DIM T5 Canopy & Fans Plans

[bigbris1]

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]

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

 

[bigbris1]

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

 

[grundig5]

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/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1188739&perpage=25&pagenumber=4
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Josh

 

[bigbris1]

Great link Josh, thanks.

Anyone know where I can get this bendable plywood locally?

 

[BrooklynsReefMan1]

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

 

[budman0418]

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.

 

[bigbris1]

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]

your almost on 1000 post bigbris

 

[bigbris1]

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.

 

[bigbris1]

Here are the updated pics. I probably should have drilled holes thru the top to run the wires, but who cares?

Front part swings up for access:

Inside I barely had room for 3 24W T5 bulbs, endcaps & standoffs. The reflectors clip right on to the bulbs which I like because you can reposition them & remove them easily for a quick rinse with warm water to clean off salt spray.

The middle bulb (not on in the pics) is a TRU 10,000K wired to a Workhorse 3 & is plenty bright!