Is it ok to rest a partial canopy on a rimless tank?

[SaltwaterScoop]

I am thinking about building a 3 sided canopy to rest on the front and side panels of my tank. The entire canopy will weight about 11.2 lbs and I plan to have a front panel and 2 side panels with the back exposed. Will this be too much stress on the front/side panels? Thanks!

The sides will have panels but to give you an idea of the glass thickness/seams etc

This is a waterbox 180.5 where the front panel "floats". See below:

 

[Idech]

I am no expert but it sounds like a very bad idea to me. Let’s wait for others.

 

[cilyjr]

Why not use very light plywood and suspend it from the the lighting bracket.
I did this at one point with an old tank.

 

[SaltwaterScoop]

I am no expert but it sounds like a very bad idea to me. Let’s wait for others.

Yeah, I definitely wasn't sure! I know some people mount a few xr30s on their back panels and that definitely weighs more but idk if that's advised either.

 

[jabberwock]

I would give it some room for ventilation. You might be making a sauna.

 

[SaltwaterScoop]

Why not use very light plywood and suspend it from the the lighting bracket.
I did this at one point with an old tank.

I think the common board I got probably weighs similarly to plywood. I'd just need to get another piece for the back. I wonder how much weight the hanging RMS mount can hold? I have a common board screwed into a stud with 4 screws and then the RMS hanging kit screwed into the common board.

 

[SaltwaterScoop]

I would give it some room for ventilation. You might be making a sauna.

That's part of the reason I wanted to leave the back open. There's about 5 inches of space behind the tank.

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

I am no expert but it sounds like a very bad idea to me. Let’s wait for others.

If an aquarium can’t handle 20lbs of plywood distributed over its entire area, I probably wouldn’t be putting water in it

 

[SaltwaterScoop]

If an aquarium can’t handle 20lbs of plywood distributed over its entire area, I probably wouldn’t be putting water in it

I am guessing it would be about 11 lbs distributed across the front, left, and right glass panels. The front piece weights 5.6 lbs. My 3x XR15s with mounts weighs more than double that, and I had them mounted on the panels before but for some reason this seems different so I wanted to get some opinions before throwing it up there.

I also liked this idea because I can easily take it down/put up.

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I could also push it back off the front panel and rest it only on the side panels.

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

I am guessing it would be about 11 lbs distributed across the front, left, and right glass panels. The front piece weights 5.6 lbs. My 3x XR15s with mounts weighs more than double that, and I had them mounted on the panels before but for some reason this seems different so I wanted to get some opinions before throwing it up there.

I also liked this idea because I can easily take it down/put up.

I mean, I often lay on top of tanks when I’m working on them, and I weigh slightly more than 11lbs

 

[mboley]

I run a 5" wood rim on top of my tank and it's completely open. Really helps contain the light spill over. I put some rubber padding where the wood meets the tank rim.

 

[SaltwaterScoop]

I run a 5" wood rim on top of my tank and it's completely open. Really helps contain the light spill over. I put some rubber padding where the wood meets the tank rim.

Do you have the rim support on all sides? Mine would be resting on my toplids acrylic lid.

I mean, I often lay on top of tanks when I’m working on them, and I weigh slightly more than 11lbs

 

[cilyjr]

I think the common board I got probably weighs similarly to plywood. I'd just need to get another piece for the back. I wonder how much weight the hanging RMS mount can hold? I have a common board screwed into a stud with 4 screws and then the RMS hanging kit screwed into the common board.

What I did was 3/16 cut in strips then the corners were L moulding holding it all together.

It weighs considerably less than a piece of common board.

 

[mboley]

Do you have the rim support on all sides? Mine would be resting on my toplids acrylic lid.

Yes, all sides. I run an open top, which is the norm.

 

[SaltwaterScoop]

I considered doing a 4 sided canopy and attaching to my RMS hanging kit, but my auto-feeder would block the back panel and cause uneven weight distribution if I cut a hole out. I looked into plywood instead of common board and it looks like I could save ~4 lbs, but I don't have a good way to cut plywood sheets or join them.

Glass thickness is 15mm

I weighed each wood piece:

Front = 5.6 lbs
Left = 2.7 lbs
Right = 2.7 lbs
---------------------
Total = 11 lbs

The 3x XR15s + RMS mounts I have weigh 15.5 lbs and were on a single panel so I'm leaning towards this will be ok since it'll be distributed across 3 panels...any objections? I could try to mount it where the front piece is elevated so the weight is distributed just on the side panels.

 

[cilyjr]

I considered doing a 4 sided canopy and attaching to my RMS hanging kit, but my auto-feeder would block the back panel and cause uneven weight distribution if I cut a hole out. I looked into plywood instead of common board and it looks like I could save ~4 lbs, but I don't have a good way to cut plywood sheets or join them.

Glass thickness is 15mm

I weighed each wood piece:

Front = 5.6 lbs
Left = 2.7 lbs
Right = 2.7 lbs
---------------------
Total = 11 lbs

The 3x XR15s + RMS mounts I have weigh 15.5 lbs and were on a single panel so I'm leaning towards this will be ok since it'll be distributed across 3 panels...any objections? I could try to mount it where the front piece is elevated so the weight is distributed just on the side panels.

Here's my opinion, well the weight destroy the tank? Probably not.

Could it slip and chip the glass somewhere or any number of accidental things like that? Quite possibly.

I really suppose it's just what you want to risk.

Again, I don't think that the weight and it's sitting on the glass will be too much.

 

[SaltwaterScoop]

Here's my opinion, well the weight destroy the tank? Probably not.

Could it slip and chip the glass somewhere or any number of accidental things like that? Quite possibly.

I really suppose it's just what you want to risk.

Again, I don't think that the weight and it's sitting on the glass will be too much.

I'll keep brainstorming. I do have access to studs on the wall behind the tank and potentially figuring out a counterbalance for the RMS mount with a cutout for my auto-feeder.

I would even be happy with a thin piece of something for the front of the tank that leans and attaches to the front of the RMS hanging mount. I'm not sure on what material would be reef safe though. Maybe vinyl siding?

 

[cilyjr]

I'll keep brainstorming. I do have access to studs on the wall behind the tank and potentially figuring out a counterbalance for the RMS mount with a cutout for my auto-feeder.

I would even be happy with a thin piece of something for the front of the tank that leans and attaches to the front of the RMS hanging mount. I'm not sure on what material would be reef safe though. Maybe vinyl siding?

Build it, try it, go from there.

How are you going to work in the tank with it surrounded?

 

[SaltwaterScoop]

Build it, try it, go from there.

How are you going to work in the tank with it surrounded?

I ideally want something removable.

I could command strip something to the ai blade bracket if it was thin enough.

I also just came across @w8lifts who used foam board to shade their AI Blades...I wonder if the foam board itself is reef safe they painted theirs with black spray paint

See their implementation below & here's a link to their thread:

 

[dadnjesse]

Is the light hanging from the ceiling studs? They will hold whatever weight you make it and you can sleep at night.