Journal for new canopy to house MH retro...
- Thread starter reefman23
- Start date
So, it looks like this is my first in a possibly long series of posts on my retrofit to my 16 gallon bowfront. Over the next few days, hopefully by the end of this weekend, I will be constructing a canopy to which I will install my two existing 40 watt smatpaqs, along with this nice little addition, my new 70 watt 14,000k MH retro kit. It came from illuming.com, which is currently down due to hurricane Wilma, however the owner is now selling temporarily through nano-reef.com ---> http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.p ... 70370&st=0 (great deals, check it out.) I got it for $130 shipped, second-day air ups...not bad. It came literally plug-and-play, just had to put in lamp in the socket. I am quite happy with everything, packaging, cunstruction, quality. The only thing I am considering is replacing the reflector with a smaller, more shiny, reflector. This is due to the amount of space in the canopy that I will be building. But we will see.
So any tips, comments, etc. are encouraged. To begin, any sort of breaking-in that needs to be done to this bulb?
So any tips, comments, etc. are encouraged. To begin, any sort of breaking-in that needs to be done to this bulb?
Construction begins...
Today I began cunstruction on the new canopy. Let me tell you that it is always easier to improve on an original design than it is to create an original. I quickly ran into things that I didnt originally plan for. But so far, so good I think. Heres some pics...
Today I began cunstruction on the new canopy. Let me tell you that it is always easier to improve on an original design than it is to create an original. I quickly ran into things that I didnt originally plan for. But so far, so good I think. Heres some pics...
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The entire unit will be primed and painted with gloss black paint outside, white gloss inside. The unit will sit above my 16 gallon tank on feet, much like the feet on many fixtures out there. I plan on installing some sort of small fan in one end. Also, there will be an acrylic splash guard inside of the canopy. I planned on using acrylic only because I have read alot about how acrylic allows light to flow through easier than glass, any truth to this? BTW, the glass that is covering the MH is UV filtering glass that came with the kit.
Your canopy design is pretty similar to one I built for a 20H I used to have. The open construction in the top allowed all of the heat to disappate so I didn't have any noticeable increase in temperature, this was with PCs only though. One thing you may want to consider changing in your plans if its not too late is the inside color, flat white is more reflective of light than gloss white is. One example is when you look at professional photography equipment, all of their stuff used to reflect light is flat white. Keep the pics coming, this is an interesting project. Good luck, Skip
Almost completed the MH custom reflector, thanks to my dad and his access to a sheet metal bender/creaser. I wanted one that was narrower to allow enough room for the PC reflectors, so the new one is 2 1/2" across compared to the 3 1/2" reflector that came with the kit. Plus, I didnt like the finish of the stock reflector, another reason for the custom. I still need to cut holes for the socket and finish up the ends
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Figured I hadn't posted in a while...not much done since last post. I have painted it and the custom reflectors should be done by tomorrow. I redesigned the first custom MH reflector previously posted and also designed reflectors for the PC's (basically a copy of AH supply's PC reflector, I heard those work well). Anyways, this whole retro just might be done by Sunday night, hopefully.
I have also decided to hang the entire canopy using 1/16" cable (really light-weight stuff. I think that I have a really good design in my head, well simple at least, that will also allow me to cleanly raise and lower the whole unit. Pics of that to come by this weekend.
Here are the most recent pics...
I have also decided to hang the entire canopy using 1/16" cable (really light-weight stuff. I think that I have a really good design in my head, well simple at least, that will also allow me to cleanly raise and lower the whole unit. Pics of that to come by this weekend.
Here are the most recent pics...
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I was thinking about mounting the PC ballasts to the outside of that rear support.. I dont want to have to modify the wiring in the existing satellite fixture which is designed to have the ballasts in the fixture. Do you think this will work? or should i just modify the wiring so that i can mount the ballasts somewhere else? Should they be enclosed?
I think it would be okay to mount the ballasts on the rear of the canopy, you would have to rig a 4 corner harness for hanging though to keep the canopy level. You could also check at an electronic supply place like Radio Shack and see if you can find a vented enclosure for the ballasts and paint it to match the canopy and place it on the top of the canopy. Looks great so far, I want to see the inside once everything is installed. Skip
just about done. All i have left is to get two proper sized screws to mount the MH fixture directly to the canopy....also, i am reconsidering the hanging of the canopy thing after seeing the canopy sitting on top of the tank. I may put it on short feet or just sit it right on top of the tank like the pictures, just put braces on it to keep it from falling. But here they are, the newest pics!!
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Dickie52
New Member
You have done a great job on that canopy!
Let us know how it does on the tank. I added a similar canopy to my 20 gallon and had a slight problem with heat, but a fan cured that problem. The second thing I am waiting to hear is how it effects your zoos. Certain zoos in my tank started to not open after I switched to the HQI Metal Halide, but at the same time I had a problem with my auto top off switch and flooded my tank with freah water. So, I will be curious to see if it is the light or something else.
Again.....great job!!
Let us know how it does on the tank. I added a similar canopy to my 20 gallon and had a slight problem with heat, but a fan cured that problem. The second thing I am waiting to hear is how it effects your zoos. Certain zoos in my tank started to not open after I switched to the HQI Metal Halide, but at the same time I had a problem with my auto top off switch and flooded my tank with freah water. So, I will be curious to see if it is the light or something else.
Again.....great job!!
I plan on placing my zoos lowr in the tank. I also think that I WILL indeed hang this thing..im thinking, as joh/dawn commented, it will make the acclimation to the new lighting easier. Well I plan on finishing this thing in the next couple of hours...next post should be the last(except comments/questions of course!