Open back or hanging canopy?

[BigLar]

I'm getting ready to start building a canopy for my 180. I'm trying to decide on building an open back canopy that sits on the tank or one that hangs from the ceiling. The main concern I have about the open back is heat. What would you do?

[Reinhold]

I've tried a hanging canopy, but I didn't like the light scattering on the walls, floor, etc.

An open back canopy focuses the light into the tank. With adequate circulation from fans, heat shouldn't be that much of a problem.

[thezookeeper]

And to elaborate more, if you do an open back canopy, you can go to HD and buy a couple of those electrical vents and put them over the holes to cover them. This way you do not loose much light, but more than adequately vent the heat. I still use fans as well.
HTH


Joanne

[Rhonda.J]

I have tried both te hanging and the open backed canopy. I like the open backed one better because more of the light goes in the tank. And the hanging on let out so much light that it hurt your eyes. The only thing I liked better about the hanging one was that I had easy access to the tank to do work. Now I have to have the lid removed to do much. The tank is a 125 so I have to have help removing it. I do have 2 large doors in the front so I can get to some of the tank.

[SPasse]

Hi All,

I prefer the hanging style fixture.

1 This makes working on your tank very easy.

2 Heat transfer is less. This is especially true if you use a enclosed fixture such as a PFO IceCap. Even with 1520 watts of light, the heat transfer to my 180-gallon tank was minimal.

3 When the reflector is sufficiently deep, stray light output is not much of a problem.

I used an IceCap hanging fixture on the system shown on my WEB site.

Aesthetically, I do agree that an enclosed canopy looks better though.

Regards,

Scott Passe

[organicreefer]

i use an "open top" canopy,it also has an open back;) i find this is by far the best way to keep the temp manageable,and i can keep my tank at 80,and only have to run fans when it gets hot(not at all hardly in winter/spring).
im working on my canopy for my new tank,and it will be the same style .there will be pics when im done

[Ironreef]

If you diy I would make an enclosed canopy with open back,vents on top. make it so it opens on the top. But better yet make it open back let it rest on the tank but make it so you can hang it also.= raise /lower it when heat is an issue in the summer or adding new bulbs. The open front may bother your eyes if you use alot of halides.

[organicreefer]

ironreef,that sitting on the tank but raisable canopy is an awesome idea,you wouldnt even need doors,just raise and service!not this time/tank but maybe ill try that one someday.........................

[RobG]

I've been debating the same question in my head for the last couple of weeks as I design my new canopy/lighting system.

I think I'm going with an open back/vents on top/fans on the side canopy that opens in the front. Approx. 12" tall. It will house 2*250 MH and 2 VHOs or PCs.

Ironreef, I'm curious why you recommend having it open on the top as opposed to the front? It seems that having to open the top that has the MH's attached to it would be a pain...