Can someone please show me how to build a hood.

[NJ Devils Fan]

I want to make a hood on my tank with as many lights a possible. I need something that can move because I want it to cover the entire tank, but when I have to open the lid, I don't want it to be in the way. I would like something in picture B of the designs from the AC DiY plans.

http://www.aquariacentral.com/diy/canopy.gif

When I was last at my local home depot, they had shop lights that were about 5-6 inches or so for only $7 each. I want to make something that works very well and doesn't cost much(like just about everyone else ;)) My tank is 48" long, on the ends is 12" wide and in the middle 18". I don't care about it going over the edge in the front. It has to be a few inches smaller because I don't have the full space in the back because of the filters.

[Heady]

Did you see beviking's plans & pics of the finished product?

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7798

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7959

I'm going to use a variation for my own stand and canopy.

[NJ Devils Fan]

I need one that can move so it can be on the tank and I can move a part of it so I can open the lid.

[Elmo]

This is the basic plan that I used to build my hood.

http://nediger.www2.dotnetplayground.com/fish/canopy.jpg

[Heady]

I'm going to make mine with a front that will swing up, so I can add food daily without taking everything off the top of the tank. I'm going to also put those fancy hinges on the very back so it will hold itself up while I'm doing maintenance. (I have those kind of hinges on my 55 now).

[NJ Devils Fan]

Elmo, when you open yp the lid, don't the lights shine in your eyes?

[Heady]

Unless you have regular fluorescents, you would want to turn off the lights before opening.

[Woozledad]

I plan on making mine like Elmo's plans... I'm not concerned about the light shinning in my eyes, that's what they make on/off switches for....I plan to mount the ballasts on the back of the tank stand.... Personally, I think this type of hood gives you the most area to work with and allows the most room for lights...

[beviking]

Originally posted by NJ Devils Fan
I need one that can move so it can be on the tank and I can move a part of it so I can open the lid.

What? You want to move the whole hood? Or just be able to open the door? The plan elmo has will give you the most access (obviously) to the top of the tank. I prefer to leave the lights on when cleaning/rearranging that is why I used the plans I did. If you choose to use plans like the mine, you have to allow enough room for the glass to swing open (the lights hang down from above, the glass top swings up:rolleyes: )and for me, this is enough room to get in there and do maintenance w/o removing the whole hood. I can slide it forward when I want to get at the hoses coming over the back of the tank too.
NJ, your tank is a bowfront? Seems the easier plan for a bowfront would be as elmo posted, but you can make anything work! Think it out and ask lots of ppl lots of questions.

Heady, can you be more specific on your alterations in hood plans? I'm curious. Thanks!

[Heady]

I like to store knicknacks etc. on top of my hood. Normally when I need to feed my fish or do water changes, I need to take all the crap off the top of the hood and then open it. PITA.

The front panel of my hood will be attached to the rest of the hood by hinges which are attached at the top inside of the front panel. That way, all I have to do when I want to feed the fish daily is to flip open the front part of the hood, leaving all my knicknacks on top, feed the fish, and flip it closed when finished.

The hinge for the top will be the same as I have now. On the inside sides of the back of the top part of the hood, I am putting a special type of lever/hinge thing (I don't know the name for it). These hinge/lever things allow you to open the door and it stays open until you want to close it. All you do is lift up and push down, it stays wherever you put it. This comes in handy when doing water changes.

There is a special name for this kind of hinge but I can't think of it right now.

[NJ Devils Fan]

Thats what I was going to ask, how do you get the lid to stay up. I see now. I will get those hindges. I hope that this will not be too hard to do.

[NJ Devils Fan]

Ok, I'm 95% sure that I am going to make mine like elmo's, just one question. What about the wires from the shop light?Do they just stick out of the hood? Like, each time you open and close it, the wires move?

[Heady]

Make the back completely open. That way it stays cool and the wires can just drape down the back of the tank.

[beviking]

Sounds good Heady. I know the hinges you're talking about. Do they need substantial support to mount them to? I mean, do you have to "beef up" the sides in order to secure the hinges so they can handle the weight of the lid? You'll be lifting and supporting the lid plus lights and hardware attached to it. Although, that's probably not too much weight anyway.
I know what you mean about nicknacks on top. We keep stuff up there too. The hood is 20" deep and the lid door is 4.5" so takes up 9" when open. Still leaves 11" of space for stuff. Just fyi.

[NJ Devils Fan]

Now I'm 0% sure I will make the hood. I just went to HD. The lights were $13.49 each and I wanted 3, so that would have been $40, which is double the price I saw similar ones before. Then, the wood and putting everything together was just to confusing and was too big of a deal, so we just got another shoplight and two bulbs.