t5 retro buid question

Does anyone know of a good site for researching options for housing for the T5's w/individual reflectors? I thought we'd just build a canopy. It sure would like nice and hide all the stuff on the top of our tank. However, I don't really want to seal in the tank and I need to be ableto scrape the back, etc. since my tank is kind of viewable from all sides. I thought of hanging a canopy or building a fixture to hang above the tank (either from the ceiling or on brackets) but have not found many build threads like that to decide if it's really what I want.

All I need is reflectors and I'll be ready to start the build. As long as I'm sure about what I want to do.

Just try doing the right word configuration game on Google theres many great Ideas out there, as you know I'm doing a sealed type canopy on my 75 gal but if you notice I will have most of my canopy front end hinged for feeding and glass cleaning purposes.

Yeah. I'm going to watch your build too & figured I'd point it out here as I'm sure some will be interestd in watching it's progress. Maybe I'll end up doing something like that but I have a feeling, it won't end up being a canopy. I just haven't settled on the look I'd want for something hanging.

I've tried different word configs. I'll keep trying.

Are you wanting to make a canopy or a pendant? Canopies sit on the top and Pendants hangs over the top of the Aquarium.

That's what I'm trying to decide! At first I thought canopy and may still do that if I can find one that allows me to all sides of my tank. I think Jason would rather build a pendant. (Is it still called pendant if you're using long T5 bulbs?) He likes the cleaner look. Also, we're not adding weight to the tank that sits kind of in the middle of our living room. Also, lessens the concern of heating up the tnk. He wants to design something that I could raise to work in the tank and lower when I'm done. Before I decide for sure, I'd like to see more examples of what other people have done. I can find a lot of info on DIY canopies but not so much for other options.

Just built one for my 75g and like how it turned out




[img]http://www.frozenocean.org/[/img][img]http://www.frozenocean.org/[/img][img]http://www.frozenocean.org/general-reef-discussion-f3/[/img]

I can see why Nice work bigdragons.

Cammie
okay Sounds like for a canopy you pretty much Know what you want between you Jason and garret's construction skills you should be able to come up with a finished product thats why it's called DIY.

Some things U might want to keep in mind when your doing your own Canopy or Pendant.


with a Canopy most are closed so you need to remove trapped heat that's produced by your lighting and if your running T5's you want them to run cooler then your MH's, flourescents will have a longer life span if they can run cooler but in the same sense if you cool your MH's down to much they will not perform at there top peak.
most that use a canopy because a canopy does not have radiating light coming from them. where with a pendant you'll want to keep in mind most furniture when your sitting on it your head is about mid tank so in some places of your living room while sitting on your furniture you could wide up with lights in your eyes or light glare on your TV. and if you run your pendant to close to the water to reduce glare you can wide up with heat issues in your water column.
Just some food for thought.
Jim

Thanks.. I'm sure it would work for t5's to:)

Maybe there is a way that a canopy could be designed that would allow it to be opened from the front and back?

Opening on both sides does seem like it may be the best answer.

Jim, thanks for pointing out the light it will add to the room. I hadn't considered that at all!

I'm resurrecting this thread. We're leaning toward building a canopy now thanks to all your input. (Had a couple other things come up since starting this thread and it got put on hold.) We have collected everything but reflectors and possibly another ballast for the actinics (so they don't have to run the same time as the other bulbs). This is what brings me to post again. We should be able to just get an advance/universal ballast to run the actinics on, shouldn't we? If not, Jason thought of building the canopy with our current fixture in it and adding a couple overdriven bulbs. I'd personally, rather not do that. We really enjoy when just the actinics are on though. Also, if we get the universal ballast, the actinic bulbs shoud last longer, shouldn't they?

I am actually in the process of building a pendant that hangs inside my canopy... It is built with 1.5" L angle aluminum for the frame. It's bolted and riveted together. I still have to wire the system up and install the cooling system. Mainly I wanted the ability to adjust the height inside the canopy to allow flexibility of the lighting and allow my hands to get in when needed. I can upload pics if you want to see it.