DIY Canopy

[Hitch08]

I am trying to design a canopy for my 120g tank. It appears that some canopies have a couple of doors that open on the front face of the canopy. Something like this:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2008/9/showcase_album/marineland_4ft_espmont_marineseries.jpg

Alternatively, some canopies incorporate a large hinge that enables you to open a larger part of the canopy. Something like these:

http://www.thereeftank.com/gallery/files/5/2/0/6/3/screen_shot_2012_08_31_at_3_27_59_pm_original.png

http://i.tfcdn.com/img2/3Pb8TZIAHcfRCoMgFADQto_pTa9ulhDEPmXY1dJReVHD7XP2pxu9HDjXy7dpyJXc-FJoAKi18v-ZjQtDU1g-iNYPyyUmxzFukNeQIOzWvTl5etRRdaL1pzjKQbZhhOwjnTzDZhYHlKI9sIBVOOFsTCcn3Qujhb0p12szdfMdhdD8RcsP/fvUG-v8A.B



I would love to hear from those of you who have either one and what your likes and dislikes are.

I'm not the greatest wood worker, so I am leaning towards just having two doors on the front that open. If I need to do anything more substantial, I can just remove the entire top. Not sure about that plan.

Thanks!

 

[billdogg]

I have one on my 150DT that is similar to the one on thereeftank. The mistake I made was, like so many other things I have built over the years, overbuilding. It's ~74" long x 14" tall by ~18" front to back where the hinge is. It's made from 3/4" plywood and weighs about 1000lbs. Well, maybe not that much, but if it ever falls on my arm, I'm sure gonna think so. I use 2x2's to hold it up.

 

[RocketEngineer]

I made mine so that the front of the hood is a pair of removable panels. The sides are mounted to the frame and the top is completely open. While removing an entire panel to feed the fish may sound like a lot, I get much better access than either doors or the hinged panels.

 

[smedlin]

I have a 150g tank, so probably close to the same.

I'm in the process of building my canopy. I finally put it on the tank last night.. it's not done yet though..


I'll have 2 doors on the front that open on hinges, but also have gas struts to keep them open.

This is a picture right after I installed the lights last night. The entire front end opens up on piano hinges.

The design (in the garage) had the lid opening all the way up, and resting on the top (if that makes sense...). But.. while it clears the ceiling, I didn't pay attention to the crown molding you can see in the picture.. yea.. so gas struts will need to go on that also.

I'm not a wood worker either.

Read my thread.. laugh at me.. and learn from me also.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2490690

.

 

[Hitch08]

Thanks for all for the replies. I think I am going to build a canopy that has a couple of doors that open in the front and then the top can lift off. Not exactly sure yet. Last night I just built the skeleton. Will modify and mess around to see what I can pull off.

Smedlin - I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but I've been following your thread and literally laughing out loud while doing so. Please note that I'm laughing with you and not at you. You really provided some great humor. Many thanks!

 

[mmittlesteadt]

I made this for my 40 gallon breeder. It just lifts off. It is made of 1/2" ply on the sides only, but it is braced with small 1/2" ply pieces along the front and top. Then it was covered in 1/8" luan. SUPER lightweight, yet can hold a planter on top without bowing. I think the all-glass cover on the tank itself weighs more than my canopy. Decorative touches are just trim moulding and I made a face to match the doors on the stand (just 1/8" luan with grooves cut into them). Although I could have just as easily made them access doors.

 

[Shaummy]

I have one like the original post where the entire front flips up. I really like it because you can get full access to the top of the tank if needed, and it makes it easier to feed and do maintenance on the tank without taking the canopy off the tank. My canopy is pretty heavy and I wouldn't want to take it down unless absolutely necessary.

 

[nvladik]

I built two in the past, one had a single long piano hinge, the other one had 2 doors split in half with 3 small hinges on each door. Can't express much of a difference... What ever works for you.

 

[CuzzA]

I would make it just like the pic you shared. I've seen them constructed much simpler than that one, but the huge advantage is a simple door for simple work, like feeding, blowing off rocks, etc. while also having a nice open access for mounting frags, moving rocks, retrieving things, etc. It won't take that much more effort or money to have both doors and the large access and the idea of just removing the canopy when you need to do work where reach is important isn't that easy if you have light fixtures and fans mounted in it.

 

[dbl]

All my panels, including the canopy, are removable. It provides total access to the top of the tank. In my case, the top of the canopy is also open. Although I can't get to the tank from the top, it does allow long handled tools to pass through the top of the canopy, if that makes any sense.

As others have stated, it's really a personal preference, but for me, I didn't want to be bumping my head on open doors, or having doors close on me before I was ready for them to close. Go with what you feel comfortable with since you are the only one that has to live with it!

Crappy cell phone picture but here's what I'm talking about.

 

[smedlin]

Smedlin - I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but I've been following your thread and literally laughing out loud while doing so. Please note that I'm laughing with you and not at you. You really provided some great humor. Many thanks!

Trust me, I was laughing at myself..specially when I accidentally nailed the lid shut Sunday.

It was laugh or start crying like a little girl.

Laughing sounded better...but crying probably would have felt better.