Advice On A Canopy/hood Issue

[keastclan]

Hi, 
I have a fluval vincenza (bow fronted and the canopy comes in 3 sections. Occasionally one of my cats jumps up on it (well I think it's occasionally). 
I am concerned that it's not going to take the weight and I will come home one day to electrocuted cat and fish. 
Has anyone out there got any ideas for a more rigid  (but stylish) top?
I have thought about a piece of MDF cut to fit and put on top, but would like some better ideas as it's in my living room and is the focal point (don't want my beautiful tank looking trashy 

 

 

[StevenF]

Look for a shop that sells acrylic sheets and have one transparent sheet cut to  fit your tank.  You can also glue an acrylic strip around the edge to insure the cat cannot knocked it off.  Then on top of the Acrylic (the dry side) attach the light of your choice to the Acrylic.  
 
After you do that I would also advise installing a GFI outlet installed by a qualified electrician. So that if anything electrical falls in and shorts out t the GFI will shut off power. That would protect you and the fish from electrocution.  Note that for this to work you will also need a stainless steel ground wire touching the water and attached to earth ground at the outlet.  
 
An alternative to all of the above is to attach a tack strip to the top of your tank.  The cat won't like it but it is guarantied to work.

 

[AbbeysDad]

Note that for this to work you will also need a stainless steel ground wire touching the water and attached to earth ground at the outlet.

I don't believe that statement is correct. The GFI circuit will detect any slight change in voltage and shut off the power.
If the tank/water was electrified, electricity would have to pass thru a person (or cat) to ground in order to be dangerous (e.g. linemen work in fiberglass buckets)
As such no additional ground wire is required.

 

[StevenF]

 
Note that for this to work you will also need a stainless steel ground wire touching the water and attached to earth ground at the outlet.

I don't believe that statement is correct. The GFI circuit will detect any slight change in voltage and shut off the power.
If the tank/water was electrified, electricity would have to pass thru a person (or cat) to ground in order to be dangerous (e.g. linemen work in fiberglass buckets)
As such no additional ground wire is required.

That is why I advised putting a stainless steel ground wire in the tank touching the water.  If the lamp falls in electricity shorts to the ground wire and is then instantly the GFI shuts off power.  
 
Otherwise if the lamp falls in an power is not turned off (happened to me once) the electrified metal in the lamp will quickly corrode, cloud the water, and possibly poison any animals sensative to the metals involved.  When I got home from vacation most of my fish were dead.