# [Wet Thumb Forum]-Canopy - yes or no? Fan? Alternatives?



## motifone (Apr 7, 2005)

What's everyone's thoughts on using canopies for a planted tank? Like them? Cumbersome? If so, whatca use for lights inside? Is a fan required?

I'm asked about this in other thread, but it was buried in some other questions and wanted to see what everyone else uses.

My understanding is. options are:

1) Canopy with retrofit PC inside screwed into roof of canopy. With a AH Supply kit, if screwed up toward front, will not enough light hit back? Screw one on backside of canopy too? Does a glass need to be placed below to prevent splash? (I imagine not, but curious). Are fans necessary? If so, when? Depends on glass or acrylic?

2) No canopy but use a JBJ or Coralife unit above tank on legs that can tilt. What about a glass over tank beneath these, (not to prevent splash on lights, because lights have acrylic casing, but to prevent evaporation.)?

3) No canopy, but glass top with vented lightbox with retrofit sitting on top of glass.

thoughts? answers?

thanks gang!


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## motifone (Apr 7, 2005)

What's everyone's thoughts on using canopies for a planted tank? Like them? Cumbersome? If so, whatca use for lights inside? Is a fan required?

I'm asked about this in other thread, but it was buried in some other questions and wanted to see what everyone else uses.

My understanding is. options are:

1) Canopy with retrofit PC inside screwed into roof of canopy. With a AH Supply kit, if screwed up toward front, will not enough light hit back? Screw one on backside of canopy too? Does a glass need to be placed below to prevent splash? (I imagine not, but curious). Are fans necessary? If so, when? Depends on glass or acrylic?

2) No canopy but use a JBJ or Coralife unit above tank on legs that can tilt. What about a glass over tank beneath these, (not to prevent splash on lights, because lights have acrylic casing, but to prevent evaporation.)?

3) No canopy, but glass top with vented lightbox with retrofit sitting on top of glass.

thoughts? answers?

thanks gang!


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## JERP (Feb 4, 2003)

Most of people's opinions on canopies are aesthetic in nature. Some people love them, others hate them. In plants, there are two main camps, people with canopies and people with open top aquariums. 

Open top aquariums have visible lights, and the plants are encouraged to grow above the top of the tank. This is expecially effective if the plants bloom above the water surface. Open tops has more geek appeal. With lidless tanks, the lighting is either supported on the tank on raised legs or suspended from the walls and ceiling.

Canopies help create a "closed system" look. A good stand and canopy can give an aquarium a more furniture feel, like a television or painting. No equipment is visible, only the tank and plants and fish. I use a glass lid to limit evaporation. The lighting can be attached to the canopy, or resting on the tank with the canopy covering them. I find that lighting is a bit more even if I lift the lighting a couple inches.

I prefer canopies.


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## motifone (Apr 7, 2005)

Nice explanation. Just a couple follow ups:

Seems like you have a canopy with lights screwed into undersurface of canopy lid. Any fans? What's your wattage?

Are you saying that, underneath this canopy and beneath the screwed in lights, is a piece of glass cover most if not all of the aquarium surface to further reduce evaporation? Just wonder if that's what you mean by "glass lid". Is light attached to front of canopy only or on the back section too... if not on back, does it get dark?


thanks


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## JERP (Feb 4, 2003)

The glass lid is the tank lid. There are no openings in the glass. All plumbing enters through bulkheads and I have an external heater built into my filter (eheim).

I installed my AHSupply lighting into a vinyl rain gutter. The lighting rests on the lid. The canopy is nothing more than a pretty tank cover. I intend to attach my lighting directly to the canopy in the future, but I'm in no hurry. One advantage of not attaching the lighting to the canopy is that the lighting remains when you remove the canopy. The extra light helps during maintainence.

My tank is a 50tall. 36Wx16Dx24T. I don't pay much attention to how far front or back the lighting sits.


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## motifone (Apr 7, 2005)

Thanks, you are making things alot clearer for me Jerp.

I guess your tank is glass, too. Cool idea with rain gutter.

The golden question: seems it's necessary to remove the canopy when doing maintenance or only during major replantings?

Is your canopy a two piece where only the front part'lid lifts up or one piece. One guy who had a two piece canopy said he installed his lights on back lid that doesn't lid, so was just curious.


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## JERP (Feb 4, 2003)

Heres an old pic of what I did. I've since removed one set of lights to slow the growth. I take the canopy off for all maintanence, which is about once a week. Lack of accessibility is a major complaint of canopies. I just remove it. It's not a big deal to place it on the floor near the tank.

I just noticed that the glass lid isn't on. It is now. This pic is a couple years old.


