Need some suggestions!

crt81

crt81

Member
I'm starting really soon to start building my canopy and I had some questions.It will fit over my 65 gallon tank (36x18x24) and I will be placing two fans on each side (I'm thinking about the ones that are temp. sensative). So my question is this, I want a canopy that will fit over the tank and not have excessive light coming out of the canopy. I know there will be some lighting that will escape but I've seen some pictures of canopies that have so much light that escapes that it lights up the entire room!
Does anyone have any suggestions of how to illiminate this problem!!!
Also there will be MH lights inside the canopy and some t5 suppliments as well. How high should the lights be from the waters surface? Also I've heard that you should use a aquarium safety glass to prevent the lights from getting moisture but is this true? How many use this glass to protect the lights? Also if I need to get one of these- where do you get them from?
 
nigerbang

nigerbang

Active Member

Originally Posted by crt81
I'm starting really soon to start building my canopy and I had some questions.
It will fit over my 65 gallon tank (36x18x24) and I will be placing two fans on each side (I'm thinking about the ones that are temp. sensative). So my question is this, I want a canopy that will fit over the tank and not have excessive light coming out of the canopy. I know there will be some lighting that will escape but I've seen some pictures of canopies that have so much light that escapes that it lights up the entire room!
Does anyone have any suggestions of how to illiminate this problem!!!
Also there will be MH lights inside the canopy and some t5 suppliments as well. How high should the lights be from the waters surface? Also I've heard that you should use a aquarium safety glass to prevent the lights from getting moisture but is this true? How many use this glass to protect the lights? Also if I need to get one of these- where do you get them from?
My MH's have a glass cover over them to keep them from getting wet..MH+H20=Explosion
Try and make sure everything fits snug together..My buddy has 800 watts of HQI and barely any comes out of the canopy..
With the fans, Make sure one side is pushing the air through and the other is pulling it out...
 
crt81

crt81

Member
Originally Posted by coraljunky
What kind of lights? retros? Mounted to canopy or suspended with legs?
MH lights w/ t5 suppliment. Mounted in the canopy.
 
nigerbang

nigerbang

Active Member
ahhh so Retro...Dont know if you can put glass over that...Mine is a stand alone..Someone will come along that can give you a one way or the other..
 
azaintcold

azaintcold

Member
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/263438/azaintcolds-tank-diary/20
post 108
Thats my canopy with the 2 temp controlled fans on both sides. I have 750 w metal halide retros and I live in the phoenix az valley and don't need a chiller with this set up. Not very much light escapes either. You want to not have an open back for 2 reasons when you use this fan set up:
1. You want to create a venturi effect and have the air going in one set of fans, and out the other.
2. Thats when you see a whole room lit up from the escaping light.
I have my retro's about 10-12 inches off the water, no problems. This seems to be the standard with this type of lighting. No glass cover btw.
 
crt81

crt81

Member

Originally Posted by NigerBang
My MH's have a glass cover over them to keep them from getting wet..MH+H20=Explosion
Try and make sure everything fits snug together..My buddy has 800 watts of HQI and barely any comes out of the canopy..
With the fans, Make sure one side is pushing the air through and the other is pulling it out...
Also I was looking at the retrofit kit by that webpage hilights.com (I'm trying to give the webname w/o really saying it. "The Rules") The dimensions are really big and I wanted to add some t5s to give my tank a bluer look. The MH dimensions are 16x13x5 and the tanks canopy will fit over my 36x18x24 tank. The t5s are 33.5x7x2. So as you can see- with the two it's way too big, they both won't fit in the canopy!
Any other MH fitures that can be mounted/ scrwed into the canopy that will fit, leaving enough room for my t5s? (A budget is in mind as well!)
 
coraljunky

coraljunky

Active Member
I had mh on my 190g(no longer have it). I constructed reflectors below my fans and vents at a 45 degree angle. My lights were mounted to the canopy but, I added wood between the two. This left me about 8" from light to water level. I've always hated glass tops, just for the simple fact of keeping them clean. Now I have a 90g with T-5's. No glass top with the entire back of the canopy open. Light escapes but it is a naturaly well lit room.
Hope this helps.
 
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