How to Build Canopy Lights for an Aquarium
- 1). Write down the length and width of your aquarium top. You'll need a sheet of plywood large enough to serve as a lid to the canopy, and your local home improvement store will usually cut the pieces for you if you don't have the equipment at home.
- 2). Have the ¾-inch-by-4-inch boards cut so that they are one inch longer than the top dimensions of your aquarium. These boards will be the frame that hugs the top and supports the lid.
- 3). Glue the ¾-inch by 4-inch boards (front and side boards) together with wood glue---these three boards should stand upright. Secure the remaining board horizontally on the back, just under the side boards and inside the frame. This board is kept horizontal to allow space for any electrical wires to come out of the tank and plug into the wall.
- 4). Glue three of the ¾-inch square rods to the inside of the front and sides of the frame so that the canopy catches the sides of the aquarium when it is placed on top. These rods should all stand vertically at about ¾-inch above the bottom of the frame boards.
- 5). Attach the final ¾-inch square rod vertically to the outer side of the back panel. The bottom of the rod should be even with the bottoms of the other rods.
- 6). Cut the 5/8-inch plywood to a rectangle slightly larger than the dimensions of the top of your frame, then glue the 1-inch molding to the front and sides of the aquarium for a more polished look.
- 7). Use hinges at the back of the frame to attach the lid to the frame.
- 8). Put as many bulb clips as needed on the underside of the lid. If you're using only one light, three or four equally distanced bulb clips should suffice.
- 9). Secure the light fixtures under the bulb clips and attach waterproof end caps to the lighting.
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