Lighting Help, stupid canopy!!

[gveng]

I have two lighting options for my tank right now; Coralife 2x65w PC and 150w Metal Halide.

I originally had the MH w/ a 10k bulb on my tank but thought it was too bright so i bought the PC for $20.00 off craigslist.org. However, after getting a 14k and 20k bulb off a fellow reefer i am in love with the 14k bulb, i mean... WOw! the shimmer of the water, the colors on the live rock, everything just looks so much better!! right now, the MH is sitting on a metal shelfing unit cut to size and sitting right on top of the tank, maybe 1" above the water line. which some people say is fine others say it's too close to the water.

the problems
- i have a canopy on the tank
- i can't hang the MH
- the tank is already set up and i don't have room in the back to buy a hanging kit that hangs off the back of the stand.
- heat!

so basically i'm looking for a way to still use the canopy (if i can), hang the MH somehow inside the canopy and then somehow elevate the canopy above the tank w/out using a hanging kit.

picture of the tank for reference.

 

[FLESHY]

I would cut a hole in the top...and then put cross bars across the hole, and set your MH on that. (Make sure the crossbars are something like floor tile pieces (or something else that can take some heat).

Then I would take some wire and tie the fixture down to the cross bars.

This is what I did on mine. I think you should be fine temp wise...and whatever else.

 

[gveng]

I would cut a hole in the top...and then put cross bars across the hole, and set your MH on that. (Make sure the crossbars are something like floor tile pieces (or something else that can take some heat).

Then I would take some wire and tie the fixture down to the cross bars.

This is what I did on mine. I think you should be fine temp wise...and whatever else.

funny, that's exactly what i did. no cross braces tho since i only cut a hold big enough for the reflector and not the whole light, just laid it on the top

 

[FLESHY]

Be careful now, last thing we want is the wood getting too hot and starting a fire or something.

 

[gveng]

Be careful now, last thing we want is the wood getting too hot and starting a fire or something.

i've been running it for about 3 days now and the wood doesn't get hot at all. weird.

 

[FLESHY]

Well that is good to hear, I hope that it stays that way.

Any other updates on the tank?

 

[gveng]

Well that is good to hear, I hope that it stays that way.

Any other updates on the tank?

yep, rearranged the rocks a little further back, got the cpr skimmer working, got 2 damsels and a dwarf lionfish and finally figured out my lighting situation. i'll post an update in a couple of days when i have time to take a picture.

 

[FLESHY]

Sweet, looking forward to it.