Design a lightweight canopy?

[Smarkow]

Looking to custom a lightweight canopy for this tank. Need to get on a step stool to get into it, which is NBD, so any canopy design that can raise up is best.

Suggestions on lightweight material? Balsa wood that is sealed? Lightweight aluminum frame with plastic panels? Lift the whole thing on a ceiling mounted pulley system?

Or forget moving parts and build a magnetic facade?

Alternatively would you just build in a canopy?

Thanks

 

[burnetb1]

I am currently building a lightweight canopy for my tank that will raise and lower. I am making a hybrid T5 LED fixture that can raised and lowered via a small winch controlled by my reef angel controller. Initially it will be hand operated using pulleys and thin steel cable, I will add the fancy (and unnecessary) winch later.

The body of the canopy is constructed from rigid cardboard like plastic I had laying around. I believe it is called polycarbonate twinwall. I will use thin strips along the inside corners to create a chamfer on the inside and reinforce the sides. Then skin the inside with reflective mylar and skin the outside in laminate wood flooring to match the stands facade. The florescent light ballast will be attached to a aluminium sheet that will be mounted into the top of the plastic canopy and also house 2x 120mm fans for cooling.

I have just begun building this and will be posting a build thread in the DIY section once I complete it. May take a little while, I don't have the most free time, but I will try and get some pics up soon to illustrate what I'm talking about.

 

[BeejReef]

Following.

I built my canopy out of wood, but then used (I think the same corrugated plastic you're talking about) to put flaps on the hanging canopy to enclose the tank and prevent jumpers. By the time I was done, I realized I should have just built the entire canopy out of that plastic. It's really easy to work with. If you look up Simple Plastic Airplane Design (SPAD) there are all sorts of tips on how to work with the stuff. It's very easy to make corners or hinges by just cutting away the plastic on one side of one of the flutes.

One thing I've found is, if you hope to use superglue on the stuff, don't paint it first! The paint and glue just melt off.

 

[Smarkow]

I am currently building a lightweight canopy for my tank that will raise and lower. I am making a hybrid T5 LED fixture that can raised and lowered via a small winch controlled by my reef angel controller. Initially it will be hand operated using pulleys and thin steel cable, I will add the fancy (and unnecessary) winch later.

The body of the canopy is constructed from rigid cardboard like plastic I had laying around. I believe it is called polycarbonate twinwall. I will use thin strips along the inside corners to create a chamfer on the inside and reinforce the sides. Then skin the inside with reflective mylar and skin the outside in laminate wood flooring to match the stands facade. The florescent light ballast will be attached to a aluminium sheet that will be mounted into the top of the plastic canopy and also house 2x 120mm fans for cooling.

I have just begun building this and will be posting a build thread in the DIY section once I complete it. May take a little while, I don't have the most free time, but I will try and get some pics up soon to illustrate what I'm talking about.

Awesome thanks I think this is what I was looking for, but will probably latex paint it to match the wall?
Appreciated

Following.

I built my canopy out of wood, but then used (I think the same corrugated plastic you're talking about) to put flaps on the hanging canopy to enclose the tank and prevent jumpers. By the time I was done, I realized I should have just built the entire canopy out of that plastic. It's really easy to work with. If you look up Simple Plastic Airplane Design (SPAD) there are all sorts of tips on how to work with the stuff. It's very easy to make corners or hinges by just cutting away the plastic on one side of one of the flutes.

One thing I've found is, if you hope to use superglue on the stuff, don't paint it first! The paint and glue just melt off.

Thanks for the resource. So you would recommend either gluing first or just using maybe staples or another permanent attachment before painting?

 

[redfishbluefish]

When I went to build my canopy, the so-called lightweight DIY canopies were made of 2x2's. The issue I had with those is that the five foot span of the front, where the door was, the 2x2 could still sag. So what I did to lighten it up even more, and add more strength, was to rip inexpensive fir strips and then glue and screw together to make an L-bracket:

These were used as the top long supports of the canopy. The canopy was skinned with 1/4 plywood. Here it is upside down without the door, while getting painted.

Finished, with the door open:

Finished, door closed:

One more thing, to save on weight, the top is totally open.

 

[TheLost]

I'm actually in the process of building a canopy for my tank now. I'm going to post the process on my build thread... but here is a quick rundown of my 'lightweight' canopy.

Here is a picture of my tank (my 3rd XR15 is still in my old tank i'm currently shutting down)

My canopy is going to be 46" long x 15" deep x ~12" high and go around my RMS bracket.

In a quick nutshell... It will be made up of 3/4 foam insulation sheets (sold as 4'x8' sheets at home depot/lowes) covered in paperbacked wood veneer.

You basically cut out the foam to make the 4 sides, cover each piece in veneer (front/back/top/bottom) then glue each of the 4 sides to make the canopy. You can then stain and finish just like you would any wood.

Here is a video that shows the process but the guy is just making a small box..


I hope to have my 'lightweight canopy' build posted in my build thread in the next few weeks.

