# Wooden Canopy over High Lighting?



## AheartlessFish (Mar 18, 2008)

Im thinking of building a wooden canopy over my 100 gallon.
I know the light company doesnt recommend putting anything over the light at all...

Tank Measures 72"x18"x18"
Light fixture is aqualife 72" 432 watts of t5HO. 
The fixture sits about 6 inches above tank.

Done this before on a 20 gallon just seeing how it would work out with a bigger tank.

Wooden canopy will consist of 2 side pieces, 1 long top piece, and front piece (or two, prob two to lessen the weight of the wooden flaps that will open up) will probably will flop open. Back will be held together by 1 72" long 2-3" high piece of wood to allow maximum ventilation from the back. Will probably install a fan or two just to help with circulation.

The big question is...how high should i make it away from the unit?
Any recommendations on wood/paint to use?


----------



## old 97 (Jul 25, 2011)

AheartlessFish said:


> The big question is...how high should i make it away from the unit?


Come again ?


----------



## AheartlessFish (Mar 18, 2008)

how much ventilation room should be away from the light fixture.

(light fixture has 2 fans blowing on top of the unit) I figure if u cover the fan holes its detrimental to the light fixture.

So inches wise whats a good number as to how high the wooden canopy should be from the fans.


----------



## old 97 (Jul 25, 2011)

I do not always build canopies; but when I do , , , 

I wire up a pc fan and flush mount it slap on the hole. This will turn the air over many times a minute

Generically speaking - if the fan blades are not hitting anything, it is not to close.


----------



## AheartlessFish (Mar 18, 2008)

i was planning on doing that, attach maybe a pc fan or two in the back, one sucking air out one blowing in.

just seeing if anyone has good success in doing this. I did it once on a 20 gallon but the light used wasnt comparable to 438 watts


----------



## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

Hold your hand above the light unit, try several places. Find the hottest place. 
Put the wooden cover no closer to the unit than where you can safely hold your hand for a long time. 

If you can make it look right you might mount the fans in the ends. Makes a straighter flow of air, might work better. 

There is special paint for warm surfaces. I think it is designed for houses with a heater in the wall. The nearest walls where the hot air from the heater hits them can get pretty warm. Look into this sort of paint, especially for the inside of the hood. 

I am not sure that any particular type of wood is better than any other for this. I would avoid any composite material such as particle board, masonite or interior plywood. Exterior plywood, well painted could work.


----------



## AheartlessFish (Mar 18, 2008)

cool! thanks diana 

ill def do that hand trick ^^


----------



## funnytrash (Sep 5, 2010)

Hi there. i have a diy hood too but i dont have an actual fan system installed because i think me opening the hood so many times in a day compensates for it LOL
but i was thinking would it be too much of a hassle to make like slim "ducts" along the side of the hood and put a fan sucking air into the ducts? i know its probably unnecessary but it seems like a more structural idea.


----------



## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

I have a DIY canopy, and the person who made it simply cut round holes in the end, then used a router to ease the cut edges. Looks really nice. It is painted black, and he found some black fans for it. No structural issues at all. I think it was made from 1/2" lumber (which is really a bit thinner than 1/2")


----------

