I'm want to make a canopy to house my metal halide as well as to put a reflector it. I want to make one thats full cover but then theres the problem of doing water changes with a 5 gallon bucket when you have a canopy over your tank. So any ideas? Maybe a canopy that covers the back but not the front lids?
Any canopy ideas?
- Thread starter AKlass
- Start date
Maybe you need to change your water change technique, instead of the canopy, if you want a canopy! 
How about this: drill a circular hole in the canopy near the rear. Cut a corresponding hole in the plastic skirt on the back of your glass lid. Cut a length of 1" PVC long enough to go through the hole in your canopy and reach the bottom of your tank with a couple inches still sticking out the top. Plug this PVC on one end and drill a bunch of 3/8" holes in the submersed part of it. When you need to add water, stick the pipe in, put a funnel in the top of it, and pour away. When you are removing water, stick the siphon or pump intake through this hole. You'll still need to move the canopy for gravel vacs, but not for a regular water change.
You could put disconnects with isolation valves on the inlet and outlet of your filter, assuming you're using a canister. Then make up a couple hoses with the same type of disconnects. Then you could remove water by running a hose from the outlet of your filter to a drain, and add water by connecting a hose from your faucet to your filter outlet tubing that's already in your tank. This way, you could do a water change without ever opening your lid.