DIY - Canopy

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Canopy

Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: DIY
Forum Description: Do it Yourself
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=342
Printed Date: August 16 2025 at 9:14pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.03 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Canopy

Posted By: ewaldsreef
Subject: Canopy
Date Posted: March 26 2003 at 9:25pm

I am going to build a canopy for 125 gallon. I have never built one and I want it to turn out good. Anyone on the forum who has any tips ideas or who wants to help let me know. Thanks

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Contact me for professional aquarium maintenance and localy grown coral frags. [URL=http://www.aquatitranquility.com][/URL]

Replies:

Posted By: Jeff Hite
Date Posted: March 26 2003 at 9:37pm

Hahaha, yeah I have a 125, and built a pretty decent hood, but there are tons of things that I would do diffrent, and will probably be building a new on in the near future. What lights do you plan on running in the hood? What type of ballasts are you using? I will find some good sites with nice hodd designs and post them here.

Jeff

Posted By: ewaldsreef
Date Posted: March 27 2003 at 5:40am

I have 2 175 watt MH and 2 Vho's. I was going to put the ballasts under the tank ( not were they would get wet). I have some nice equipment if you need to use it for your project. I have table saw and radail arm saw.

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Contact me for professional aquarium maintenance and localy grown coral frags. [URL=http://www.aquatitranquility.com][/URL]

Posted By: SSpargur
Date Posted: March 27 2003 at 8:06am

Does anyone have any equipment to cut tongue and groove joints?

Posted By: Jeff Hite
Date Posted: March 27 2003 at 7:09pm

Where are you located pistonfister?

Posted By: ewaldsreef
Date Posted: March 28 2003 at 6:14am

I live out in West Valley

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Contact me for professional aquarium maintenance and localy grown coral frags. [URL=http://www.aquatitranquility.com][/URL]

Posted By: Suzy
Date Posted: March 28 2003 at 7:17am

I've got a router!! I used it for fancy-pansy edges on our canopy,and you can use it for the tongue and groove joints if you would rather not miter the joints.......If you make the canopy tall enough, Adam can make you a cool dump bucket! Your tank will be just like the ocean at high tide! Suzy

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http://www.suzysreef.com - SuzysReef.com

http://z4.invisionfree.com/UtahBreeder/index.php?showtopic=11&st=0&#last - Using Macroalgae for Aquascaping

Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: March 28 2003 at 2:08pm

Here's a great tip and the only local place that has it.

Mirrored aluminum for reflectors in 4x8 sheets, or cut to any size needed, is available from Advanced Lighting at 2160 W. 1700 S., 972-9530. Ask for Bruno. He charges about $1.50/square foot.

It's easy to cut to size with tin-snips. Since the reflector is not seen, cuts and bends do not need to look perfect. Bending it is easy with a board to keep it straight or a pipe to give it a curve. The edges are sharp so wear gloves and then soften the edges with a file drawn sideways!

Darren at Commercial Lighting is a friend of mine and is usually willing to help with matching ballast to lamp, but I don't know if he has heard of using standard fluorescent tubes in electronic VHO ballasts. Great bit of info there uhmmm.. whoever it was that shared that link in the other topic/thread.

Posted By: ewaldsreef
Date Posted: March 29 2003 at 9:11am

Thanks Mark that should save some seroius money. However is the mirrored alumium as good as a reflector you would buy from say hello lights?

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Contact me for professional aquarium maintenance and localy grown coral frags. [URL=http://www.aquatitranquility.com][/URL]

Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: March 29 2003 at 10:28am

What is "hello lights"?

Mirrored aluminum is the material used for all the non-white metal reflectors you have ever seen in an aquarium hood. This is the same stuff! Aluminum experiences less corrosion and is less toxic than steel when condensation drips off it into the aquarium. Now you know.

Posted By: Jared B
Date Posted: March 29 2003 at 11:26am

Hello lights is an online retail store. They have some of the best equipment and prices around. And yes, the mirrored aluminum that Mark is talking about is just as good as the reflectors there, the only thing as was posted previous, is that you will have to bend it your self to get that parabolic or curved look (or whatever else you want). Not too bad of a DIY project, and you will save a lot of money.

