what I saw. I have no idea how they even stay together? So I built mine with a frame to make it easier for me & stonger for durability.
 
escape2thewater

escape2thewater

Active Member
Originally Posted by Lubeck
Awesome ; Thats What I Call A Deep Sand Bed. Nice Work

Thanks. Yea it used to be nice & level across the bottom but over the years my engineer goby has rearranged the sand how he prefers it.. :happyfish
 
trainfever

trainfever

Active Member
Originally Posted by escape2thewater
Thanks. Yea it used to be nice & level across the bottom but over the years my engineer goby has rearranged the sand how he prefers it.. :happyfish
My engineer gobies did the same thing.
 
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