Lights/Diy Screen Canopy

ghartman1234 · Feb 16, 2020

I’m looking to find a cheap way of buying or making a screen/mesh canopy for a 24 gallon and for a 120 gallon. On my 24, I currently have a strip of led’s sitting on the edge of the tank. I’d like to upgrade to the kessil a80 with the gooseneck. I think having a screen top will give me better light penetration for my corals. Also I love the shimmer. For my 120, I haven’t decided what lights I’m gonna have for it. Potential options would be 2 kessil a160’s (expensive but kinda worth it), the other being current usa orbit marine led’s (36”-48”) or (48”-60”). The 120 is a 48” long tank with a middle brace so I’m not sure which size will fit. In need of some advice, thanks.

Ron Reefman · Feb 17, 2020

ghartman1234 said:
I’m looking to find a cheap way of buying or making a screen/mesh canopy for a 24 gallon and for a 120 gallon. On my 24, I currently have a strip of led’s sitting on the edge of the tank. I’d like to upgrade to the kessil a80 with the gooseneck. I think having a screen top will give me better light penetration for my corals. Also I love the shimmer. For my 120, I haven’t decided what lights I’m gonna have for it. Potential options would be 2 kessil a160’s (expensive but kinda worth it), the other being current usa orbit marine led’s (36”-48”) or (48”-60”). The 120 is a 48” long tank with a middle brace so I’m not sure which size will fit. In need of some advice, thanks.

Two comments:

You wrote, "I think having a screen top will give me better light penetration for my corals." How is it that you think having a screen will help light penetration? The only way I think it can help is if you would then lower the fixture. The screen blocks light, not a lot, but it sure doesn't help it penetrate.

The Kessil fixtures are OK. But the Current Orbit is very weak when it comes to PAR. If you have a fish only tank you're OK. If the tank is less than 18" deep, some soft corals are OK, if it's 12" deep, maybe even sps corals are possible. If your tank is 20" or deeper, corals become very dependent on how deep you set them in the tank.

ghartman1234 · Feb 17, 2020

Ron Reefman said:
Two comments:

You wrote, "I think having a screen top will give me better light penetration for my corals." How is it that you think having a screen will help light penetration? The only way I think it can help is if you would then lower the fixture. The screen blocks light, not a lot, but it sure doesn't help it penetrate.

The Kessil fixtures are OK. But the Current Orbit is very weak when it comes to PAR. If you have a fish only tank you're OK. If the tank is less than 18" deep, some soft corals are OK, if it's 12" deep, maybe even sps corals are possible. If your tank is 20" or deeper, corals become very dependent on how deep you set them in the tank.

The 120 is 24” tall. I plan on having a lot of LPS and some soft corals. I don’t know much about SPS yet but i’d like for it to be an option later down the road from whatever lighting I choose. Any lighting suggestions?

ghartman1234 · Feb 17, 2020

I also mentioned that a screen top will help because a glass top would block most of the light, so it would be better to have screening. I do plan on having a wrasse and other fish with the potential to jump so a open top is not an option.

ghartman1234 · Feb 17, 2020

Hopefully a light that isn’t immensely expensive and will effectively grow anemones and a LPS dominant tank.

TheShrimpNibbler · Feb 17, 2020

You could probably find some type of half inch hole mesh at a local hardware store, and then cut it to your tank size. Then use some type of harder material to make an edge and glue the mesh to it. Just sit that on top of the aquarium. I also would not recommend the current USA lights for what you’re wanting. It sounds like spending a lot of money on lights isn’t something that you are looking to do, so black boxes like mars aqua might fit the bill for powerful yet inexpensive. T5 fixtures are another less expensive lighting option.

ghartman1234 · Feb 17, 2020

TheShrimpNibbler said:
You could probably find some type of half inch hole mesh at a local hardware store, and then cut it to your tank size. Then use some type of harder material to make an edge and glue the mesh to it. Just sit that on top of the aquarium. I also would not recommend the current USA lights for what you’re wanting. It sounds like spending a lot of money on lights isn’t something that you are looking to do, so black boxes like mars aqua might fit the bill for powerful yet inexpensive. T5 fixtures are another less expensive lighting option.