Posted By: ewaldsreef
Date Posted: March 29 2003 at 11:49am

I will go check it out sounds like a smoken deal. The canopy is going to be DIY so why not the reflector.

If anyone has any diy canopy pics they would like to show me please email them to me. mailto:pisto[email protected]">pisto[email protected]

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Contact me for professional aquarium maintenance and localy grown coral frags. [URL=http://www.aquatitranquility.com][/URL]

Posted By: GonZo
Date Posted: March 30 2003 at 7:43am

I was wondering if anyone has a DIY canopy for a corner tank. How would you work the front curve? Any suggestions or pictures would help.

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Cortney (West Jordan)
The joy of discovery is certainly the liveliest that the mind of man can ever feel. - Claude Bernard

Posted By: Jeff Hite
Date Posted: March 30 2003 at 12:10pm

Pistonfister,

This is the canopy that I want to build for my 125.

http://www.cnidarianreef.com">http://www.cnidarianreef.com

Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: March 30 2003 at 12:25pm

Courtney,

How about cutting a piece to lay horizontal up to the curve while the straight wood of the canopy extends between each corner. A little door could be cut in this piece for feeding and quick access. Or the entire convex piece could be plastic hinged at the main canopy... If heat became a problem this opening would serve well for air circulation.

My 2 cents

Posted By: ewaldsreef
Date Posted: April 01 2003 at 7:55pm

Jeff Hite, Thanks for the link. That canopy looks really good. I dont know if I will be able to make mine look that good but it give me some good ideas.

I noticed on the lights on his canopy each one had a seperate reflector. would it cause any problems to just use the mirrored aluminum across the whole top of the canopy?

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Contact me for professional aquarium maintenance and localy grown coral frags. [URL=http://www.aquatitranquility.com][/URL]

Posted By: Jeff Hite
Date Posted: April 01 2003 at 8:44pm

I dont see a problem with the "solid" piece across the top. I would prefer seperate reflectors, but I dont think they are necessary. Price the solid piece and then the seperate ones. I have seen seperates for pretty cheap.

Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: April 02 2003 at 3:40pm

I don't recommend flat across the top because light is lost to the side. If you have several tubes close together, a wide piece with curved edges works very well. The mirrored aluminum is easy to work with. Cut and bend to any shape. You can't beat the price. The shape of the reflector is unimportant. In fact many reflectors are made bumpy to avoid focus points, but when shimmer effect is wanted, focus points can create shimmer with a PC! If anyone is curious what this mirrored aluminum looks like, let me know and I will bring it to the meeting.

Posted By: Kevin
Date Posted: April 08 2003 at 8:24am

I am looking to build a canopy this summer and was hoping to see more pictures and links to canopies so that I can get some good ideas on canopies. So if anyone has seen some real good canopies or has one, please let me know about it. I want to get a lot of ideas before I start. Thanks.

Posted By: ewaldsreef
Date Posted: April 08 2003 at 7:25pm

Kevin I will post when I get done with mine. I am going to try and make a very simple design that still looks decent.

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Contact me for professional aquarium maintenance and localy grown coral frags. [URL=http://www.aquatitranquility.com][/URL]

Posted By: John Fletcher
Date Posted: April 09 2003 at 9:57am

GonZo (Cortney)

I have a 54 gal. corner tank. I got the canopy from "The Aquarium" in Sandy. The front is a very thin material so it can bend. My tank is May's Tank of the Month. I will have a picture of the canopy. You are more than welcome to stop by and see it.

John Fletcher "ReefAquarist"

Posted By: peiji
Date Posted: April 09 2003 at 1:37pm

I built a canopy for my 46g bowfront tank in November. I'll send detailed pics sometime. I think it is a little unique because of all the HOB equipment I have. Or, is there a way to post pics here?

Posted By: peiji
Date Posted: April 09 2003 at 1:39pm

I referenced this link when I was building mine. I did mine differently though.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=4457039cf914f6cc6b14727fc3bf5666&threadid=79303&perpage=25&highlight=46%20icecap&pagenumber=3