A couple general questions

doh, I've a canopy also. Having the glass off will degrade it? Since it seems to be the consensus to keep the glass off, I'm going to have to come up with something to support the lighting. I've the legs for it, but again it's not as long as the tank. Even if it was, with the canopy on the legs wouldn't be able to attach to the sides of the tank anyway... Until then I'm going to go buy a small fan today to help circulate air at the top of the tank

 

Niiiccceee!!!! That would work as well. McGyver would be proud. Of course, in this hobby, a lot of us have to have a little McGyver in us.

 

Yeah, there was moisture everywhere. And saltwater is not kind to wood. The canopy was already used when I got it and some of the wood is degraded as we speak (mostly in the back). I have a feeling the previous owner operated without a glass top and the splash from the return and other powerheads caused most of the problem. Keep an eye on the splash and if need be, cut a piece of acrylic and lay it across the problem area(s) if any problem arises.

But seriously, I am a newbie. I am, as we all do in the beginning, taking a crash course in this wonderful hobby. Later gator.......John.

 

Could not figure out a way to completely removed the glass lids solely because I've no way to support the lighting with the canopy. Last possible option is figuring out a way to suspend the lighting inside the canopy. What I did do though is remove half of the glass lids so the lighting can still sit on top. This essentially has allowed half of the top of the tank to be uncovered. I bought a small fan to help with cooling and was stunned this morning to see drop in temperature. It went from 81 to 77deg. I forgot to unplug the fan before I went to bed so today I'm going to plug the fan into the same timer to come on/off when the 'daylight' (10000k) bulbs come on so the temp. fluctuation wont be so drastic. I've the fan blowing onto the open water from one side. There's very little room between the canopy and lighting to put it. I was surprised to see that even though the tank has a glass brace in the middle separating the two 'open sides' of the tank that it still got the temp. down that low.

Some of the info gleaned from this site is invaluable and therefore I owe a thank you to all.

 

D@#$#, I wish I would have read this sooner, I did the same thing a while back with my canopy as well, I had it over open water and the whole thing went to crap. consider MH if you are going to be spending any more $$$ IMO

I do my best to support local shops but if you are in a pinch, when I first moved to the summer town Im in , I went to Walmart for bottled H20 ( .37 cents/gal if u brink ur own container ) it probably is not as good as top RO machines BUT. my tanks did alright and who can beat ~37 cents for RO , UV Culligan water???