DIM T5 Canopy & Fans Plans

bigbris1 · 02-19-2008, 01:14 PM

So with my T5 retro kit coming in tomorrow I intend to build a wooden canopy for my 26 bowfront. I'd like it to be 5" high & it will house 3 24W T5 bulbs with individual reflectors (7.5" deep laid side by side).

I want to run each bulb seperately, & I have 2 Workhorse 5 ballasts & the kit comes with 1 Advance ballast to accomplish this. I'll play around with the wiring to see if I need to overdrive the TRU 10,000K bulb (I'll have 1 Giesemann Actinic Plus & 1 UVL Super Actinic)

I realize that I will have to add cooling fans, so I'm looking at these temp sensing fans which are rated at 50 cfm each. What do you think of them?

Thinking of doing 1 fan on either side of the canopy blowing in. I'd appreciate your feedback.

midtownman · 02-19-2008, 03:32 PM

pics please so i'll have an idea how to make a canopy

bigbris1 · 02-19-2008, 03:36 PM

Will do. It'll be fun because I have a bowfront tank, I'll have to bend the wood for the front.

grundig5 · 02-19-2008, 05:47 PM

Bris you want to cool the endcaps, not really the bulbs directly. You'll notice on higher end fixtures (ala ATI/Fauna), the active cooling basically tunnels air directly at the endcaps and then out. One way to do this is to have a fan blowing down each row of endcaps, and the other way is to have a fan blowing into the top of the canopy and have ducts to move the air where you want it. The first is much easier to accomplish. Check this guys build out, looks like mine but much neater:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...5&pagenumber=4
Bottom of page
Josh

bigbris1 · 02-19-2008, 05:57 PM

Great link Josh, thanks.

Anyone know where I can get this bendable plywood locally?

BrooklynsReefMan1 · 02-23-2008, 03:13 PM

ive seen lowes have reg ply and they bend it for you

budman0418 · 02-23-2008, 04:38 PM

i went to Omega's house on thursday and he has a 46g bow he made his own top. might want to pm him to get some info, i think he makes them for others too. give him a shout im sure he will help ya. top was nice mh, pc, and led lights , 4 fans and auto top off. real sharp front lifts up to to feed and get in tank.

bigbris1 · 02-23-2008, 05:02 PM

Wow, thanks for the info guys but I already finished it. Just waiting for my camera to come so I can take some pics.

BrooklynsReefMan1 · 02-23-2008, 05:23 PM

your almost on 1000 post bigbris

bigbris1 · 02-23-2008, 09:07 PM

So I am, huh?

Here are a couple of cameraphone pics until my other camera comes:

The canopy sits on top of the rim of the tank instead of over it (I hate that, tank has a hat on look).

The front panel has 1x3s lined up going across to match the stand design. You can see light through one of the "planks" & along the bottom but I intend to put a strip of MDF or something behind the whole front to act as a brace & block light. The front piece flips up for tank access.

I was able to fit 3 24W T5s under there, ballasts mounted on top. I love it.

The outside of the canopy is painted with Rustoleum Flat Black, then sprayed with Minwax Polyurethane Clear coat in satin. The inside I left natural & sprayed with several coats of the Minwax (the Rustoleum paint takes forever to dry).

Overall I'm really happy with it.

02-19-2008, 01:14 PM	#1
bigbris1 Algae Farmer Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Manhattan Posts: 1,124 Reefer Ratings: (36) Friends: (0)	DIM T5 Canopy & Fans Plans So with my T5 retro kit coming in tomorrow I intend to build a wooden canopy for my 26 bowfront. I'd like it to be 5" high & it will house 3 24W T5 bulbs with individual reflectors (7.5" deep laid side by side). I want to run each bulb seperately, & I have 2 Workhorse 5 ballasts & the kit comes with 1 Advance ballast to accomplish this. I'll play around with the wiring to see if I need to overdrive the TRU 10,000K bulb (I'll have 1 Giesemann Actinic Plus & 1 UVL Super Actinic) I realize that I will have to add cooling fans, so I'm looking at these temp sensing fans which are rated at 50 cfm each. What do you think of them? Thinking of doing 1 fan on either side of the canopy blowing in. I'd appreciate your feedback. __________________

