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02-07-2008, 07:08 PM
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#1 (permalink)
| | Plankton
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 12
Karma: 1
 |  Canopy with Metal Halides?
Hey guys,
My tank has no lid right now, it just has a sunpod on its stands over it....with the top open, there's ALOT of evaporation and I'm getting tired of adding freshwater to it all the time (almost daily).
My tank is 36"x15". Does anyone know where I can get a canopy for it that's tall enough so that I can hang my sunpod on the inside, and also has holes for ventilation. Or will I have to settle for a glass or acrylic lid to lay across the top of the tank opening?....Does anyone know where I can buy one of those too? Thanks. | 
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02-07-2008, 07:10 PM
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#2 (permalink)
| | Coral Banded Shrimp
Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 45
Posts: 367
Karma: 142
  
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Mmmmm. Canopy or no canopy you'll be adding water. Check out some of the posts on auto top off. The open top is really preferable to a solid top. Your gas exchange will be compromised by covering the tank. The evaporation is normal. Heat issues will also start to rear up when you close the top in.
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180 Gallon Reef, 150 lbs of LR and 4" LS. 4-175w 10k MH. 8-110 W actinic VHO, 2 Wave2K, LifeReef Skimmer . A 90 gal sump, Top-Off. 2Mag 9.5 return, Life Reef CR LCR-1. 1 Cin Clown, Bub coral, Xenia, Purp Tang, Yellow Tang, Pogoda, 4 Gobies, Niger Trigger, Angel, Brittle Star
Last edited by Dador : 02-07-2008 at 07:16 PM.
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02-07-2008, 08:45 PM
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#3 (permalink)
| | Gigas Clam
Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Columbus, Indiana Age: 23
Posts: 857
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a canopy might look good but won't help with evaporation... your lights take care of that pain in the neck. a lid greatly compromises gas exchange so I know it is not recommended. auto top off is the way to go! _________ 55 gallon slowly growing reef aquarium, 85 lbs. live rock, 2 1/2" sandbed, 1 False Percula Clown, 1 Sixline Wrasse, Tetratec PF500 filter, 2 110 watt URI Super Actinic VHO actinics, 2 250 watt metal halides with Reef Optix 2 reflectors powered by Blue Wave 3 ballast, born 1/3/08 My Tank Thread My Tank Video  | |
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02-07-2008, 11:17 PM
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#4 (permalink)
| | Plankton
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 12
Karma: 1
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Thanks for the input guys. I'll look into an auto top off. Is it bad to be adding half a gallon to a gallon of freshwater everyday? How much is too much to add at once for a 55 gal tank? | |
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02-07-2008, 11:19 PM
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#5 (permalink)
| | Clown Trigger
Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Tatamy, PA Age: 15
Posts: 2,033
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is it bad to be adding 2 gallons of top off a day? i have 2 250w halides on a 55gal and thats how much i add. 1/2 gal is somewhat normal for halides on a 55gal,2X 150watters that is. _________  | |
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02-07-2008, 11:33 PM
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#6 (permalink)
| | Kole Tang
Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: joliet,il Age: 41
Posts: 1,759
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zooh:
DIY the canopy for your lights and fans for ventilation
dont lay acrylic or glass on the tank, it prohibits the gas exchange
aquaboy:
theres nothing wrong with adding 20 gallons a day if thats your evaporation level depending on your climate as long as the water is ro/di and the salinity stays constant.
heres an aatoc for both of ya: Reef-Relief :: Automated Aquatic Top Off Controller
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just one little sps frag tank with lots of goodies | |
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02-18-2008, 11:45 AM
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#7 (permalink)
| | Sea Dragon
Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Parma Ohio Age: 27
Posts: 504
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Im starting a 90 gallon all-glass mega flow aquarium, i have had a custom canopy & stand built and plan on using metal halide lighting (2x250watt). The Canopy is xtra high for the reason of the metal halides and cooling issues. My question is about the gas exchange, the back of the canopy is open and the top is a one piece piano hinged lid, i didnt want holes is the top of the canopy because of the light being able to escape and look like the sun rising in the room. I have a 4.5 inch hole driled on both side of the canopy (one sucking air in and one pushing is out using to fans that push 106cfm.) They are pretty powerful little fans, that should be enough air for sufficient cooling with gas exchange right? If i have to ill buy a chiller, my concern is about the gas xchange and some cooling. Im unsure about which lighting ill be using but im really leaning towards the aqua medic MH-T5 combo lighting. Any help is appreciated. btw, first post on 3 reef.
Thanks in advance
Dennis | |
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02-18-2008, 11:59 AM
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#8 (permalink)
| | Astrea Snail
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 44
Karma: 6
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you know, lots of people want high evaporation, (esp if u do not have a Ca reactor) so that u can dose kalk... so maybe this is not a problem at all | |
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02-18-2008, 12:12 PM
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#9 (permalink)
| | Teardrop Maxima Clam
Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Quebec City
Posts: 836
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dador  Mmmmm. Canopy or no canopy you'll be adding water. Check out some of the posts on auto top off. The open top is really preferable to a solid top. Your gas exchange will be compromised by covering the tank. The evaporation is normal. Heat issues will also start to rear up when you close the top in. | Quote:
Originally Posted by bmshehan a canopy might look good but won't help with evaporation... your lights take care of that pain in the neck. a lid greatly compromises gas exchange so I know it is not recommended. auto top off is the way to go! | Quote:
Originally Posted by reef_guru zooh:
DIY the canopy for your lights and fans for ventilation
dont lay acrylic or glass on the tank, it prohibits the gas exchange
aquaboy:
theres nothing wrong with adding 20 gallons a day if thats your evaporation level depending on your climate as long as the water is ro/di and the salinity stays constant.
heres an aatoc for both of ya: Reef-Relief :: Automated Aquatic Top Off Controller | Quote:
Originally Posted by flounder you know, lots of people want high evaporation, (esp if u do not have a Ca reactor) so that u can dose kalk... so maybe this is not a problem at all | +1 to the above mentioned | |
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