rayd8s Posted August 18, 2004 Share Posted August 18, 2004 I'm thinking of getting their 30" canopy for my 20L reef tank. Currently I have shrooms, ric's, buttons, frogspawn, GSP, yellow & finger leathers. I currently have a CSL 96W 50/50 with moonlights. This light makes way too much noise and I'd like to contain the light spread to the tank as well as give the tank a finished look. What I'd like to know is who has one of these canopies and which light kit(s) are you fitting it with? I've read on the boards they are a bit short. Also, I'm not too mechanically inclined so the idea of doing this myself is a bit scary.... I haven't been bitten by the SPS or Clam bug so super wattage is not really an issue for me. Appreciate everyone's suggestions! Link to comment
qfour20 Posted August 19, 2004 Share Posted August 19, 2004 I can't comment on the rest of the equipment that they sell, but I used their reflectors in my hood, and they work REALLY well. Good Luck! -q Link to comment
jackass Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bumpbump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bumpbump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bumpbump,bump,bump,bump,bumpbump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bumpbump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bumpbump,bump,bump,bubump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bumpmp,bump,bump,bump,bumpbump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bumpbump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bumpbump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bumbump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bumppbump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bumpbump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bumpbump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bumbump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bumppbump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bumpbump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bumpbump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bumbump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bumpp,bumpbump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bumpbump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bumpbump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bumbump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bumppbump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bumpbump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bumpbump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bumpbump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bumpbump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bumpbump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bumpbump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bumpbump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bumpbump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bumpbump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bumpbump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bumpbump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bumpbump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bumpbump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bumpbump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump,bump BUMP! -BEN- BUMP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment
ODOG Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 What is it that scares you mechanically, the canopy or the wiring?....I made a canopy just like theirs for super cheap...it's just a box. I had the 2 X 36 watt bright kit, which I liked, but the ballast crapped out on me recently and I replaced with a coralife plug and play. The AH Supply light kit does require a little assembly, but it's pretty simple, butI like the Coralife much better. Ballast doesn't get as hot, and I think it's quieter. Worth the extra money IMO. Link to comment
rayd8s Posted August 21, 2004 Author Share Posted August 21, 2004 The wiring aspect makes me nervous but I'm sure I'll get through it. Are you still using your canopy - just directly over the Coralife unit? What size is your tank? How long did it take for the AH ballast to give out? Thanks for your input! Link to comment
skeletor Posted August 22, 2004 Share Posted August 22, 2004 I made a canopy following the directions on the AHsupply page, turned out great. started with 2 x 55's and put another 2 in there later (it was over a 20).. anyway, the kits are great and have instructions plus every connector you need, it pretty much just all plugs together and works. -skeletor- Link to comment
rayd8s Posted August 24, 2004 Author Share Posted August 24, 2004 Skeletor- Is your tank a 20L or a regular 20? You made your own canopy then were able to fit 4 55 watt bulbs in -- how awesome! I don't have the time to make the canopy myself, thus I was hoping to just buy one and so far AH is all I can find (with reasonable prices anyway). Sooo, do you think it's possible to get maybe 3 55's in that 30" long canopy? Thanks for your input! Link to comment
skeletor Posted August 24, 2004 Share Posted August 24, 2004 it went over a regular 20 and looked something like this: I had to ditch the AHS reflectors, they are really nice reflectors BTW, and go with a flat reflector to hold the 4 bulbs. the AHS reflectors are 4" wide so you might be able to fit 3 under there, although it will be tight. you could always do 2 x 55w and then add a single T-5 later ? you might also want to check out some T-5 retro kits, they come in 26" bulbs which may work better on the long tank. -skeletor- Link to comment
ODOG Posted August 25, 2004 Share Posted August 25, 2004 Ray, I don't have a whole coralife ligting fixture, when my ah supply ballast crapped out I just bought the coralife ballast and endcaps, the bulbs just plug right in. the bulbs are then just clipped into brackets mounted in my custom canopy. if you buy the kit from ah supply the wiring is easy. a couple of jumpers in the endcaps and wire from ballast to end caps. you can see my canopy, it's basically just whats on www.ahsupply.com the cords coming into it on the right are leading from my ballast(on the floor) to the endcaps in the canopy. Link to comment
cameron23 Posted August 26, 2004 Share Posted August 26, 2004 i bought one of their canopies for a 48" tank and i really like it. it would have been pretty easy to make, but only if you have the time and the tools. i didn't, and i'm happy with what i bought. i don't know about the 30", but for the 48" it fits exactly on the trim of the tank. i've got 4x55s in it, and i agree with the above comment, you can't get 3x55s in there with their reflectors, but if you wanted a flat reflector you could. Link to comment
rayd8s Posted August 26, 2004 Author Share Posted August 26, 2004 Got a picture cameron23? Link to comment
cameron23 Posted August 26, 2004 Share Posted August 26, 2004 i took some, let me shrink them Link to comment
cameron23 Posted August 26, 2004 Share Posted August 26, 2004 here are some from the outside (this, obviously, is on a FW planted tank, not a reef) Link to comment
cameron23 Posted August 26, 2004 Share Posted August 26, 2004 here are some inside shots so you can see how broad the reflectors are compared to the bulbs. it is a pretty tight fit, but there's plenty of room for the ballasts to be mounted in the canopy and i have no problems with heat. Link to comment
cameron23 Posted August 26, 2004 Share Posted August 26, 2004 one more with the lights on Link to comment
cameron23 Posted August 26, 2004 Share Posted August 26, 2004 i turned the lights off, here you can see the ballasts Link to comment
cameron23 Posted August 26, 2004 Share Posted August 26, 2004 maybe a better shot of one ballast, mounted between the two reflectors, wish i knew how to post more than one attachment per reply Link to comment
rayd8s Posted August 28, 2004 Author Share Posted August 28, 2004 Skeletor I like the idea of adding a 26" t-5 light. Isn't there a special reflector for the t-5 light and would that really work with 2 55's? I don't know too much about the t-5's -- off to do more research. ~ rayd8s Link to comment
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