***CUSTOM BUILT CANOPY QUESTION***

[Newbi_Damsel]

I bought a new 40 rec tank.... I build an awesome stand for it, real nice with doors and all, but I'm having a major problem with a canopy... I plan on making it 12" high, because i need room for the MH lamp... Now i have to RETRO fit this thing in there, but I'm very worried about water splashing up there and shattering the bulb... Is there a way to prevent the splash from reaching the bulb, and how should i mount the MH to the canopy.... I was thinking of leave about an 1" gap between the bulb and the wooden top..... I could really use you expert advice.... :?:

[dakar]

Assuming you are going with a single ended bulb, If you mount the lamp using a typical reflector/base setup that should put the lamp roughly 3-4" below the reflector and hood, the reflector can be attached directly to the canopy without worries.

Anything in particular you'd expect that would be splashing water 8" from the water surface to give you concern? That's generally considered a safe distance from the water to avoid splashes, and provides enough working room to avoid the telltale burn marks on your hands/arms.

[jerryc]

I believe that will work good for you. I only have a 10'' canopy and never had
problems with it.
I do try to do most of my work with just the VHO running as i only have the MH
on for 6 hours

[Newbi_Damsel]

awesome... Thnxs guys... i dont real think anything will splash that high, but i have lost a nice 20000k bulb before due to a rare fish splashing... but ok... Thnxs... i guess that will work...

Im building the reflector my self... what can i use to make a gap between the single ended lamp and the reflector :?:

Thnxs again guys

[Newbi_Damsel]

Ok, let em rephrase that question, cause i re-read that and i didnt understand a thing.....

My original plan was to screw the reflector directly onto the top of the canopy....
Could this cause a fire hazard from the MH bulb???

I wasnt sure if there was a minimum to the space the MH had to be from the reflector?

The final question:
I was gonna use a very small piece of 2x4 to create the gap between the bulb and the reflector, and to also for a place mount the bulb ... Could this also cause a fire?


I do plan to use a PC fan or two also

This is a CUSTOM DIY :-?

[jerryc]

As you can see in the pic most typical Mh have a holder for the socket this gives you
the clearance for the lamp.
And yes it is best to have a space between the reflector and the top
you only need a 1'' or so to let air circulate around the reflector[/img]