Retro-fitting an AGA oak hood

[Pamela]

Has anyone retro-fitted an AGA oak hood for metal halide?

I'm planning to set my 75 back up in the near future, i'll be moving up from a low light softie tank to a sps & clam tank. So I'll be removing the two NO double strip lights and the glass tops.

Here are my questions:

The inside of the hood is rough finised, and has maybe one coat of ,I'm guessing, polyurethane. I want to sand it down and paint it white.

What kind of paint or other coating will be durable and safe? :?:

I'm planning on 2 150 watt 10,000k hqi bulbs with aluminum reflectors,
and 2 VHO lamps.

There is only a little over 6" to the water surface, is this a problem with the halides? :?:

Will I need some type of UV sheild under the bulbs? :?:

 

[chopstick]

Pamela, hqi do requires uv shields. The distance IMO is a little close. I running 250w 10K hqi's they are about 10" from the water surface. The paint I used in my canopy was an exterior latex paint, but I aslo have 2 coats of poly over the paint. Hope this helps a little. CHOP

 

[Anonymous]

Has anyone retro-fitted an AGA oak hood for metal halide?

I'm planning to set my 75 back up in the near future, i'll be moving up from a low light softie tank to a sps & clam tank. So I'll be removing the two NO double strip lights and the glass tops.

Here are my questions:

The inside of the hood is rough finised, and has maybe one coat of ,I'm guessing, polyurethane. I want to sand it down and paint it white.

What kind of paint or other coating will be durable and safe? :?:

Any white paint will do fine if you sand the poly completly off. I use enamel rather than latex. Most of the people will recommend marine epoxy paint. Once it dries most all paints are safe.

I'm planning on 2 150 watt 10,000k hqi bulbs with aluminum reflectors,
and 2 VHO lamps.

There is only a little over 6" to the water surface, is this a problem with the halides? :?:

That's a little close for the halides for a couple of reasons: They're too low and could get splashed easily, and there may not even be clearance between the water surface and the lightbulb. (once you add the reflector and socket.)
Also, with the lights that close to the water, you won't get great coverage from the reflectors. You'll have two really bright spots in the middle, with dark edges.

Will I need some type of UV sheild under the bulbs? :?:

It depends on which lamps you use. Follow the manufacture's reccomendations.

B

 

[Pamela]

Thanks for the advice. I was concernen about the halides being too close.
I'll probably take the hood to a cabinet maker friend of mine and have it made taller. He whould have a much better chance of matching the finish than me.

As for the UV shield will any type of clear glass work? :?:

 

[chopstick]

I believe you will need glass that is coated with Low E (low–emissivity) glass is coated with a microscopically thin metal or metal oxide layers that allow visible light to pass through, while blocking ultraviolet and infrared solar energy ). Check with you local glass shop