Canopy: Yes or No?

[Miami Reef]

I’m a full canopy guy. I think it makes the house look minimalist. Nothing worse than seeing the light fixture and light spill out of the tank.

 

[Jcar]

Just a screen top. Finally had two clown fish get excited and jump after almost a year with open top.

 

[rtparty]

I have a canopy on my 120 and absolutely hate it. Yes, it helps with light spill a ton but tank maintenance is such a nightmare I avoid some tasks.

I'd never purposely run a tank with a canopy again

 

[Cool Fish]

I also like a closed canopy. It keeps the light from shining in the room and in my eyes. It centers the attention on the tank. Not what's around it.

 

[scubaReef002]

I built one because my toddler would look up at the lights and I figured that can't be good... Then fell in love with how the canopy finished off the look of the tank/cabinet

 

[Buckster]

I didn't have one on my first 180 25 years ago. Now that I'm back into the hobby, I made sure that I built a canopy for my new 180. I don't worry about fish jumping, lights in my eyes or disturbing the living room and it helps control the amount of water condensation. I think it really finishes the whole look of the tank to have matching upper and lower units.

 

[chimbo84]

Nice stand & canopy! What's the height of the canopy?

Thanks! It’s a “new to me” tank. It’s a planet aquariums stand and canopy. It’s an 8” canopy that sits 6” above the top of the tank. They do make a 12” canopy though.

 

[Reefvision]

Had a open top and now have canopy on my 210. SOO much better- no more glare and top is hinged on front half. Only issue is heat generated from lights . I am adding fan kits for this soon:)

 

[Doctorgori]

floating, but I’ve gotta tear this down for a bsmt remodel

 

[dado150]

Btw, my ceiling is such that if I don't go with a canopy, I'll be using a light mount of some kind with legs that rest on the tank. Hanging the lights from the ceiling would be a pain because of the slope.

You could use a turnbuckle to adjust the angle

 

[McPuff]

I had an open "canopy" for a few years and the light spill got really annoying. Once I closed in the canopy it was such a great change. The top is still open so there is some light spill above but nothing like it was previously. I have had closed canopies in the past and never had a problem with them either. In this version, I made a removable shell and doors. This way, I can access small areas for feeding or fragging, etc. But I can also take the whole thing off (easily) for bigger or harder to reach tasks.

 

[SHINYSuccubus]

KISS

THIS - please don’t hate me, but i prefer an open look to a canopy any day, they look so closed up to me. jmo

 

[SHINYSuccubus]

Floating.

It’s hinges along the back so that it can flip up for tank maintenance and so that the cords can be passed down in the wall.

This is what I aspire to when I can afford it. $$$ lol

 

[Smoke-Town]

Floating canopies make for a really clean modern aesthetic.. they also can reduce light spill if they hang a few inches lower then the lights if you have seating nearby and allow more access for maintenance. Tank is open now, but will make a floating canopy eventually

 

[flyfisher2]

I’ve had canopies. I just find it so much easier to work on tank without one.
Light spillage doesn’t bother us.
No doors to reach through or take off.
No excess condensation.
Everything is exposed and easily maintained.

 

[CoralFan1776]

I had an open "canopy" for a few years and the light spill got really annoying. Once I closed in the canopy it was such a great change. The top is still open so there is some light spill above but nothing like it was previously. I have had closed canopies in the past and never had a problem with them either. In this version, I made a removable shell and doors. This way, I can access small areas for feeding or fragging, etc. But I can also take the whole thing off (easily) for bigger or harder to reach tasks.

An open top canopy with removable front at least of not all sides removable is the option I like.
The open top stops or at least seriously reduces the condensation/mold issues and heat and oxygen exchange issues while preserving the majority of the desirable things. On mine the open top does allow for light "spill" back up on the ceiling from the reflection off the surface of the water but it's all indirect and not objectionable.

I do have a screen on top although at this point I think I could just remove it. Back when I had a couple fairy wrasses it was required as they would still jump that high.

Not a great picture from when I first set it up but you can get the idea.
It's a peninsula type tank. Hard to tell from the picture because you can't quite see the right end of the tank.

 

[Freenow54]

I have glass canopies on mine. However I am concerned about the refracting of my lights. Maybe for nothing. I will know for sure when I finally get around to using my apogee meter. The one concern of mine is that my 2 clowns stay up near the top on one side, and wont move down. The female was bad for chasing the male until it would jump into my overflow. I keep that side on to prevent finding it on the floor one morning. I would prefer not to for the lights, but then the evaporation is worse

 

[redfishbluefish]

My tanks will always have obnoxiously tall canopies on them. Does a couple things:

1. Keep fish from carpet surfing
2. Stops light spillage
3. A place to mount the lights (and the reason my canopies are tall because recommended LED height is 13=14 inches)

Here's my current five foot 90:

And the one people made fun off....looking like Abe Lincoln's top hat....on a JBJ 28

And a little 10 gallon that is planned for coral holding only, so the canopy doesn't go all the way down to the tank:

 

[fishybizzness]

Mine is more of a trim box. It is easily removable and is sealed with 5 coats of poly sealer. My screen top sits on top. I remove both of them during my water changes and hose them down and dry them in the sun. The trim is made to sit on the edge of the aquarium and it hides the water line and prevents any light spill. I would never have a fully enclosed top as I live in the Caribbean and it would overheat in summer.

 

[Key Largo]

I have a rolling canopy with all the electronics in it. Virtually no wires below tank. Just manually roll back for daily access. I also have a sun lift device to lift canopy for more involved access.