Wood canopy advice needed please

Hi guys

As you all know you don't get the black canopies for a 5ft tank so I constructed 1 out of knotty pine... 1st fail. Then sealed it with woodoc 50 marine sealer... 2nd fail.

So now i decided to go the solid pine route... Now the question is what can I use on the inside to seal it off completely. The pool guys say I should use bitumen but it's black. I'm looking for something light to boost my light reflecting. Any advice?

 

I have made plenty wood canopies in the past - simple pine frame that rests over the tank with some spare planking on inside of the frame to rest on top of tank,Hardboard for the top.I leave the back panel of the frame out,or reduced in height,for some ventilation. Paint the inside with a couple of layers of white enamel and the outside with black enamel paint(My choice - you can just varnish it if you want the wood look)
Trick is to make sure the paint goes into all the nooks and cranies - they last you a good long while then. and its cheap. I drill mall holes in the canopy top and cable tie my light tubes directly to the wood.

 

I Built a wooden tank and sealed it with 2k Paint (Car paint) the nice thing is you can choose your color and its safe and waterproof. Enamel wil get "muf" on it after a while (tried that). Please do not paint any primers on the wood just paint it with 2k paint (that way it will be absorbed into the wood and you will seal it nicely)

F

 

How many layers did you paint it???
I spoke to a guy from Woodoc and he suggested 5 layers of woodoc 50.
For reflection I used Sello tape, but the silver that reflects. U wil get it from any big hardware store. hth

 

I just finish building a big wooden lid for my fish tank. The problem with pine is that with the humidity in the tank it will start pulling funny shapes. You need to seal it very good. I rubberized the canopy I've build and it is working. I wanted to use PVC resin and paint the inside to keep the wood, but I wasn't to sure if PVC resin is save to use.

 

@azurekoi my design is a two part flip top lid and ventilation is sufficiantly supplied at the back of the canopy. The lights are fixed to the canopy using plastic C-clips with stainless screws.

@Fonkie thanks for that info. Might look into that in more detail.

I also looked at rubberising but again only in black. And as for the woodoc... I did the whole 5 layer outside and 6 layer inside but, it appears to sweat some of the resin into my water and that's not good. Lost 6 of my buenes aires and 2 malawi's due to that.

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Speak to your paint shop about "flow coat"
It`s a product similar to fiberglass resin and gel coat(used on boat hulls to get even finish). Paint pigment can be added to get the color you want. This can be applied by hand with a roller or brush.
I used it to seal live wells in on my boat, never lost any fish but rather make sure about toxicity of it if used on the long run.
Also confirm with them regarding adhesion abilities on pine as I used it on marine ply and it worked for me.