thetedinator
Apolemichthys xanthopunct
All,
I worked with Randy at SoCal Creations to design a replacement canopy for my 90g system.
My old canopy had a couple of drawbacks.
1) Too short. I had 2x175w MH in a retrofit kit in it and had to leave plex covers on the tank for fear of splashing. The plex covers were always collecting salt creep and blocking light. Upgrading the lighting was out of the question for fear of melting the plexiglass.
2) The overall design sucked. No access to the tank except through a hinged top. When I wanted to work deep in the tank, the canopy had to come off. When I wanted access to the overflow, the canopy had to come off. Water changes required taking off the canopy as well.
The replacement canopy is stained to match the stand. It has two front access doors and a hinged top. The foot on the left side of the canopy stops 6" short of the back so that the foot doesn't block the cover on the overflow. The canopy is 5" taller than the old canopy so I upgraded the lighting to 2x250w MH (and I could have gone to 400w) and the plex covers are off so the salt creep issue is gone.
I have had the canopy for a few weeks but waited until now because I wanted to change some tank water and change the DLS. Both were a snap.
Here are a couple of pics.
Lighting. 2x250w and 2x65 PC. I reused the PC from the retro kit. I put a 2x4 under the PC reflector to raise it to the same height as the Reef Optix reflectors (so the RO wouldn' block the light.)
Canopy on the tank.
I couldn't be happier.
Ted
I worked with Randy at SoCal Creations to design a replacement canopy for my 90g system.
My old canopy had a couple of drawbacks.
1) Too short. I had 2x175w MH in a retrofit kit in it and had to leave plex covers on the tank for fear of splashing. The plex covers were always collecting salt creep and blocking light. Upgrading the lighting was out of the question for fear of melting the plexiglass.
2) The overall design sucked. No access to the tank except through a hinged top. When I wanted to work deep in the tank, the canopy had to come off. When I wanted access to the overflow, the canopy had to come off. Water changes required taking off the canopy as well.
The replacement canopy is stained to match the stand. It has two front access doors and a hinged top. The foot on the left side of the canopy stops 6" short of the back so that the foot doesn't block the cover on the overflow. The canopy is 5" taller than the old canopy so I upgraded the lighting to 2x250w MH (and I could have gone to 400w) and the plex covers are off so the salt creep issue is gone.
I have had the canopy for a few weeks but waited until now because I wanted to change some tank water and change the DLS. Both were a snap.
Here are a couple of pics.
Lighting. 2x250w and 2x65 PC. I reused the PC from the retro kit. I put a 2x4 under the PC reflector to raise it to the same height as the Reef Optix reflectors (so the RO wouldn' block the light.)
Canopy on the tank.
I couldn't be happier.
Ted
