Canopy Questions

[smelleybrad]

OK, I got my MH's in today along with my canopy. It just looks like its not going to work. Maybe somebody on here has had this same situation but it looks like to me I need a different type of canopy for the lights to fit. Any thoughts? I need to know something by tomorrow. Thanks Brad

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y21/smelleybrad/canopy.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y21/smelleybrad/canopy2.jpg

[Reef69]

Hey Brad..well, i have exact same problem, i gave away being able to open up my canopy for the lights, honestly i dont need to open it, so i just screwed the lights on. I cant open it anymore, but the lights sit perfectly.

[smelleybrad]

So you have to take the whole canopy off just to get in there? How do you feed the fish?

[DeletedAccount]

How do you live without opening the canopy???? I always have my hands in my tank!

[NaCl_H2O]

Any chance you could return the canopy? Pete makes awesome canopies that can hold MH lights AND be opened :)

[duc]

Saw one the other day with the same problem, the lids were just for decoration. What he did was screw two 2x4's to the stand coming up behind the tank and attach the canopy to it with hinges. Now instead of two small lids he lifts the canopy and has one big lid.

[Reef69]

I feed the fish through the openings it has, also, you need openings for the heat to come out..vents, mine has them, so...i dont know man, i thought your canopy was gonna be different..i never buy stuff i cant see..dont know what to tell ya, but everytime i need to mess with something, i take the canopy off, gives me more room to zone the tank..

[smelleybrad]

Ya, I can take it back with no problem. I will try to get hold of Pete to see if he is busy. My luck he will be and I really need to get these lights on the tank.

[Reef69]

Id say keep it man, it works the same...

[smelleybrad]

I might try Texas Tropical in the morning and see if they have a different type.

[Ram_Puppy]

That canopy looks to shallow for MH's anyhow, I think the only thing you could put into it would be T-5's, and if you bought retros, you could easily have some of them 'open' with the movable portion of the canopy. I think your best bet is returning it and having pete or one of the other accomplished wood workers on the forum build you a canopy to match your stand.

[eric]

Brad,

How much room between the tank and wall do you have? You (or Pete) could put this canopy on top of another frame and hinge between it. Lift up the entire canopy. Mine is similar. Must be gentle opening, but never been a problem. I can't tell the depth of your canopy (maybe 8"?), but don't you want to consider the distance from the water level and MH lamps? From the pictures, it's looks shallow.

[smelleybrad]

Ya, it is pretty shallow. It would have to be lifted up. There is about 6-7 inches between the tank and wall.

[Ram_Puppy]

it's not so much the tank-wall measurements, butt he fact I don't think you can get your halides high enough off the water in that canopy... it seems deficient in every way for a reef system, like it was designed for a fresh water system with those 10$ lights that come standard and sit on the glass.

[Ping]

I have the same type canopy on a 100g and heat is a concern for me. I am in the process of making a riser box. Wish I new about MH when I purchased it. I would have gotten a taller one for heat, feeding and hand access relating to MH. I am waiting to finish this before I install MH.

[smelleybrad]

I will be taking it back in the morning and try to find another store around here that might be carrying something better.