Looking for Suggestions on Canopies

[Patrick Cox]

I am working on a new build. It will be 48x24 footprint with external overflow. My current tank is rimless with an open top but I am considering adding a canopy to this build but I have not made up my mind. Either way the aquarium will be euro braced.

My light fixture is an ATI LED Combo fixture. (LED & T5.) It will need to either hang from the ceiling if the canopy is open top (floating) or it will need to hang from the inside of the canopy as it won't mount on legs. I suspect this makes the height requirement of the canopy greater.

My question is - are there any special considerations when going with a canopy?

So, any special heat concerns?

With a canopy should the tank be taller? (thinking aesthetically it might look better but not sure.)

Anything with access? Like are there certain door designs that work best for easy access? (I have seen some different designs.)

Should the canopy sit on the aquarium or maybe mount on the wall?

Thanks for sharing your experiences with canopies!

Pat

 

[d2mini]

With enclosed fixtures, you need proper ventilation/air space around it so you might have to do an open top canopy. It can be floating but basically just be a frame that wraps around the fixture with no top or bottom, partial top or vented top. Having it floating will help heat escape, good for both the fixture and the heat in the tank. Canopies make tank heat more of an issue.

 

[davocean]

So many options.
I do prefer to build as an open top so it breathes well, and both my ATI and my Geisemann fixtures just sat on cleats inside my canopy, so no need to suspend from ceiling.
If you wanted to keep a open rimless look you could wall mount a floating canopy.
There's tons of designs in this thread that may help you.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1688446

 

[thegrun]

I mounted my lights on heavy duty drawer guides so I can push it back for maintenance. I feel an open top is a must for heat issues. I like the look of the lowest possible canopy so I made mine just high enough to cover the lights.
Here are a few photos:
Lights ate supported by strut attached to the back of the cabinet

Lights pushed back

120G tank with canopy

 

[d2mini]

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sweet!

 

[davocean]

^^ Yeah that's one of my favorites, as well as D2mini's

 

[thegrun]

Thanks all for the complements. I should have noted that I set the light at a 15 degree angle and moved it close to the front of the tank. This makes your corals, especially SPS to grow towards the front of the tank and gives you a semi-top down view of the corals. It's a trick shown to me by Greg Carroll from his tank of the month aquarium. I've done this with my past two aquariums and I really like the way the corals grow out and even the fish look better as they get more light on the side facing the front panel of the glass. It looks a little funny to have your light on an angle if you don't have a canopy, but even without a canopy the corals look so much better I would still tilt the lights.

 

[davocean]

^^Hmm, I may just have to see if I can get a wedge on my cleats just to check this out...

 

[rq786]

I mounted my lights on heavy duty drawer guides so I can push it back for maintenance. I feel an open top is a must for heat issues. I like the look of the lowest possible canopy so I made mine just high enough to cover the lights.
Here are a few photos:
Lights ate supported by strut attached to the back of the cabinet

Lights pushed back

120G tank with canopy

Nice wood work

 

[Patrick Cox]

I mounted my lights on heavy duty drawer guides so I can push it back for maintenance. I feel an open top is a must for heat issues. I like the look of the lowest possible canopy so I made mine just high enough to cover the lights.
Here are a few photos:

Very nice setup! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Patrick Cox]

So many options.
I do prefer to build as an open top so it breathes well, and both my ATI and my Geisemann fixtures just sat on cleats inside my canopy, so no need to suspend from ceiling.
If you wanted to keep a open rimless look you could wall mount a floating canopy.
There's tons of designs in this thread that may help you.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1688446

I'll spend some time in that thread. Thanks!

 

[Patrick Cox]

So many options.
I do prefer to build as an open top so it breathes well, and both my ATI and my Geisemann fixtures just sat on cleats inside my canopy, so no need to suspend from ceiling....

Hi,
Do you have any pictures showing how your ATI sits in the canopy?

Thanks

 

[Patrick Cox]

I am now looking at canopies from Coastal Aquarium Design. They are bundled with Planet Aquarium tanks. I have a choice between two opening types. "Front Lift" or ""Roll Top." Which would you choose what are the advantages of your choice? (See picture...)

Also, I plan to have an ATI T5/LED fixture sitting on top of the canopy.

Thanks.

 

[Buzz1329]

So many options.
I do prefer to build as an open top so it breathes well, and both my ATI and my Geisemann fixtures just sat on cleats inside my canopy, so no need to suspend from ceiling.
If you wanted to keep a open rimless look you could wall mount a floating canopy.
There's tons of designs in this thread that may help you.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1688446

Thanks for the info.

What's a cleat?

Mike

 

[davocean]

A cleat is just a strip of wood fastened to the inside perimeter of the canopy that the fixture sits on.
I did just a piece of 1x2 at each end, and I used screws from inside, that way it did not show, and if I did not like height I could adjust it.
I'll look for better pics of what I did, but this gives you an idea.

 

[davocean]

Here's a couple older pics of another canopy I made, shows cleating better.( I was remodeling bathroom at same time so washer and dryer in yard, not a common thing for me!lol)





This particular canopy was on a 5' tank, and a 4' fixture, so it did not go end to end like my present one, so I just ran a 1x front to back for that fixture to sit on, it's a bit sloppier than my present rig, but it worked.



It sat higher up than my present rig, but w/ crown moulding fixture was hidden.