A good project to spend some time on!
A few thoughts:
Are the tanks framed? If they are, I'd say it complicates things a bit (when getting a waterproof seal along the top rim of the tank).
Glassy plastics like polycarbonate and acrylic don't do well with moisture: they expand on the wet side and flex.
For aquaria this is rarely an issue due to the thickness, but I don't think you'll want it that thick for a canopy.
I have 3 mm pmma for my vertical plantation, and it bends visibly when I water it. It's a 60x60 cm footprint and in five minutes it transforms from a flat piece to a parabolic wok pan: it's cracked in three places due to the tension.
A structure fitting on the outside of the tank will draw moisture by capillary action; it'll get stuck between the structure and the tank and either degrade the wood sealant or worse: degrade the cabinet.
This is critical if you go with a
misting system.
(see image "leak.jpg")
For tanks this small, the weight of a thinner glass canopy (say 3-4 mm) is negligible; that'd be my choice.
Sides, backside and an upper front rim for stability
(image "canopy.jpg")
A top box of 4 mm plywood housing lights and a fan to fit on top of it should be no problem to make.
For glass-to-glass silicone sealant, check with your local pet store or aquarium society; they ought to know which brands are safe.
For wood sealant, check with the aquarium society, ask for the malawi tank builders what they use to seal their backgrounds with.
In Sweden the two-component epoxy varnish Epolan V is most popular (it's a floor varnish, actually), I'm not sure whether that's the type or a local brand though.
For the cabinet, go with 2x3" wood beams and a 20 mm marine plywood top. Remember to seal all edges with epoxy varnish!
This design will do for the smaller tank:
aquariumstand134.jpg Photo by butacska | Photobucket
The longer tank might need a vertical beam like this:
http://www.aquariumlife.net/images/Day2.jpg
Adjustable feet might also be a good idea, in part to get the cabinet surface absolutely level, in part to make sure it doesn't skew diagonally.
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