[Fish_Time]

I am in need of your help. I just got some T5 lights for my 100 gallon tank and I am looking for pictures of your canopies with fans mounted in them for cooling. I want to put some fans on the inside of my canopy, on the sides, so they can push air in the length of the bulbs but my fiancée says it will make the canopy look like **** if I cut holes in the sides. She said if I can find some pictures of other peoples canopies with holes cut in them for cooling and IF she like it then I can cut holes in my canopy. So please post any pics you have with fan and or cooling holes in your canopies.

 

[Ravenatnm]

There is no reason that it will be ugly or even noticable. Use a gaurd for a PC fan and you can hide it pretty well. If you have a black canopy check this one out:

from
http://www.coolerguys.com

 

[Fish_Time]

I allready have these grills on order, should have them next Thursday, hopefully she will think they look okay. She said they would at least have to be flush mounted with the sides of the canopy if they pass the initial looks test. (She is VERY picky.)
http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/ ... croll_id=0

 

[Ravenatnm]

wow, she is picky... my wife is also. Depending on if your wife likes the fish tank you could always ask her if she prefers fried fish to a nicely mounted cooling fan. One thing I would do is make sure you get cooling fans with an adjustable speed setting or ones that are very quiet. In order to not be noticable they should be less than 30db. Any higher and you'll be hearing the hum of a loud computer from your fish tank.

 

[dergibog]

What kind of t5 lighting are you using? Just wondering.

 

[Fish_Time]

What kind of t5 lighting are you using? Just wondering

dergibod, heres a link to the kit I am using:
http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_Flu ... ofit_Kits/
its the 60" 3x80W Tek 2 T5 Very High-Output Retrofit Kit w/ Bulbs retrofit kit (I could not get the direct link to work properly). Even though it came with 3 reflectors and 3 bulbs I am only using 2 of them and it is plenty bright. I am using the extra reflector for my cold cathode moon lights.
These are the lightbulbs I am using:
http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/Replac ... ent_by_ATI
http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/Replac ... _Giesemann
(one of each)
I think if I were to redo it I would have gone with a non overdriven version as I have read you don't need the fans blowing directly on the bulbs to keep them from overheating like you do with my kit.

 

[dergibog]

Sweet!
Let us know how it turns out for you. Post some pics if you can!

 

[Fish_Time]

Here are a couple of pictures that I had on my pc. If there is something specific you would like to see just let my know and I will try to get a picture of it. I am still in the process of cleaning up all of the wiring so please bear with me.

Does anyone else have some pictures they would like to share so I can get an idea of what the fans will look like mounted in the side of the canopy?

 

[IrkedCitizen]

Your T5 lights put off that much heat that you need to use fans? What does the back side of your canopy look like?

You really don't need to have the fans blow down the length of the bulbs. You just need fans blowing air inside of the canopy and have some more fans blowing air out of the canopy.