Canopy: Yes or No?

[DavidinGA]

Always a canopy, unless it's a tiny tank.

I've never understood the appeal of the rimless craze and being blinded by leds and then having to put an ugly net cover over the tank to prevent jumpers.

 

[Baldguy]

I can't imagine any canopy being so airtight as to affect O/CO2 in any way. Vents and holes for wire pass through should provide all the air exchange needed.

 

[JGT]

Canopy for me as it’s part of a full wall built in bookcase. Keeps ambient light in the room to a minimum and also helps make overflows dead quiet.
As I was mounting my lights 8” above the water, I wanted to be able to get into the tank easily, so attached my 8’ 8020 frame to a tubular shade motor with stainless steel cabling. Can raise or lower it with my phone. Quite handy.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Canopy since I'm next to a TV. Old 50g cube was a open top with mesh lid, but it was on the other side of the room. I didnt get any light spill from the 50g. Picture taken from couch, same position.

Current 120g

Old 50g

 

[Labridaedicted]

Canopy for me as it’s part of a full wall built in bookcase. Keeps ambient light in the room to a minimum and also helps make overflows dead quiet.
As I was mounting my lights 8” above the water, I wanted to be able to get into the tank easily, so attached my 8’ 8020 frame to a tubular shade motor with stainless steel cabling. Can raise or lower it with my phone. Quite handy.

I don't know how you have dead silent overflows, but im jealous. Even with my canopy mine are kinda noisy

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

I can't imagine any canopy being so airtight as to affect O/CO2 in any way. Vents and holes for wire pass through should provide all the air exchange needed.

This. My canopy is closed in the back with lexan except the edges for wires leading out, no issues @ all. I do have 120mm fans pushing in air, so it may make a difference, but I rely on my sump to handle gas exchange.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Floating.

It’s hinges along the back so that it can flip up for tank maintenance and so that the cords can be passed down in the wall.

I would call this a light mount, not a canopy. That being said, can you provide the build details?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Floater

Build details, please?!

 

[dvgyfresh]

I can't imagine any canopy being so airtight as to affect O/CO2 in any way. Vents and holes for wire pass through should provide all the air exchange needed.

Same , but his orp levels were 1-2 with the canopy and without was at 4-5, I think he had no fan tho

 

[Labridaedicted]

Always used a canopy and probably always will. Helps with the light bleed so the fish can't see me and let's the act more naturally.

Also keeps me from going blind.

Haven't taken a pic with the radions installed yet, but how much nicer is the viewing without all that light in your eyeballs?

Also, probably worth noting that mine is a floating canopy despite appearances. It never actually touches the rim of the tank anywhere. It's tied to the wall and the ceiling joists but open on the back and sides with blackout curtains so it gives me easy access to the back and sides while almost eliminating light bleed.

 

[JGT]

I don't know how you have dead silent overflows, but im jealous. Even with my canopy mine are kinda noisy

Definitely required tuning of the overflows to begin with. I have 2 and gate valves are a requirement to get it right. Ball valve is too caveman-like to get a precise flow. The canopy then just blocks out any random noise such as a fish or gyre splashing as well as the returns for which I have 8. My tank is literally dead quiet so much so that my wife has asked a couple of times if things were shut off.

 

[Sean Clark]

Same , but his orp levels were 1-2 with the canopy and without was at 4-5, I think he had no fan tho

I don't understand these references of orp 1-2 and 4-5. Is this x100mv? If that is the case a hood would not cause this correlation even if it were air tight.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Definitely required tuning of the overflows to begin with. I have 2 and gate valves are a requirement to get it right. Ball valve is too caveman-like to get a precise flow. The canopy then just blocks out any random noise such as a fish or gyre splashing as well as the returns for which I have 8. My tank is literally dead quiet so much so that my wife has asked a couple of times if things were shut off.

I second the dropping coin for gate valves. I'm pretty silent also. Only time I have any real noise is when the return pump starts up. I get some noise from the emergency drain until the main drain equalizes and then no noise what so ever.

S/O will call me if she hears splashing, after she sometimes come over to feed the fish, so I know she is paying attention, lol.

 

[Sean Clark]

Definitely required tuning of the overflows to begin with. I have 2 and gate valves are a requirement to get it right. Ball valve is too caveman-like to get a precise flow. The canopy then just blocks out any random noise such as a fish or gyre splashing as well as the returns for which I have 8. My tank is literally dead quiet so much so that my wife has asked a couple of times if things were shut off.

I second the dropping coin for gate valves. I'm pretty silent also. Only time I have any real noise is when the return pump starts up. I get some noise from the emergency drain until the main drain equalizes and then no noise what so ever.

S/O will call me if she hears splashing, after she sometimes come over to feed the fish, so I know she is paying attention, lol.

Yep. I'll third that. Mine is dead silent, with proper valves it is easy. When you start complaining about the fish making noise, you know you have achieved success.

 

[bnord]

Yep. I'll third that. Mine is dead silent, with proper valves it is easy. When you start complaining about the fish making noise, you know you have achieved success.

those dang pistol shrimp...

mp40s the loudest part of my tank..

 

[dvgyfresh]

I don't understand these references of orp 1-2 and 4-5. Is this x100mv? If that is the case a hood would not cause this correlation even if it were air tight.

Ye x100 mv and I kno it’s not the only cause but definitely a factor , newish tank with dry rock/ hood caused low 02 levels and all the fish died except a scopas lol it’s a 200g tank

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Ye x100 mv and I kno it’s not the only cause but definitely a factor , newish tank with dry rock/ hood caused low 02 levels and all the fish died except a scopas lol it’s a 200g tank

Weird, undersized skimmer perhaps? Overstocked for a newish tank?

 

[bnord]

Listening to all this makes think.. and have double wired ceiling hung ATI T4 Radion set up - how about shades/curtains....

 

[Sean Clark]

Ye x100 mv and I kno it’s not the only cause but definitely a factor , newish tank with dry rock/ hood caused low 02 levels and all the fish died except a scopas lol it’s a 200g tank

Thanks for clarifying for me. Those are huge swings and due to factors in the water. Not hood related at all. I'll agree to disagree here.

 

[neonreef3d]

KISS