Installing lights in canopy?

[K House]

I have a striplight on top of my 90 gallon that holds 4 55W CFs. The light fixture is just long enough that it won't fit inside my canopy so my canopy top has been sitting beside the fish tank since I got it. I would like to remount the lights but can't decide the best way to do it. Should I build a unit to hold the fixtures that does allow my canopy to sit on top of (around) it or should I mount the lights directly onto the inside of the canopy? I've never had a tank with a canopy top before so I'm not sure how inconvenient it would be to have the light fixture and canopy combined as one unit. Do you remove the canopy when you do water changes? If so, that would mean taking it off once a week - would this be damaging to the lights, moving them around every week?

[emc7]

Attaching the light to the canopy should work, but why bother with a canopy at all. Unless you need to set stuff on it or keep out children, it just adds weight and keeps the heat from the lights in. Next thing you know, you'll be adding fans to the canopy.

[K House]

I stopped by my lfs last night and the owner said pretty much the same thing. I hadn't even considered the heat from the lights. He said because of the heat, I'd almost have to attach them to the canopy rather than build a unit for them and put the canopy on top of that. He said I'd probably have to install a fan or two to keep it cool. I already have the canopy so I thought it would look nice to actually have it on the tank. But it looks like it may be more trouble than it's worth.

Thanks for the input emc7!

[Reefneck]

I have 3 canopies in my home.....Two of them will actually fit tanks I have and one of them fits a 55G which I no longer have. All 3 are sitting in my bedroom, taking up space. I hate them. My 120G has a canopy. It's the only tank with one on it and it makes it a royal PITA to do any kind of work in the tank. Reach in is even a c**************** and I am 6'3"! All of the ones I have sitting around have been listed for sale....No buyers. So they sit and collect dust. I will not use them.

[harif87]

Hey Reefneck, do you by any chance have one that will fit a 55 48" flatback hex?

[Bear]

I have had 1 tank with a canopy and 1 without.

just leave the canopy out of the equation, it will just make ur life easier.

this will make cooling the water in the tank during the summer easier because you can just use a fan over the water.
it will help you not get bruises on your armpit from trying to reach the bottom of the tank with the canopy on.
like said before it will help keep your heat down.
it will also make sure that you get the attention of any passing cop car, that is if you are keeping a reef tank

[Reefneck]

Originally Posted by harif87

Hey Reefneck, do you by any chance have one that will fit a 55 48" flatback hex?

Nope, Just rectangle.

[harif87]

Darn, was worth a shot lol.