Aquarium Canopy

[Mike Goetzke]

A few months back I posted an aquarium stand I built with my son. He now wanted a canopy for the tank so he could add more lighting. This was another fun project to work on with my son:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/mbg/EZ%20Smart/Eric%20Aquarium/th_IMG_1896_2.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/mbg/EZ%20Smart/Eric%20Aquarium/IMG_1896_2.jpg)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/mbg/EZ%20Smart/Eric%20Aquarium/th_IMG_1895_1.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/mbg/EZ%20Smart/Eric%20Aquarium/IMG_1895_1.jpg)

I'm used to working with traditional tools but I built a power-bench-bridge (PBB) with products from Eurekazone. I put it together to break down plywood panels. On the aquarium cabinet my son and I cut all of the plywood panels on the PBB and I milled the solid oak pieces on my TS. For the canopy I made it completely on the PBB after surface planing the rough sawn red oak (except for using my router table to cut the tongue/grooves in the doors).

I still love working with my TS and other traditional tools but was very impressed with the results of the PBB.


Mike

[Lee Schierer]

It looks great. Just a word of caution baseed on my aquarium experiences. Make sure you have adequate ventillation so the heat from the lamps can get out. If not you can raise the water temp in no time. Also, make sure the inside of the wood is well sealed as the humidity will certainly be a factor for the wood and all joints. Bubbles popping from bubblers and filters will spalsh the wood even several inches about the water. You might want to consider lining the hood with glass or plastic and/or installing a small fan, like one from a computer, to push room air in and keep the humidity down.

[Bruce Page]

That is really nice Mike. What size is your tank and what do you have in it?

[Mike Goetzke]

It looks great. Just a word of caution baseed on my aquarium experiences. Make sure you have adequate ventillation so the heat from the lamps can get out. If not you can raise the water temp in no time. Also, make sure the inside of the wood is well sealed as the humidity will certainly be a factor for the wood and all joints. Bubbles popping from bubblers and filters will spalsh the wood even several inches about the water. You might want to consider lining the hood with glass or plastic and/or installing a small fan, like one from a computer, to push room air in and keep the humidity down.

Lee- thanks for the information. The back is totally open but maybe I should cut a few vent holes in the top. And yes I sealed the inside of the canopy. BTY - the top of the tank is sealed almost 100% with the original hood.

Mike

[Michael Merrill]

I will second the ventilation needs. I've build many canopies, my latest for a 90g salt tank I installed a 4X11 plastic a/c register vent cover dead in the middle of the top. With a small fan in the back of the canopy it moves the warm moist air out through the top, and the plastic won't corrode. Nice thing is on most tanks with the height you can't even see it.

[Carroll Courtney]

Mike,very nice job there.The tank looks huge,love those door handles.

[Rick Christopherson]

Lee- thanks for the information. The back is totally open but maybe I should cut a few vent holes in the top. And yes I sealed the inside of the canopy. BTY - the top of the tank is sealed almost 100% with the original hood.

MikeThis doesn't apply to your situation but I mention it for others. Some people would be tempted to line the top of the tank in acrylic or similar plastic. While this would seem fine on the face of it, acrylic will warp in the presence of dissimilar moisture levels on opposing faces.

[Mike Goetzke]

That is really nice Mike. What size is your tank and what do you have in it?

It's 55 gallons - I'll have to ask my son about the type of fish.