View Full Version : My DIY Tank Hood
Zamboniman
03-06-2007, 12:07 AM
I finally got fed up with my lights sitting on top of my tank and having to move then aside every time I needed to get into my 90 gallon tank. I decided to take a stab at putting together a tank hood with room for my lighting and some of the features I had thought about. Here's a few pics of the just completed hood after painting but before installing the lights. Saved myself a bundle from the LFS offerings.
I'll post some more pics after I get the lights hooked up and when it's on the tank.
fastforward
03-06-2007, 12:21 AM
Man, that last shot makes it look sort of like a coffin :eek:
Very nice work, though. I just built one for my 60 gal a few weeks ago and after seeing yours I'm kind of regretting my design.
Zamboniman
03-06-2007, 12:45 AM
Man, that last shot makes it look sort of like a coffin :eek:
Very nice work, though. I just built one for my 60 gal a few weeks ago and after seeing yours I'm kind of regretting my design.
:D LOL! I thought exactly the same thing when I first saw the pic! Hopefully it'll look a bit less like a coffin when it's on the tank.
I looked at a few different designs, both here and at my LFS. Post some pics if you can of what you came up with, I'd like to see it.
fastforward
03-06-2007, 1:13 AM
:D LOL! I thought exactly the same thing when I first saw the pic! Hopefully it'll look a bit less like a coffin when it's on the tank.
I looked at a few different designs, both here and at my LFS. Post some pics if you can of what you came up with, I'd like to see it.
I'm feeling entirely too lazy to go take pics of something I'm not even espescially pleased with ;)
However, it's basicly the standard box made of 3/4" plywood. Where the problem was is I was building it to match the rounded corners on my acrylic tank and I only wanted the front to flip and not the whole top. Therefore, the seam was right in the middle of the radius. I couldn't find any hinges thin enough to keep the gap small so I ended up using 3/16" steel rod as dowling and setting it into the hood and flushing the dowling with the front face. The whole front face of the hood just slides on and off. It also had two cutouts with inserts over the back to allow easy access to my HOBs.
It seemed like a good design at the time but really it's a huge PITA as it turns out. It was kind of a spur of the moment thing I cranked out in a few hours one Saturday so I guess that's what I get :D
Mgamer20o0
03-06-2007, 1:15 AM
looks good.
I like the sleek black and the design you chose...even down to the silver knob. I also like how you can open it all the way. Mine opens only about halfway. Well done!
Rbishop
03-06-2007, 6:11 AM
Nice.
Zamboniman
03-11-2007, 9:37 PM
Ok, as promised here's a couple pics of the new canopy on the tank. I think it turned out quite nice.
Jaysn
03-11-2007, 10:03 PM
Good job! Your tank looks good too.
Gotcha38
03-15-2007, 5:55 PM
Do you have a picture of it on the tank, but open? I'm wondering how the lights are setup.
Hey that looks pretty cool!
Zamboniman
03-16-2007, 1:01 AM
Do you have a picture of it on the tank, but open? I'm wondering how the lights are setup.
I'll snap a pic of it opened up with the lights showing on the weekend. A friend borrowed my digital camera for a couple of days and I'll have it back by then. Nothing fancy though, 6 T8 bulbs at this point for a low to low-medium setup due to lousy/no reflectors. Some decent reflectors and ODNO would help. Eventually I'll order something nice online and get it really pumping down the lumens.
Zamboniman
03-16-2007, 1:05 AM
Hey that looks pretty cool!
Thanks! I'm quite happy with how it turned out, both looks and functionality. Should be easy enough to put in a better light setup in the future when the budget permits. I may have to install a little fan in there too, as it can get warm under there and summer is on its way.
Mgamer20o0
03-16-2007, 1:18 AM
looks like your plants are going to like that.
Zamboniman
03-16-2007, 1:28 AM
I'll snap a pic of it opened up with the lights showing on the weekend. A friend borrowed my digital camera for a couple of days and I'll have it back by then. Nothing fancy though, 6 T8 bulbs at this point for a low to low-medium setup due to lousy/no reflectors. Some decent reflectors and ODNO would help. Eventually I'll order something nice online and get it really pumping down the lumens.
Ok, here's a couple of really lousy cellphone camera pics. It'll give a bit of an idea of what it looks like. My apologies for the quality.
Germanman
03-16-2007, 2:21 AM
looks really great
Great looking hood.
Have you got any plans you can share?
I’m interested in your light specs
do they get very hot under the hood? I’ve heard that some lights can get very hot under the hood and be a danger.
I guess the white reflects the light and the heat that solves the problem.
I am looking at doing a DIY on my new aquarium when I get it later this year. Cabinet, Hood, Lights what ever parts I can do myself.
aya7med
01-08-2008, 3:11 PM
wmderful
it is perfect hood
ty