Edit: Mods i did have this in the DIY but there seems to be a lot more viewing in this section. If you you want/need it removed from this area i understand.


Ok so i decided to do a DIY build thread. I have looked online on the different canopy builds but it seems everyone is trying to build an expensive, way to involved canopy. So i figured i would do a build on how to do a canopy on the cheap but still make it a beautiful peice of "furniture" topping. My build is for my new 45 gallon. When i first went scavaging for would i tried my parents place...nothing. So then i went to HD and picked out this beatiful piece of 1x8 maple. It stated $3.40. Little did i know that was per Linear Foot ($40 bucks), not per board. Oops!! So i scraped looking for the day for wood but i picked up my wood screws (black 1.5 in), 3 hinges for the hood, a 6 foot piece of 1x1 board (actually 3/4x3/4). I didnt think to look for cheaper wood so i went back to HD and found some white pine that was 12 ft long and 10 bucks a board. Caution!!! if you do go this route you will be sifting thru a ton of boards. Reason being since it is not finishing or beauty wood there are more warped and dented and chipped pieces. You will find one but not till after 1/2 hr of getting rid of crap boards. Ok so i found the piece of white pine(12 ft long and 1x6) which had some nice knots and character. I had the HD wood guy cut my pieces to the dims i needed.. (2) 12.125 inch long and (2) 37 7/8th.

Ok some math
tank trim length 36 5/16th... boards 3/4 width by 2 of them = 1.5 inch = 37 7/8

Little did i realize that the saw at HD had started to become untrue and the areas that were cut hasd a slight curve to it. Ok so for the assembly so far i glued and screwed the 2 side pieces to the front board.



I forgot that i needed clearance in the back from my filter and stuff (how could i forget?) that the 1x6 board would not work. So off to another local hardware store and i picked up a piece of 1.5 inch wide by .25 thick piece of bar stock steel. I cut it to the length of 37 7/8th. I then drilled 2 holes one above another to be able to attach to the back of the canopy.



This is where a little time and patience pays off,i drilled with a bit just a bit bigger than my wood screws and then nothed the top of the holes with a bigger drill to let the screw head sit flush. I also added from my 1x1s a piece on each side about three inches long to be able to have the canopy hold on to the tank without sliding off. Also i added to the front corners 2 each l brackets to help stabilize the canopy.







After all was attached i wood puttied the screw heads to make it all clean. After all dried i sanded the whole thing with 100 grit to clean the wood, file the putty and make flush any areas. After the 100 i used 220 to smooth it all out and all i can say is that the wood is now so smooth, clean and sexy. Now all that needs to be done is add the lid and lights.



So far my cost is:
1 12 foot 1x6 white pine= $10
box of 1.5 inch wood screws= 6.50
2 bags of L brackets (4 in each bag)= 3 something
6 foot long 1x1 board= $3
.25 thick by 1.5 wide by 48 inches long steel= $13
Had the wood putty and sandpaper
Total so far= $38-40


I will update this thread as i move forward and with pics. I havent figured out how i want to attach the top, i can go the regular lay it on top but i want ot think of any cleaner or different ways.

Also if anyone can chime in on light..., my thoughts are add the lights i have from my 20 gallon canopy which are
spiral CFL bulbs or do i go with tubes. So start throwing me ideas for lights, but like my canopy i want something that will be a low, inexpensive but effective solution.

Nice work!

Tank planted? CO2?

Thanks Ben,
Im still contimplating that. Planted..definately... CO2... not sure as from what i have read the DIY co2 in the bigger tanks has less effect. Obviously i think i will try but to how much the DIY co2 will help going over double what i have now i dont know the effect it will have. But i would like light output like i have now. I have roughly between 3-4 WPG. So i would like to shoot for that in the 45. SO i figure between 160-180 watts total. Man that is gonna be a hefty bill.

36" tank?

I would go with 2 boards the first 52" 1x6 and attach it accross the top at the back edge with about 2 inches hanging over each end then like a 1x10 and square it up with the one already on and attach them together with a piano hinge. I would then get some 1/4 round and with the top down attach so incase it doesnt fit perfect it should prevent any light from escaping. I might consider putting a 2 bulb T-5 retro in the hood, its only going to be like 108 watts but it will put out much more useable light than lets say PC's, T-8's or NO T-12's. I really think with 2 T-5's you should be able to handle any plants you would want to keep and may need CO2 so if you dont want to run CO2 consider just 1 T-5

I would look at lights from Compact Fluorescent Lighting Kits. If the tank is 36", two 39W bulbs would be great up there. If the tank is 48", it would be two 54W and may be a little much without the use of CO2, IMO.