Thanks guys!So now it is time for me to work on the tank canopy. I am looking for suggestions to my thoughts and hope someone can help with anything I might be missing or even a contact for a professional, if I am in over my head LOL. I did some test fitting with the new light and it looks like I will just use the sliding rail brackets as opposed to the metal rope hanging from bars. The rail fits over and rests on the tank but the canopy barely fits over the rails, so it is a snug fit. I would probably router out a 1” tall channel on the inside of canopy to allow the light to slide back and forth over the tank from front to back while the canopy is on. Here is a pic with the light and canopy on top of the tank.View attachment 1035So far my issue is work space access to the top of the tank. I want to be able get into the tank to feed, to do water changes and anything else that might come up where I might need access to the top of the tank. I really don’t want to have to remove the canopy (which requires 2 people) every time I need to access the top. My thought was to cut the canopy on both sides and install hinges on top so that I could fold back the front of the canopy to give me access to the top, from the front. Here are a few profile pics of the canopy. One from the corner and one from the side. View attachment 1036View attachment 1037
My first thought was to make the cut here, but then realized that would not give me much room to work.View attachment 1038Next I thought about making the cut here, but then realized I would probably be screwing the hinge into a sliver of wood.View attachment 1039So my final thought is to make a cut like this, to allow plenty of room to work and have enough wood to screw hinges into.View attachment 1024
So here is an inside view on how the light rail bracket and canopy sit on the tank.View attachment 1040This is what I drew up for the cut (yellow), what the inside would look like, then a triangle wood block (blue) for front support and the hinge (grey) on top.View attachment 1041This is a one shot cut, so I don’t want to mess this up. One of the other things is that the middle trim piece is hollow behind it, but I don’t see any issues there other than being careful while cutting. Here is a shot from the back so you know what I am looking at.View attachment 1042If I do cut this myself, I have to be very accurate, straight and square with all my cutting. Not to mention being careful with what saw I use so I don’t eat up the outside finish, it needs to be smooth and clean. My though it to use a coping saw with a deep neck to make fine cuts. Was thinking of using some pieces of angle iron to clamp along the cut lines so the cut stays straight and square. After both sides are cut I would sand down everything and re-paint the inside with the white plasti-dip paint and stain/urethane the outside. I have never done clean precision woodcutting before so I am wondering if I should let a carpenter do this cut for me, if you have any contact for someone with these skills let me know. I am just unsure how it might go. If anyone has any input or a better method to accomplish my goals, please fill me in. Thanks in advance!
Pending on the optics you have in the fixture, you may consider elevating the fixture and attaching it to the canopy and then make your cut right before the light.
I will probably have to dial the lights down a bit, should be able to figure out what they need to be set to once I test with the par meter. Thanks for the info Ricky!
That cut will be tricky, but the way you drew it is best. If you put blue masking tape over the finish, it will be less likely to splinter. Modifying an existing canopy is harder than building one from pieces.
Yeah I know, that is what it worrying me. I am gonna hand this off to the professional. Gonna drop off Friday and get it back next week. It will give me time to work on my sump and maybe some plumbing. Hopefully I can get it running soon!
A straight cut will be the easiest. For the lights I will worry more about coverage than growing corals. I have 2 o a 36" wide tank and have some low lights spots, hence I ordered and received a third, lol.
The new version of this light is pretty bright and broad. I turned it on and played with it a bit and looks like it should give me full coverage. Does it look like it to you? Its very bright!
Thanks! Oh I see, yes your tank is very large so I can understand you needing more. I am hoping this one will do. I am sure it will look different with rock and sand in it so crossing my fingers that everything works out with this!
Just an LED light strip kit and bought the corner connectors and cut all the pieces to fit. Has a remote too. I can actually make it any color I want but will just use white for working under the tank.
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