02-19-2008, 03:36 PM	#3
bigbris1 Algae Farmer Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Manhattan Posts: 1,124 Reefer Ratings: (36) Friends: (0)	Will do. It'll be fun because I have a bowfront tank, I'll have to bend the wood for the front. __________________

02-19-2008, 05:47 PM	#4
grundig5 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Astoria Posts: 283 Reefer Ratings: (20) Friends: (3)	Bris you want to cool the endcaps, not really the bulbs directly. You'll notice on higher end fixtures (ala ATI/Fauna), the active cooling basically tunnels air directly at the endcaps and then out. One way to do this is to have a fan blowing down each row of endcaps, and the other way is to have a fan blowing into the top of the canopy and have ducts to move the air where you want it. The first is much easier to accomplish. Check this guys build out, looks like mine but much neater: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...5&pagenumber=4 Bottom of page Josh __________________ Does not work at Macys

02-19-2008, 05:57 PM	#5
bigbris1 Algae Farmer Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Manhattan Posts: 1,124 Reefer Ratings: (36) Friends: (0)	Great link Josh, thanks. Anyone know where I can get this bendable plywood locally? __________________

02-23-2008, 03:13 PM	#6
BrooklynsReefMan1 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Down-Town Brooklyn Posts: 582 Reefer Ratings: (10) Friends: (2)	ive seen lowes have reg ply and they bend it for you __________________ ~Rob~ i take everyday like a grain of salt. and after i get enough i do a water change

02-19-2008, 03:32 PM	#2
midtownman Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: midtown manhattan(west) Posts: 446 Reefer Ratings: (15) Friends: (1)	pics please so i'll have an idea how to make a canopy

02-23-2008, 04:38 PM	#7
budman0418 Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ronkonkoma Posts: 22 Reefer Ratings: (0) Friends: (0)	top i went to Omega's house on thursday and he has a 46g bow he made his own top. might want to pm him to get some info, i think he makes them for others too. give him a shout im sure he will help ya. top was nice mh, pc, and led lights , 4 fans and auto top off. real sharp front lifts up to to feed and get in tank.

02-23-2008, 05:02 PM	#8
bigbris1 Algae Farmer Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Manhattan Posts: 1,124 Reefer Ratings: (36) Friends: (0)	Wow, thanks for the info guys but I already finished it. Just waiting for my camera to come so I can take some pics. __________________

02-23-2008, 05:23 PM	#9
BrooklynsReefMan1 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Down-Town Brooklyn Posts: 582 Reefer Ratings: (10) Friends: (2)	your almost on 1000 post bigbris __________________ ~Rob~ i take everyday like a grain of salt. and after i get enough i do a water change

02-23-2008, 09:07 PM	#10
bigbris1 Algae Farmer Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Manhattan Posts: 1,124 Reefer Ratings: (36) Friends: (0)	So I am, huh? Here are a couple of cameraphone pics until my other camera comes: The canopy sits on top of the rim of the tank instead of over it (I hate that, tank has a hat on look). The front panel has 1x3s lined up going across to match the stand design. You can see light through one of the "planks" & along the bottom but I intend to put a strip of MDF or something behind the whole front to act as a brace & block light. The front piece flips up for tank access. I was able to fit 3 24W T5s under there, ballasts mounted on top. I love it. The outside of the canopy is painted with Rustoleum Flat Black, then sprayed with Minwax Polyurethane Clear coat in satin. The inside I left natural & sprayed with several coats of the Minwax (the Rustoleum paint takes forever to dry). Overall I'm really happy with it. __________________

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