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#1
11/13/2007, 06:32 PM
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DIY bowfront Canopy Help please
I am going to attempt a DIY canopy for my 46 gallon bowfront. I would like to enclose 4 36" T12 VHO lights and an icecap 660 ballast. I attached images of what I would like to do. The back box is a no brainer but what materials would you recommend building the curve out of? I saw 1/4" plywood at home depot that looked like it would bend very easy but Im not sure how it would hold up, it is basically just for looks anyhow it wont support anything. Also, is there any way I can make just that front curve either lift straight up or hinge up out of the way so i dont have to move the whole fixture everytime we need to feed? I will also try to keep the icecap ballast in the front as the wires I inherited are very short and I dont want to put it on top of the light box for eye sore purposes, there is a glass top on the tank so there should be no moisture reaching any of this unit! Any ideas, recommendations, or comments would be lovely! Still planning not concrete on anything!
PS. blue box in the pictures is the icecap 660! 
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#2
11/13/2007, 09:07 PM
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i made my 155bf stand and canopy.. i made it so that the whole front open w/the top... used 3/4'' birch.. put her on top of my tank.. trace the BF.. then cut it out.. then take that and superimpose that onto the other half 2'' in and draw again .. ( think of the plywook cut in 2.. one looks like a 'D' and the other is the peice w/o the D.. i use slid the D over the other one about 2'' .. then outlined) afther this is done.. you cut out that 2'' ' ) ' looking liek thing.. the ' D ' is the top.. the ' ) ' is the bottom lip.. then cut 1x2 to whatever leigh you want your canopies height to be.. then put it together.. i used little L brackets .. then coated everything in 4 layers of poly..let me get a pic for you....
YzGYz
__________________
YzGyz = Wise Guys ohhh and cows go MOOO!!! 2nd best way is to learn from ones own mistakes but the best way to learn is from others... thx to Randy and so many other for making reefing that much easier |
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#3
11/13/2007, 09:23 PM
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sry for the quality .. phone camra..
from the diagram.. it looks like your canopy is fully enclosed.. this is not advised.. the traped heat will transfer to your water.. i would but some pc fans and have some blow in fom one end and some out at the other..   HTH YzGYz
__________________
YzGyz = Wise Guys ohhh and cows go MOOO!!! 2nd best way is to learn from ones own mistakes but the best way to learn is from others... thx to Randy and so many other for making reefing that much easier |
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