Canopy Ideas

AllSignsPointToFish · Oct 15, 2015

So, I'm nearing the completion of the stand build. Now, it's time to turn my attention to the canopy. The wife has already said she doesn't like the open look, so I'm looking for ideas on how to build the canopy. I plan to install Kessil lights, so I was wondering if any of you out there have Kessils installed in a canopy. How does that work?

How do you clean the class and areas inside the tank?

I've been thinking about mounting the Kessils on a rail of some sort using the threaded back mounting adapter. However, I still need to provide ventilation while allowing access to the tank for maintenance.

Any ideas are welcome :)

bobman · Oct 17, 2015

For ventilation install fans and leave the back open. As for mounting the lights. I have taken my lights apart and screwed them to the top of the canopy. However if you dont want to take the light apart I have seen many local reefers cut holes in the top of the canopy and set the lights over the hole.

What size tank are you making the canopy for. I just picked up a 92 corner tank that I am going to be making a canopy for in the upcoming weeks and installing my led fixture into/on top (not sure which way I am going on this one yet) of it.

AllSignsPointToFish · Oct 17, 2015

The tank is a 125 gallon dual overflow. The dimensions are roughly six feet long by one and a half feet deep.

bobman · Oct 17, 2015

Thats quite a bit of surface area. I would recommend cutting a hole on top of the canopy so the fixture will sit in snugly and then attach some 1x inside the canopy for the lights to rest on. Reason is salt creep is death to led fixtures and by keeping it actually outside of the canopy ventilation and salt creep will basically not be an issue

FishAddict87 · Oct 20, 2015

Have you considered a different way of hanging out lights other than from the ceiling? I put up a shelf above my tank and I hang my lights off of that using a round hook with a bolt on the other end of the shelf. I am going to build a light weight removable "Floating" canopy.

AllSignsPointToFish · Oct 20, 2015

I've been trying to think of alternative ideas for this. The problem is that I still need some sort of "canopy" to cover the top of the tank to please the wife. If it were solely up to me, I'd just fork out the money for the Kessil goosenecks and be done with it.

I do appreciate the suggestion, though. It's certainly something to consider.