Re: Suggestions for hood on a 38 Gallon Aquarium?

[Marc999]

Hello folks,

I'm dusting off an old 38 gallon and realized the hood and light fixture are no where to be found. Last time I checked, fish can jump, so...


Could someone please recommend a Canadian retailer or suggestions for a 12 x 36 inch hood?

much appreciated,
Marc
P.S. I'm pretty excited to get it up and running again, last time I used it was back in the mid '90s with an undergravel filter and powerhead. I'm sure i'll be going with a power filter or two this time around.

 

[jonathan03]

It depends how good you want it to look. You can cut glass to fit in the op of your tank. It wouldn't be hard to epoxy some handles to the glass so you can pick it up.

There are several online drawings if you want to make a canopy. Its just a wood structure that encloses the tank. It covers the filter, lights, etc. to give a smooth look.

There are several commerical hoods availible. Try these:

http://bigalsonline.com/
http://www.thatpetplace.com/

Walmart can be good sometimes but they are hit and miss.

Many people use shop lights from a hardware store and cover them with a canopy.

I would think that I would be easier to make a canopy than a hood. There seem to be very few weird cuts in a canopy. It is just like a box without a top. If you made a hood, you would have to worry about making a window for the light from your light fixture to shine through. I beleive that a canophy suspends the light fixture high enough above the water. A peice of plexiglass could also be added if needed.

A commercial hood would be best if you have a commercial stand and tank with the same border. I have an oak stand and a tank with the same oak trim. It would be somewhat difficult to match that pattern in a DIY project.

I would only attempt DIY if your skilled at building. It will save you some money, but a hood that doesn't work right can be a pain. For example, if it doesn't open right and it bangs against itself when you open it, think of all the troubles you can have just feeding your fish. After a long time, it would get to be a pain. Not to discourage you though, it can be done. There are some nice DIY hoods on here. It just wouldn't be the best first project.

 

[Marc999]

Thanks very much for taking the time to offer your ideas. I do like the canopy idea with plexiglass ontop. It seems out of my league though to make that.
I must admit I'm not much of a handyman, let alone carpenter, so I think I'll try to find a decent hood/light fixture deal through one of the retailers you suggested. At least this time around I can select the light fixture with maximum wattage capabilities for any potential plant project I attempt with the tank.

cheers,
Marc

 

[jonathan03]

You might also get one of the compact lighting kits from AH supply (www.ahsupply.com). They repalce the insides of you light fixture and allow more wattage. The light fixtures made by the common manufacturers are usually low watt lights. You might need one of the kits to get your desired wattage.

I have a 38 gallon tank and the light it came with is only 30W - not so good for plants. I ordered a kit from AH supply to upgrade it.

Also, be sure your light isn't over open water. That a fire and shock hazard.