 

[BeejReef]

https://www.google.com/shopping/pro...VDkwNCh316QxEEAYYASABEgIz1_D_BwE,gclsrc:aw.ds

is this what you're planning to use?

If yes, then, yeah, you have to glue it before painting. Perhaps a hot glue gun would work on painted panels, but it superglues so well when scuffed up. If you haven't bought it yet, it can be ordered online in a variety of colors.

It looks like you're going to do right what I kind of did half-butt on my first attempt.
I have a very short build thread. You'll quickly find my horrible diy canopy. I mention it only because I think a pulley system might be more complex and finicky that you'll care for in the long run.

My "want" was for easy access to the tank for major maintenance without having to move (or remove) the canopy. I fig, if the canopy can just go up higher, it's out of the way AND I still have light.

I thought of a pulley as well, but ended up being afraid of a pulley failing, or of thin steel wire running through my fat fingers.. as the electrified lights and canopy crash down into my tank. Perhaps a swing arm or some hooks would work for your concept as well.

 

[Smarkow]

When I went to build my canopy, the so-called lightweight DIY canopies were made of 2x2's. The issue I had with those is that the five foot span of the front, where the door was, the 2x2 could still sag. So what I did to lighten it up even more, and add more strength, was to rip inexpensive fir strips and then glue and screw together to make an L-bracket:

These were used as the top long supports of the canopy. The canopy was skinned with 1/4 plywood. Here it is upside down without the door, while getting painted.

Finished, with the door open:

Finished, door closed:

One more thing, to save on weight, the top is totally open.

Love it, this was sort of my original thought. What kind of weight are we talking here, roughly? 25lb? 50? 100?

 

[TheLost]

https://www.google.com/shopping/pro...VDkwNCh316QxEEAYYASABEgIz1_D_BwE,gclsrc:aw.ds

is this what you're planning to use?

This is what i'm using. (4'x8' foam insulation sheets)

You just have to peel the plastic cover off to expose the foam. You then use 3m spray contact cement to attach the veneer. You can get paper backed veneer in 2' x 8' sheets for ~$40.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0717491LZ?pf_rd_p=2edffb5d-036e-4cd0-bc77-99980e2d4856
https://www.amazon.com/Cherry-Veneer-Plain-Sliced-Sheet/dp/B009KN8INE/ref=sr_1_1?crid=13UEAJD0UJ8RA

 

[BeejReef]

This is what i'm using. (4'x8' foam insulation sheets)

You just have to peel the plastic cover off to expose the foam. You then use 3m spray contact cement to attach the veneer. You can get paper backed veneer in 2' x 8' sheets for ~$40.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0717491LZ?pf_rd_p=2edffb5d-036e-4cd0-bc77-99980e2d4856
https://www.amazon.com/Cherry-Veneer-Plain-Sliced-Sheet/dp/B009KN8INE/ref=sr_1_1?crid=13UEAJD0UJ8RA

wow.. that's a hell of an idea! I'll save that in the memory banks for next time! No idea if it glues or paints then. I was thinking about the other "election sign" style plastic.
Looking forward to seeing what you come up with!

 

[TheLost]

wow.. that's a hell of an idea! I'll save that in the memory banks for next time! No idea if it glues or paints then. I was thinking about the other "election sign" style plastic.
Looking forward to seeing what you come up with!

watch the youtube video I posted above... once you get the veneer on the foam it sands and stains like real wood (it is real wood.. it's just only 10 mil thick ).

 

[redfishbluefish]

Love it, this was sort of my original thought. What kind of weight are we talking here, roughly? 25lb? 50? 100?

I can tell you exactly what the canopy weighs.....25.2 pounds. That is approximately 5 ft long by 19 inches deep and 16 1/2 inches high.

Now that doesn't include the three CBB lights that also sit on top of the canopy. That additional weight is a guess, and I'd guess about another 20 pounds.

 

[Smarkow]

I can tell you exactly what the canopy weighs.....25.2 pounds. That is approximately 5 ft long by 19 inches deep and 16 1/2 inches high.

Spoken (typed?) like a true reef carpenter

 

[mspad]

25.2 pounds, that's perfect weight, easy to manage.

 

[Super Fly]

I'm actually in the process of building a canopy for my tank now. I'm going to post the process on my build thread... but here is a quick rundown of my 'lightweight' canopy.

Here is a picture of my tank (my 3rd XR15 is still in my old tank i'm currently shutting down)

My canopy is going to be 46" long x 15" deep x ~12" high and go around my RMS bracket.

In a quick nutshell... It will be made up of 3/4 foam insulation sheets (sold as 4'x8' sheets at home depot/lowes) covered in paperbacked wood veneer.

You basically cut out the foam to make the 4 sides, cover each piece in veneer (front/back/top/bottom) then glue each of the 4 sides to make the canopy. You can then stain and finish just like you would any wood.

Here is a video that shows the process but the guy is just making a small box..


I hope to have my 'lightweight canopy' build posted in my build thread in the next few weeks.

Wow this is exactly what I've been searching for quite some time, THANKS!!!