2.5g custom canopy & stand finished - Aquarium Advice

Sicklid · 11-30-2006, 10:24 PM

This was inspired by MSU fan (I think it was) who made a custom canopy and stand for his tank. I tried a different base, using 2" wooden balls from a craft store. Made from 3/8" poplar. Light is a compact fluorescent 13 watt ballast kit w/ an ott-lite plant bulb from Home Depot.

tropicalfish · 11-30-2006, 11:01 PM

very cool mini stand!

boxxmann · 12-01-2006, 02:52 AM

looks really good Sicklid!!

JustOneMore20 · 12-01-2006, 11:21 AM

Very nice! What kind of lighting do you have? Do you have a picture of underneath the canopy? I'm planning a 2.5g and would love to make a canopy for it, but I'm not very handy.

**roka64** · 12-01-2006, 11:28 AM

Pretty cool!

Sicklid · 12-01-2006, 08:05 PM

Will post pictures later tonight of inside of canopy with lights. It is a 13w compact fluorescent from hellolights.com with an "ott-lite" 5500k plant bulb from home depot.

Justonemore20, you don't have to be "handy" at all to build a box! Admittedly, I have a few more tools than the average joe. I used an air-driven nail-gun shooting wire brads, a miter saw with a really good blade, a cordless drill, and a power sander on this project, but it can easily be done with a hand saw, glue, clamps (even DIY clamps from string and wood scraps!) and a hand sanding block, and a screwdriver. If you want plans, I can give em to you, but really, you can do this in an afternoon, from start to finish painted and everything by yourself with careful planning. Don't be intimidated, it really looks nicer than your average $25 black plastic lighted lid with incandescent lights.

All told my materials came out to:
$15 for wood and poly-stain
$20 for ballast kit and bulb
white spray enamel for about $2 a can (for the inside of canopy)

And thats it!

JustOneMore20 · 12-01-2006, 08:10 PM

Yeah, it doesn't seem that hard really. I actually think I could build something, but just don't have good tools to do it. I'm sure we have a hand saw around here somewhere, but power tools would be more fun!

If only I could convince my dad that he needs some power tools....

onah · 12-01-2006, 09:21 PM

so is there a middle ball? or is there no mid support? i understand it is a small tank, but u could acctually use this fora larger tank to if u wanted, i was thinking of designing a corner one for my 10g plant tank.....

Sicklid · 12-01-2006, 10:03 PM

Nope, just four balls as feet. The balls are solid wood, and the base they are screwed onto is actually 3/4" thick. It would hold a 10 gallon I am sure. I put trim around the front and sides that is about 3/8" x 1 1/4" to hide the black plastic trim of the tank.

I would just be careful that the balls are sanded till they are the same height, no teeter/totter. Otherwise you may get a lopsided tank, and you could run into problems w/ leaks. Or, use a piece of styro under the tanks edge, to help distribute the weight.

plecoperson · 12-01-2006, 11:18 PM

What a beautiful little thing-well done. It looks substantial without being too bulky. Very nice.

11-30-2006, 11:01 PM	#2
tropicalfish Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 325	very cool mini stand! __________________ --- 75 Gallon Rena FilStar xP3, Aquarium Systems Visi-Therm 200W (2), Coralife 48" Aqualight 260W 6700K --- 10 Gallon Hexagon Hagen AquaClear 30, Visi-Therm Deluxe 50, DIY CF 20W 6500K CF, Hagen Natural CO2 System :: Bloodfin Tetra (1), Red-eye Tetra (3), Black Skirt Tetra (3), Harlequin Rasbora (6), Platy (1), Otocinclus Catfish (1) :: Rotala Indica, Hygrophila Difformis (Wisteria), Cabomba Carolinia ---

12-01-2006, 09:21 PM	#8
onah Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: laredo,tx. Posts: 289 Images: 2	so is there a middle ball? or is there no mid support? i understand it is a small tank, but u could acctually use this fora larger tank to if u wanted, i was thinking of designing a corner one for my 10g plant tank..... __________________ things that make u go hmmmmmmm......

12-01-2006, 11:18 PM	#10
plecoperson Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Evanston, Illinois Posts: 1,164 Images: 3	What a beautiful little thing-well done. It looks substantial without being too bulky. Very nice. __________________ -Lisa Remember that Darwin was mostly right!

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12-01-2006, 02:52 AM	#3
boxxmann Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Richmond, Va. Posts: 44	looks really good Sicklid!!

12-01-2006, 08:05 PM	#6
Sicklid Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Tarpon Springs FL Posts: 658 Images: 4	Will post pictures later tonight of inside of canopy with lights. It is a 13w compact fluorescent from hellolights.com with an "ott-lite" 5500k plant bulb from home depot. Justonemore20, you don't have to be "handy" at all to build a box! Admittedly, I have a few more tools than the average joe. I used an air-driven nail-gun shooting wire brads, a miter saw with a really good blade, a cordless drill, and a power sander on this project, but it can easily be done with a hand saw, glue, clamps (even DIY clamps from string and wood scraps!) and a hand sanding block, and a screwdriver. If you want plans, I can give em to you, but really, you can do this in an afternoon, from start to finish painted and everything by yourself with careful planning. Don't be intimidated, it really looks nicer than your average $25 black plastic lighted lid with incandescent lights. All told my materials came out to: $15 for wood and poly-stain $20 for ballast kit and bulb white spray enamel for about $2 a can (for the inside of canopy) And thats it!

12-01-2006, 10:03 PM	#9
Sicklid Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Tarpon Springs FL Posts: 658 Images: 4	Nope, just four balls as feet. The balls are solid wood, and the base they are screwed onto is actually 3/4" thick. It would hold a 10 gallon I am sure. I put trim around the front and sides that is about 3/8" x 1 1/4" to hide the black plastic trim of the tank. I would just be careful that the balls are sanded till they are the same height, no teeter/totter. Otherwise you may get a lopsided tank, and you could run into problems w/ leaks. Or, use a piece of styro under the tanks edge, to help distribute the weight.