Id like to mount the lights if possible instead of constantly moving them out of the way to get in the tank for maintenance. I also don’t have the option of hanging lights from the ceiling. I’ve heard some things about T5’s but wouldn’t you have to change the bulbs often and that would be a consistent expense?

TheShrimpNibbler · Feb 17, 2020

ghartman1234 said:
Id like to mount the lights if possible instead of constantly moving them out of the way to get in the tank for maintenance. I also don’t have the option of hanging lights from the ceiling. I’ve heard some things about T5’s but wouldn’t you have to change the bulbs often and that would be a consistent expense?

If you can’t hang lights from the ceiling, I’m not sure how you would mount t5s. And yes, you do have to buy new bulbs for them every so often. I believe that some black boxes can be mounted with mounts on the edge of the tank, but that would probably involve some diy.

ghartman1234 · Feb 17, 2020

TheShrimpNibbler said:
If you can’t hang lights from the ceiling, I’m not sure how you would mount t5s. And yes, you do have to buy new bulbs for them every so often. I believe that some black boxes can be mounted with mounts on the edge of the tank, but that would probably involve some diy.

Thanks. I mean I don’t mind putting some work in but I’m no handyman lol

ghartman1234 · Feb 17, 2020

Why are the current usa marine leds not a good option? So far I've heard good things

TheShrimpNibbler · Feb 17, 2020

ghartman1234 said:
Why are the current usa marine leds not a good option? So far I've heard good things

They run very well, the control and options are great, and I’ve found them to be quite reliable. The problem is that they just don’t have the par needed for anything more demanding than softies and low light lps, which would need to go in the top of the tank. This means no clams, no sps, and no anemones, and you won’t be able to put corals in the bottom of the tank.
Edit: I have these lights, so this is my personal experience with them, not what I have heard from others.

ghartman1234 · Feb 17, 2020

TheShrimpNibbler said:
They run very well, the control and options are great, and I’ve found them to be quite reliable. The problem is that they just don’t have the par needed for anything more demanding than softies and low light lps, which would need to go in the top of the tank. This means no clams, no sps, and no anemones, and you won’t be able to put corals in the bottom of the tank.
Edit: I have these lights, so this is my personal experience with them, not what I have heard from others.

Is there anything similar that can reach the bottom of a 24” deep tank better? Also Im for sure having anemones.

Gareth elliott · Feb 17, 2020

If your making a canopy, not sure you will need a screen top.

Cheap and light weight way you could make one.
Tools needed
hand saw
Miter box
Dowel
Paint brush.
supplies
Balsa wood sheet.
Wood glue
Aluminum foil
Wood glue
1 inch wood dowells
1x2 for frame.
Piano hinge for a door.
Paint
probably cost around $100 ish.

the aluminum foil is for the inside to add extra reflective surface and to moisture proctection inside the canopy.

myakuel · Apr 9, 2020

hey,
I am looking to do something similar on my 220 waterbox but in pvc board. i dont think i have the skills to do it my self on such a large tank, especially if my only option is wall/ceiling mounting bc the tank is rimless. anyone know of a company that could help?
much appreciated

ghartman1234 · Apr 9, 2020

myakuel said:
hey,
I am looking to do something similar on my 220 waterbox but in pvc board. i dont think i have the skills to do it my self on such a large tank, especially if my only option is wall/ceiling mounting bc the tank is rimless. anyone know of a company that could help?
much appreciated

Hello, I ended up making a diy screen top for my 24 gal and will probably do the same for my 120. Only spent like $30. For putting the top on the tank, I got little plastic tabs and measured the screen frame so that it could fit snuggly on the inside frame of the aquarium and on top of the tabs. I unfortunately don’t know anything about pvc boards. Most fish stores that sell custom aquariums or do services may be able to help you out tho.