reefer on a budget Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 this is my official 1st post on nano-reefs. ive been a member on RC for quite a long time and recently ventured off in the world of nanos with my mini-bow 7, which is setup in my cube at work. my main display is a 200 gallon sps tank but thats another story. anyhow, i just setup my tank about 2 wks ago and will be adding 2x55watt pc(10k and actinics) for lighting. those with the mini-bow know how limited you're with the type of lighting to choose from due to the small size of the hood. i looked into getting a custom wood canopy made but the thought of spending $100+ on a nicely made canopy wasnt an option for me as this tank is strictly low budget(hence the name). i decided to get a custom acrylic top made from a local builder. it fits the tank perfectly and looks darn good matching the contour of the bow. i will be snapping some pics later this week to share with the rest of you. i want to post pics of the plans for the canopy but its in pdf form. can someone here convert the file to a format that is suitable for posting? anyone think about doing their canopy in acrylic? if so, please post pics. Link to comment
myfisharemean Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 That's a great idea, I'm gonna look into making one, that's a really cool idea. Maybe not, but I'm gonna look into it maybe. Link to comment
reefer on a budget Posted July 20, 2004 Author Share Posted July 20, 2004 i wouldnt recommend this for one who has not worked with acrylic such as myself. the cuts on this are clean and smooth, making the finish product look professional. once i shoot the pics, ill let them do the talking. basically, its consists of 4 pieces -the top -back wall -left/right sides and front bending one piece of acrylic -bottom(splash shield, also use to semi-enclose the canopy keeping the heat away from getting to the tank as there are a couple small fans venting) someone help me convert the pdf to a jpg so i can post the plans Link to comment
bravoreefer Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 upload the pdf as a "fake .jpg file" then let us d/l it and open the pdf file on our computers? I just added a 32w 50/50 retro to my MB7 and would love to see how other do thier MB7 lighting. Link to comment
birdman204 Posted July 21, 2004 Share Posted July 21, 2004 I have a bow and would love to see it. I custom made my beast hood.... Try yahoo photo upload perhaps? Does your adobe program let you "save for web" or "save file as..." and give you a JPG or Gif option/ Link to comment
reefer on a budget Posted July 25, 2004 Author Share Posted July 25, 2004 here's a front pic Link to comment
reefer on a budget Posted July 25, 2004 Author Share Posted July 25, 2004 here is a view of the inside. it has 2 holes cut out to fit 2.5" fans, slit for cords to go through and side vents. the clear acrylic is a shield to protect the bulb and to keep the canopy enclosed,improving the ventation with fans pushing hot air out. Link to comment
reefer on a budget Posted July 25, 2004 Author Share Posted July 25, 2004 here is the final back shot. you can see the vents and holes drilled out for the fans. i wish i would've taken pics of the canopy with everything inside(fans, 2x32watt pc, custom reflector) but this post is merely to show an alternative to the normal wood canopy. overall im happy with how the canopy turned out and it didnt break the wallet either. also note, the front and 2 side walls were one piece of acrylic that was bent to conform to the shape of the tank, whcih allows for a cleaner look eliminating the need to cut/glue more pieces. Link to comment
FateX9 Posted July 25, 2004 Share Posted July 25, 2004 hey budget i got a 7g mb too but since this WAS for my dorm i decided to splurge a little and spend the extra money to get the stand and canopy inside the canopy i had 2x32w pc's i took the pc's out and put them in my new 46 gal bowfront as a supplement to the 150 hqi picture of underneath Link to comment
FateX9 Posted July 25, 2004 Share Posted July 25, 2004 whoops heres the pick of the canopy underneath Link to comment
reefer on a budget Posted July 25, 2004 Author Share Posted July 25, 2004 sorry this canopy is not for sale as its being used on my personal tank. a friend of mine fab'ed it. if anyone is interested i can give you his contact info. he is located in the sf bay area. i am not sure if he ships either but maybe he does. the plans i had submitted him were custom and if you do decide to get a canopy made by him he can make adjustments here and there. Link to comment
Sushi Posted July 25, 2004 Share Posted July 25, 2004 budget: that's the sweetest minibow hood i've ever seen, makes me want to get a minibow 7 now... you're lucky to have a friend like that! Link to comment
reefer on a budget Posted July 25, 2004 Author Share Posted July 25, 2004 FateX9, nice canopy..must've been nice to have a reef in your dorm... uchiha, thanks...the canopy totally makes up for what the tank lacks in content right now. totally cool, sleek black look to the canopy. the seams are clean and look factory. he's actually not a friend of mine but someone who was referred to by a LFS. basically the guy can do anything custom with acrylic whether it's a sump, fish tank to displays for makeup...the idea of making an acrylic top wasnt something i thought of but was a suggestion from that LFS. it ws such a great idea... Link to comment
Sushi Posted July 25, 2004 Share Posted July 25, 2004 how much was the hood? now i'm going to go around asking my LFS for someone who can build a custom acrylic hood for my nano-cube... Link to comment
birdman204 Posted July 25, 2004 Share Posted July 25, 2004 Do you think it can handle a 70W halide? If so, send PM me his contact info please. My hood is ok.. but that thing is slick. Link to comment
reefer on a budget Posted July 25, 2004 Author Share Posted July 25, 2004 birdman, you would just have to shield the hot spots and vent the canopy real well so the acrylic will not heat up too much. it might also help to make the canopy much taller. Link to comment
eyenstein Posted October 6, 2004 Share Posted October 6, 2004 reefer, i would be interested in one of these hoods too. Can you pm me his info? How much did he charge you? It looks awesome. do you have any pics with it on the minibow? thanks! mike Link to comment
reefer on a budget Posted October 7, 2004 Author Share Posted October 7, 2004 i posted pics here Link to comment
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