How to make my own DIY hood..

[Mez]

Hey guys..

I currently have a 3ft predator tank and a 2ft freshwater tank. The freshwater tank will be a reef tank by new year, and i will need to build a new hood for it, as the hood i have for it at the moment only holds one tube.

SO..i am going to practise on my 3ft tank, as the hood (same make, Juwel) only holds one tube too, and i have a spare 15w tube that gives a nice low-light effect that will come on half an hour before the main tube comes on (though, because this is a pred tank, the main tube itself is nothing compared to reef tanks lights! the main tube is a 50/50 6500k).

So..what i need to know is..well..basically..everything!

I plan on using wood, and painting it black with a black waterproof paint, that sound ok?

What i dont understand is, how would the hood fit on the side of the tank? i know i could, in theory, just have a big peice of wood on top of the tank with a few holes could in it...but i want to know how it would fit on the side of the tank.

For a feeding tray, i would just cut a legnth of wood out of the hood, and when not feeding i would leave it on, and when i am feeding, take it off, simply, right?

If anyone could list what materials i would need, then that would be great...

Thanks,

James:)

[Dave ESPI]

I make custom hoods for people... look around for a thread or 2 posted by myself and others. its all there.

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/showthread...=&threadid=1691

here is one.

[BCOrchidGuy]

Wow Dave not only are ya smart but handy too.... damn and Im already married....

 

I make my own hoods too most of the time, I've been an avid wood worker for years. I have to agree with you on the fact that poplar is a real nice wood. Red Oak, white oak are nice too but 2 - 3 times the cost of poplar here. I've tried Pine, ply, MDF and Douglas fir. Fir worked best, I will try the poplar next for a hood.

 

I have to make one for my 20 and one for my 72, maybe one for my 77 too... sheesh this is going to be expensive.... oh well.