Totally confused with new fluorescent hood..

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FreshyFresh

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I was ordering some stuff @ Drs. Foster and Smith and couldn't resist this lighted hood on clearance for $33 that's advertised to fit 20L, 29g, etc.. tanks. I may use it on my existing 20L, or for another 20L some day..

Anyhoo, it's 36" wide and does fit on a 20L, but overhangs the sides w/ no obvious ways to adjust or "trim" the plastic? There's no perforations or notches in the plastic.. Anyone familiar with this fixture for this application? Even the labeling on the box contradicts itself..:wall:

Here's the add for the fixture: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3733+9662+3785&pcatid=3785



 

jpappy789

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Capture.JPG

A 36" hood with actual dimensions 30"x12"? That makes no sense.

I think there's a mistake with the labeling. A 36" hood isn't going to "fit" a 30" 20L/29g tank, the right size should fit within the top trimming nicely and not overhang. For whatever reason Drs F&S might not have caught it and are advertising it for the wrong size tanks...I'd contact them and hopefully they'll fix this for you.

Capture.JPG
 

FreshyFresh

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LOL! I hear you. It's almost as if the wrong fixture was put in the box. There are tabs and a raised flange on the underside of the hood that allows it to fit into the top of a 20L (which may account for the 30" x 12"), but the right/left sides overlap the top of the tank and stick out 3" each. Weird. A shame too, because it's a really well-built lighted hood. The one I have is identical to the pic on drsfosterandsmith (black, not woodgrain).

p_27639_37110_lighting.jpg

p_27639_37110_lighting.jpg
 

TL1000RSquid

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+1 for return.. Aqueon Deluxe hood I think costs $30 something bucks fits good no overhanging. Downside is cut out for only 1 HOB.
 

FreshyFresh

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+1 for return.. Aqueon Deluxe hood I think costs $30 something bucks fits good no overhanging. Downside is cut out for only 1 HOB.
I haven't decided what to do yet.. The box for the hood is large, then the box DFS packed that in was MASSIVE. If I have to pay the return shipping, it wouldn't be cheap. Have to get with DFS on that.

I haven't seen any Aqueon deluxe hoods for 20 longs any cheaper than $45 or so and they're not as nice as this one, aside from weird fitment of course. :grinno:

Trimming ~3" off each side of this unit would make it perfect. Just not sure how to trim it without buggering up the edges.

Yeah, this one has a removable/trimable plastic strip for the back just like on a versa-top.
 

Glabe

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I wish my hoods had built in fish food shelves!
 

FreshyFresh

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I wish my hoods had built in fish food shelves!
LOL! That it does..

I just looked at the under side of the box and that says "Fits all 40 and 55gal tanks". What the....:screwy:

Every side of the box lists totally different tank size ranges. I guess Perfecto's motto is, If it doesn't fall-in, it FITS!
 

Glabe

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I guess Perfecto's motto is, If it doesn't fall-in, it FITS!
Lol. Have you figured out a solution yet? A finely toothed saw of any kind would work
 

FreshyFresh

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Lol. Have you figured out a solution yet? A finely toothed saw of any kind would work
No I haven't. I emailed DFS cust. service on Friday, but haven't heard anything yet. Don't really expect to given my luck with emailing anyone's customer service.

I'm not really hot on the concern, given I don't have an immediate use for this lighted hood. My cheapo Top-Fin LED hood (fits 20L/29/37g) that was acting up, has been acting fine lately (LEDs occasionally going dim), plus I've got more gold mystery snails on the underside of it that I'm waiting for something to happen with.

Good call on the fine-toothed saw. Scoring and snapping might also be an option, or just leave it as-is. Like I say, the fluorescent strip light on it alone could be used for lots of applications and would be ~$30 on it's own. The light lifts right off of it. It basically sits over a raised plastic flange on the hood, with a siliconed in piece of glass between light and water.
 
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