New Tank!!!! New problems...

[Modemagic]

Hey all, been awhile sinec I've had a reason to post but I ran into a problem that I would like some input on. Over the past weekend I aquired a 55 gallon Reef setup, complete with LR, some corals, livestock, everything down to the jar of flake food. Good price, VERY good price.

The move took place Saturday, and all seems to be doing well. The The stand that the tank rides on, is an Oceanic stand with a matching canopy. My question is with the lighting. The lighting is a 48" setup with 4 x 65 Watt Power Compact lights. The canopy doesn't fit on the tank with the light on it. I'm wondering if I can sand out the inside of the canopy to accomodate the switches and holes for cooling fans. Does anyone else have experience and or this problem with a similar Oceanic setup? The previous owner simply took the canopy and put it in the basement and forgot about it, but I really would like to have it on the tank for display purposes.

Also, I'll take pictures of the new setup and post shortly. I'm sure I'll need a course in fragging corals as the corals I now have are pretty rediculious in size. (The Carpet anenome is as big around as a dinner plate, and a few of the corals are 10" or so across.

 

[musty baby]

If the dimensions allow, just use a router to make enough room for the light within and a holesaw should make quick work for ventilation. I wouldn't foresee any problems, so long as you're not taking the wood of the canopy down too thin in the spots you're working with.

 

[Modemagic]

It doesn't look like it needs to come down far, just enough to clear the switches. The sides of the canopy are 3/4" or so. My concern was heat buildup inside the fixture and canopy. The canopy has two smoked glass tops that go on it as well. I'm wondering how much problem I'll have accessing the tank with the canopy on it for feedings, etc.

 

[Atticus]

Pictures would really help as I don't know many that have seen let alone used an oceanic canopy.

 

[jmadison]

Pics would def. help. But if you are working with 3/4 in wood you should have some liberty to do some trimming from the inside of the canopy.

 

[Modemagic]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13132056#post13132056 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jmadison
Pics would def. help. But if you are working with 3/4 in wood you should have some liberty to do some trimming from the inside of the canopy.

That was kind of my thought but I don't wand to cut all the way down so that from the bottomside of the canopy it still looks as though it is not modified.

 

[bgreenlee]

I did what you are talking about to a 29 gallon tank. I used a router to cut around the switches and to allow air into the intake end of the light. On the outlet side I used a hole saw and then put a small metal guard on it to make it look a little more finished.

Make sure to allow for ventilation. If not you could have bulbs overheat and not last, or worse yet start a fire.

 

[Modemagic]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13135087#post13135087 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bgreenlee
I did what you are talking about to a 29 gallon tank. I used a router to cut around the switches and to allow air into the intake end of the light. On the outlet side I used a hole saw and then put a small metal guard on it to make it look a little more finished.

Make sure to allow for ventilation. If not you could have bulbs overheat and not last, or worse yet start a fire.

Exactly! I can do without a fire right now, that's for sure. I guess thing thing to do is figure out where to position my light before I start cutting up the canopy for it. How do you determine where the light should be? The majority of my corals are high basically against the back wall. so more towards the back?