Show your Canopy for a 90-125 48"

[jelwyoming]

I am setting up a 115 tall right now. I have bought a 2x400w MH retro kit with 2x54 T5 atinics. I am looking for ideas on making the canopy for it. I have a 60g sitting on the stand that I made for it, so I am somewhat set to match the paneling. But I want to see ideas for mounting the lights, fans and storage. Does any one have some plans or pictures out there?

 

[comatose]

i have one i made in detail with lots of pics on my website there is also a thread that i put on here also.(link below)
i made it for a 180 gal, but the principal is the same.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=757443

 

[jelwyoming]

Thanks, Comatose, that is a real nice canopy. I am thinking of doing it quite a bit the same. Do you have anything that you would do differently now that you've had it a while?

 

[comatose]

actually, NO

It is working perfectly for me so far. i was worried about the heat of the summer months, but i have central air, if i didn't i'm sure i would need maybe two more fans.

 

[King-Kong]

I just purchased a pre-made (and cheap) canopy from Big Als online for like $100 shipped, then modified to house my VHOs (inside), MH lamp (sitting ontop of canopy for cooling), and then slapped on two radioshack fans.

Images here:

http://www.d3f.org/misc/fish/90g/17-canopy.jpg
http://www.d3f.org/misc/fish/90g/17-canopy2.jpg
http://www.d3f.org/misc/fish/90g/18-canopy-complete.jpg
http://www.d3f.org/misc/fish/90g/18b-canopy-complete.jpg

 

[jelwyoming]

Not a bad way to go!

 

[DarkFORCE]

Here are some pictures of mine:

 

[pheel]

I did mine using oak plywood. A little bit heavy, but I rarelly open it.

 

[jelwyoming]

Nice job, Pheel!
How do you have that atinic supported forward of the MH's?

 

[comatose]

DarkFORCE and pheel nice work, looks awsome.

 

[jelwyoming]

Darkforce, is your top hinged besides having the two front doors? Where do you mount your ballasts? What kind of hinges are you using? How much room did you allow for swell in the wood when you made it?

 

[Phyxius]

Heres mine I built for my 90. It houses 2-250MHs and 2 Actinic VHOs for supplement. It also has fans in each end.
Building and pre finish stage:

Finished:

I went a little different for staorage and built this to sit beside the tank It houses my chiller, ballasts, top off and as soon as its arrives my Geo Calcium Reactor

 

[jelwyoming]

Very nice Mike. What did you coat the inside with, just white enamel paint? Looks great!

 

[Phyxius]

It was primed and then coated with 3 coats of Marine Enamel. It wont last forever but gives me a little more edge against the salt spray/vapor damage that occurs over time

 

[jelwyoming]

It looked like it was more than a standard paint job...nice!

 

[dkh0331]

I went a different route - My canopy & stand is all one -

David

 

[pmike25]

Heres one of mine on progress for my 180

Also Im doing one for a 58 gallon

Links are below pic.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=873839

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=824560&perpage=25&pagenumber=9

 

[pheel]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7632844#post7632844 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jelwyoming
Nice job, Pheel!
How do you have that atinic supported forward of the MH's?

thanks,

that was an old pic, I modified the VHO installation. The way it is installed now gives me more flexibility when I have to get my hands in the tank. I used a coralife reflector.

The angle of the shot doesn't show it clearly, but the VHO relfector doesn't interfere with the MH ones.

 

[pheel]

pmike25, very nice !!!

 

[jelwyoming]

Wow, some great ideas. How far do you guys have your bulbs off the water? Any shields to keep splash off or just adequate distance? I know you don't need it with SE bulbs.