Ideas for a Bowfront Hood with a Hanging Pendant?

[mokujin22]

hey all,

i currently have a small 26 gallon bowfront with a 250W MH pendant hanging over it. i've ordered two 75 W 24" actinic VHO tubes for some additional lighting and color to go over the tank. they do not have an external reflector (internal URI bulbs).

i figure that i'll probably have to construct a hood to keep my whole living room from lighting up (and to keep the tank somewhat tidy). anyway, was thinking initially of building a three sided hood that could be lifted off from the front (when i only had the pendant). now that i will also have the tubes, this would be more difficult.

my best idea is to mount the tubes lower in the hood than the height of the pendant. this way, the whole hood could be slid forward off the tank (tubes passing under the pendant). i think that having a tube up front on such a small tank would prevent any type of door.

as with most of you, my hands are in the tank on a daily basis, so i would be looking for the most non-painful solution possible. (if there is one...)

here's a pic:

thanks a bunch,
tony.

 

[prugs]

I would mount both the MH & the PC in the hood. You could make 2 curved doors that open sideways.

 

[SFlogic]

where'd you get those shades for your aquamedic pendent?

 

[mokujin22]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6642807#post6642807 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by prugs
I would mount both the MH & the PC in the hood. You could make 2 curved doors that open sideways.

i was thinking about trying that, but not sure about attaching the pendant to the canopy. i wish that i would have planned better and gotten a retro kit from the start... would have been cheaper. at the time, i thought that 250W would have been enough....

i'm gonna start drawing up some plans. i like the idea of the curved doors up front.

[EDIT: holy crap...you have some really nice canopies on some really nice tanks in your gallery. i'm very impressed. i see that you have mounted pendants inside your 210 gal tank canopy. i think that i'll try something like that setup, with as you say, doors up front. i think that the key is to make the canopy tall enough to be able to access the tank without worrying about burning your arms on the lights. what is your clearance over the top of water?]

thanks,
tony

 

[mokujin22]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6643397#post6643397 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SFlogic
where'd you get those shades for your aquamedic pendent?

came in the box. actually work pretty well in not blinding you when you are standing directly in front of the tank. do you have one? if they're missing, try calling up your supplier and asking about them. if not, try Aquamedic.... i hear they're one of the best when it comes to customer service.

 

[prugs]

I believe I put my pendants 6" above the rim of the tank, so 7" approx to the water. Unless you have Hulk Hogan arms, that should suffice.

 

[mokujin22]

no hulkster arms here... brotha!

what size plywood and framing did you use? is there a thread following construction of any of these hoods?

any chance you would build one for me?

tony.