wtb canopy

Location?

 

Grab a couple pieces of 2X6 from Menards and you could build one in about a hour.

@glaspie69 - he is located in CR.

 

2x6 are way heavy. I can build one but it would be around 100 to 200 depending on how fancy you want it.

 

Do pine 3/4x6" or 1x6" pine it will be much lighter.

 

yes you don't want it close to wood. Keep it at least 6" away from wood. MH that is, because they get very hot around the Bulbs. I mounted mine to a cross piece of Hardwood and that is it. Top don't have any thing above it, but Ballast mounted to another cross bar(piece of Pine) like a 1x3x18". T5 are ok close to wood as long as you have a reflector.
If you really want make it nice an light use a pocket screw tool. Build frame out of 3/4X3" Pine and then skin it with some 1/4 pine plywood. This works out great and makes the canopy very light. I can move my canopy off my tank by myself with out much problems at all.
Top view

Inside top view

Inside canopy front


Better inside top look


before

After

Hope this helps

 

+1 for the Kreg pocket screw kit. Makes things a lot easier and a lot cleaner looking.

 

Yes Kreg rocks..
Travis that works. You can alway change it if it don't work out. I would keep and eye out on T5's being that close to the MH. MH get very hot with in the 6" range. This is why is best to hang them around 9" from top of water just to be safe. 6" will work also and I would mount your enclusure with stand off to a hard wood and the hard wood to Pine or something. I will work on a little design for you later and post it for you. That way you get an Idea of what I am thinking.
Love the Tin foil. IT will not last but it will work. Also I think you need protective glass below the MH bulbs to keep the bad rays from reaching your coral, but I am not total sure, just know its a good Idea to have the glass.
 

 

+1 on the glass. Uv tempered glass. Might be tough to find. But commercial glass comp. Should have it.they are picky on sizes you can get.

 

I see. I never seen it there. Did one of his customers drop it off? It will work fine its just it will weaken the T5 end caps. IT will make them brittle and crack. Yeah I forgot about the screw in bulbs have that UV protection built in, but its still good to have glass there so you don't get Saltwater creap on everything. The tin foil will be covered in it with in a week or less. You will be cleaning it all the time. Just give it a thought and keep it in mind.