Installing my AHSupply lights in my canopy right now.....

[AquariumFreak]

Hey Gang,

I'm installing my AHSupply light kits in my wood canopy right now but I'm not sure if I should use the spacers between the refreflector and the wood or not?

Anyone that has installed these kits before onto a wood canopy I could really use the advise.

Thanks,

Jeff

 

[Guest]

I used a 1"x1" strip of wood bought at Home Depot for a spacer. Just to get it a little closer to the water surface. I also painted the inside of my canopy flat white.

On mine I originally mounted the ballast inside the canopy. The heat build up was a little more than I liked, so I remounted the ballest on the outside, to remove some heat. I also have an acrylic tank, so I was a little concerned with that much heat on the top. On a glass tank with an open top it mightnot be as bad. I did'nt need a heater when the ballast was in the canopy

If you mount your ballast to the inside, you might want to consider adding the vents sent with you lights or install a couple of cooling fans.

 

[AquariumFreak]

I'M DONE!!!
Took me about 2 hours to install 2 sets of 2x55watts and 1x96watt.
I ended up using the spacers and I mounted the ballast within the stand.

DAMN IS IT BRIGHT

 

[Guest]

My futures so bright, I gotta wear shades 8)

Three ballast inside. You have any way of venting some of that heat?

 

[AquariumFreak]

The back of my stand is open so I don't think it should be a problem

 

[fishfreek]

THe reson I suggest the spacers is because even with the reflectors and bulbs standing 1/2" or so off the wood via the spacers the top of the canopy will still get warm.

Lay your hand onthe top of your canopy after a few hours of use and you will see what I mean. Its doubtful the bulbs will get hot enough to flash fire the wood but the spacers also help with the airflow.

What you can do is put a vent hole in one side of your canopy and install a 4" fan that blows cool air into the caonpy across the bulbs and the reflector.

 

[malkore]

considering you can touch a 55watt PC with your bare hands and not get burned, I doubt it'll build up enough heat to ignite the canopy.

 

[Guest]

I highly doubt you will get a wood canopy to ignite with three ballast under it.

On the other hand, with three ballast under a canopy. Water temps are going to easily be 82 degrees +, unless you vent it

 

[betowess]

AH Lights are certainly bright. I would recommend a 2 hour siesta every day to slow algae growth. I now use a three hour siesta and it seems to have just about stopped the growth of common green algae... (of course keeping a watch on the water's parameters and not over feeding fish is part of the strategy. And this is just one 55 watt over a 26 gallon.

I agree with the fan idea for an enclosure with that much light. Rex told me he has fans on some of his AH lights. And cooler bulbs last longer, so I've heard.

 

[betowess]

Double post again...

 

[Mr Burns]

what's the closest/farthest you all would suggest the lights to be from the water? also, would simple vents in the top of the canopy be enough to keep the heat down? it'll be 2x55 and 2x96...talk about hot!! it's going to be rough this summer b/c my room is normally warmer than the rest of the house b/c of my computer and monitor putting off heat. 8)

 

[Guest]

Mr Burns,

With that many ballast, I'd consider running cooling fans. A small fan on one side for intake. Then another fan on the other side for exhaust. Maybe even toss in a couple of vents as well, just incase.That many ballast are going to put off a good amount of heat.

As mentioned earlier. Put your lights on a timmer and have them turn off for an hour or two in the middle of the light schedule. This will help some heat disapate ( I like this also cause it extends my lights to being on more in the evening, where I can enjoy the tank and relax at the end of the day ).

You can also mount the ballast on the outside back of the canopy, to help keep heat build up in the tank. Looks kinda cheesy on a nice custom made top, but its an option.

 

[Mr Burns]

would it be possible to mount the fans on the back of the canopy? my tank is going to be in such a place that there won't be any space on either side of the tank. if i could put the intake fan on the back right and the exhaust fan on the back left, plus vents in the top, would that be enough? i think over the summer i'm only going to be able to have 10 hour days - maybe 5 on, 2 off, 5 on. anything longer would heat my room up way too much.

 

[Guest]

You could easily mount the fans on the back of the canopy. If at all possible you want the cooling fan blowing the length of your reflectors and having as much air passing across your ballast ass possible. Exhaust fan is'nt as crucial (especially if you put a couple of vents on top of the canopy, heat rises ) Also make sure you put spacers between your reflector and canopy. This allows more air cirrculation around the reflector and bulb for heat dispersion.

Heres an idea. Mount your reflectors/bulbs running the length of the tank. Put a couple of vents on the top of the canopy. An exhaust fan on the backside of the canopy on one end. With an intake fan on the other end. Now lets get creative. For the intake air you could build a shroud of some sort to dirrect air across the length of the reflectors/bulbs (make sure you mount your ballast to where they recieve maximum air flow from the intake, either on the back of the canopy or perhaps lined up between your reflectors).

In example. Lets say you have a 2" dia. intake fan. You could easily buy some 2" flexible hose and bend/fasten it to where air flow runs the length of the bulbs and across the ballast. The exhaust on the other end would help pull the heat out from under the canopy and away from the tank.

As you mentioned, with this many ballast as well as other heat sources (PC, electronics, house lighting, mother nature, etc) in a small room, heat dispersion is going to be a PITA. A 10 hour light cycle might be a good idea. Hope your not sleeping in this room this summer

Just an idea......HTH

 

[Mr Burns]

honestly, i may be sleeping in the empty room next to mine. it used to by my sister's room, but since she moved out, it's become a catch-all room. looks like it'll be catching me during the summer on those non-AC days at the begining and end of the season.

i'm still not clear on the piping thing you described...i think. it would be like directing the air the fan is taking in so that it moves down the bulbs, correct? i could probably get two intake fans for that, one on each end of the canopy's backside. the left rear fan would blow air across the front lights from right to left and the right rear fan would blow air from left to right across the back lights. sound good?? i think a couple 90mm case fans would do the trick, that's about 3.5" so finding flex tubing shouldn't be hard. hopefully the fans won't be noisy, but it can't be any more noisy than my PC...

 

[betowess]

Hey Mr. B,

Just a thought here. If you flush mount the fans on each end, it wouldn't take more than an extra quarter inch total I am thinking, perhaps less... perhaps almost zero. You probably have enuf space. The fans will force the air to move in and out and I agree you'll want an intake and an out-take direction. Kim at AH seems to not really like fans because of the added noise, but you're planning on alot of light and it will help the lamps last longer and keep the right spectrums happening etc. Rex told me he uses fans on one of his tanks. I'm thinking you can make it work on both ends pretty easily if flush mounted. Also you can use old computer fans... Kim at AH mentioned to me checking out Radio shack or you might consider a local TV repair/ham radio outfitter. My summers are pretty cool here in N.W. Washington state so I'm hoping I won't need fans when I get my 80 gallon. Just an idea here... Good luck. Bob