G
Guest
My current lighting setup consists of a pair of Reef Optix HQI pendants hung over the tank like so:
I've decided to add some VHO's for actinic supplementation. Originally I was going to build a canopy around the top of the tank to mount the VHO's to and leave the top open for the pendants to shine through. However, I really like the open top look to the tank, and it's soooooo easy for maintenance not having to mess with a canopy.
So, now I'm thinking of building one large pendant to hang over the whole tank which will contain the MH pendants and the VHO's inside it. My biggest concern here is weight, so I'm looking for ideas to make this project work. My current design thoughts are:
- build a frame \0t of 1x2 pine (or could I get away with 1x1) that is 18"x48"x6"
- the top would be open completely, with another 1x2" board across the middle to mount the MH pendants to. Leaving the top open would help with heat exchange, as well as reducing the weight of the pendant.
- cover the front, back, and sides with the thinnest sheets of lumber I can find and stain it to match my stand. I know you can get plywood in 1/4" sheets (maybe even 3/8"), but what about other kinds of wood? I want something that will have a similar grain as my oak stand (although oak is a heÏ y wood, so that might not be possible).
I would like to look into other ways to reduce the weight if possible, so any suggestions would be appreciated. For instance, is there anything I could use for the framing or the skin that would be lighter? I would prefer for the skin to match my wood stand, but if I could find something black that would be a lot lighter (ABS, aluminum, etc.) and is still something I can work with I would be interested.
EDIT - I was just thinking, the pendant does not have to be the full 18" deep. It could be just deep enough to accomodate the MH pendants with a VHO tube on each side. Maybe 12" or so would do it.
I've decided to add some VHO's for actinic supplementation. Originally I was going to build a canopy around the top of the tank to mount the VHO's to and leave the top open for the pendants to shine through. However, I really like the open top look to the tank, and it's soooooo easy for maintenance not having to mess with a canopy.
So, now I'm thinking of building one large pendant to hang over the whole tank which will contain the MH pendants and the VHO's inside it. My biggest concern here is weight, so I'm looking for ideas to make this project work. My current design thoughts are:
- build a frame \0t of 1x2 pine (or could I get away with 1x1) that is 18"x48"x6"
- the top would be open completely, with another 1x2" board across the middle to mount the MH pendants to. Leaving the top open would help with heat exchange, as well as reducing the weight of the pendant.
- cover the front, back, and sides with the thinnest sheets of lumber I can find and stain it to match my stand. I know you can get plywood in 1/4" sheets (maybe even 3/8"), but what about other kinds of wood? I want something that will have a similar grain as my oak stand (although oak is a heÏ y wood, so that might not be possible).
I would like to look into other ways to reduce the weight if possible, so any suggestions would be appreciated. For instance, is there anything I could use for the framing or the skin that would be lighter? I would prefer for the skin to match my wood stand, but if I could find something black that would be a lot lighter (ABS, aluminum, etc.) and is still something I can work with I would be interested.
EDIT - I was just thinking, the pendant does not have to be the full 18" deep. It could be just deep enough to accomodate the MH pendants with a VHO tube on each side. Maybe 12" or so would do it.