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## fishyface (Feb 7, 2005)

i used to use the sliding glass cover but found that alot of dust particles and mineral build up was frustrating when trying to keep clean. this also limits the available light that gets to the plants and is just plain old ugly IMO. since i do weekly water changes anyhow the evaporation issue isn't really too much of an issue for me, plus i think it looks good to have plants growing outta the tank!


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## nino (Oct 2, 2004)

Jerp made a good point. If you screw the light fixture to the canopy, you'll have more problem when doing maintanance or trimming. Because when you take out the canopy, you'll be working on a dark tank. I did the same mistake before.

I believe you have an acrylic tank. Please give some space between the light fixture and the top of the tank. If you use over 60 watts of light, it may bend the top support. I had mine bent before although the tank still holds well until now.


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## imported_BSS (Apr 14, 2004)

I'm currently (slowly!) working on a custom hood that will be hinged. It'll have a 96w + 55w in the back and a 55w in the front. I will also install an on/off switch so I can turn off the pair of 55w lights when I do tank maintenance. I'll just swivel the front of the hood up, slide the hood back and still have a 96w light for maintenance.

The hood will not be completed sealed at the top (based on the www.ahsupply.com design...check out their site for some samples). It will use spaces slots across the top for passive heat dissipation.

As to the glass top versus open tank, my decision was driven by heat issues. When I added my 96w and had it sitting right over a glass top, it drove my tank temps up 6+ degrees. So, I removed the glass.

However, that lead to more of an open tank design which allowed my $4 amano shrimp to escape the tank within a week of purchase.

So, as with most things in the planted aquarium realm, it's all a trade off!

Brian.


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## JERP (Feb 4, 2003)

BSS,
Your shrimp story reminds of something that happened when I was a kid. I went lidless on my fish tank and my Axolotl (6-8" larval tiger salamander) went for a walk. My mom found it cruising in the hall at 6 in the morning when she woke up. She was not pleased. I don't think I've ever been yelled at that loudly that early in the morning before or since.


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## motifone (Apr 7, 2005)

I thought I would share a suggestion to all of you sent to me from Kim at AH Supply. Thought it was helpful to those wanting to install light in a canopy but no screw it to the top of the canopy.

Pros: it's a pro if you keep canopy on still when cleaning, like if you have a front and back lid part. Ki'ms idea lets you slide the light out of the way on a track.

Cons: if you take your canopy off when cleaning, the light will still pretty much come with it, since it sits on a track:

To quote Kim:

"Hi Steve,

Use a 1x96w setup on the 36" tank. For the 48" tank use a 2x55w setup.

Installing your light(s) near the center of the tank will give you enough 
light spread. The lights can be attached directly to the top of the canopy. 
Another option is to attach pieces of 1x2 board to the inside sides of the 
canopy to create a ledge. Then cut a piece of 1x4 to the inside length of 
your tank. Attach the reflectors and bulb holders to the bottom surface of 
the 1x4 and install the ballast on the top. If the 1x4 is cut to the right 
length it does not need to be attached to your 1x2 ledges so you can slide 
it back and forth for maintenance or unplug the lights and remove it 
completely.

The open back on the canopy should provide all the circulation you need for 
cooling for these setups unless your ambient temperature is quite high or 
you have other equipment on the tank that adds a lot of heat to the water 
column (like some large pumps).

There should be a barrier such a glass, acrylic, etc, between the lights and 
the water.

The biggest problem with raised lighting is the light that spills into your 
room. If the tank is going to be setup near a sitting area this can be 
especially annoying.

My wattage recommendations may not (and probably don't) apply to non-AHS 
lights (see http://ahsupply.com/Comparison.htm )."


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## something fishy (Aug 12, 2004)

Wow,
the link provided at the end there really impressed me.
I have only owned AH lights and one 1x55 Smartlight.
My experience is therefore limited, but I can tell you that I have nothing but good things to say about AH. I like the flexibility you have when you but lights and a hood separately or build your own.
The very fist lights I purchased from AH are a 2x55W kit with their oak enclosure.
The most recent lights I purchased are three 2x13w deluxe kits for my 20 gal long(pic attached). I basically copied their design for the hood and it cost about $20 all up. Beleive me I am no craftsman so I kept it simple.
Heat is never an issue because the design is so well ventilated.
So I have identical canopies on two different tanks. I think a canopy gives a "finished" apprearance and allows some ability to add your own style to a tank if you like.
Just my 2 cents worth.


-Adrian


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## something fishy (Aug 12, 2004)

oops heres the underside of the canopy. In case you were interested. I am still surprised at how I figured the wiring out lol. ok I am waffling now lol

-Adrian


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## motifone (Apr 7, 2005)

yikes. I can't wait to set up my own "doc ock" tangle of wires. nice job!


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