My DIYed Tank Hood

[weishun]

Hi everybody, i just did a DIYed hood yesterday for the main purpose of mounting a MH unit to my tank. Please give me some opinions on how to improve the design. I have not touch on the finishing yet so its just raw plywood you are looking at.

[weishun]

Here is an inside look of how the hood stands on the tank.

[giantbicycle]

nice

[weishun]

Another inside look...

[weishun]

Thanks giantbicycle... here is an overall look..

[weishun]

Heres how it looks like with flash without the finishing....

[weishun]

This is how i mount and keep the MH in place using ordinary nails.

[weishun]

Finally, my tank with MH and Pl at full blast... heheh

[Terryz_]

Bro... Where you got the plywood... Looking for my diy hood too...

[Melvyn Tan]

I think if you want to use plywood, perhaps you may wish to consider marine ply instead as it will last longer especially in use for marine tanks. Looks nice.

[Terryz_]

Where to get???

[Melvyn Tan]

Perhaps some of the lfs can get it ordered and cut for you? else you may need to go to some of those specialised plywood supplier workshops. plys by itself dun look that good, you may have to spraypaint it, lacquer it or veneer/laminate it.

[weishun]

I am planning to have lets say 3-4 layers of laquer on the plywood. Just bought laquer just now. Will be doing the first layer later. Will post pictures again once its done.

[auberon]

Is there any special lacquer required due to the salt water?

[Eric]

Finally, my tank with MH and Pl at full blast... heheh

I think the hood is a bit too high for ur tank depth, feels kinda wierd.........maybe can reduce the height of the hood slightly.

Eric

[dr evil]

well done.....btw, for my opinion after many yrs of making hoods... its better for u to mount the mh below the plywood instead of placing it on top. the mh fixture looks kinda of ugly... (mind me saying) petruding out of the hood.

the actinic much also be in the hood instead placing on top.....

the rational is.......why have a hood if the equipment can be seen? a hood suppose to house all those fixture.....

my 2 cents worth

[ryz]

wah so many layers ah??

the hood so high, when u wanna adjust things in tank have to bring the hiid down? v troublesome... Thats why I suggested to make the front piece a door where u can swing up and do maintenence on your tank...

[weishun]

Hmm the height is the main purpose due to the MH coverage area. I need to do it high so i dun need to mount the mh to my ceiling. Anyway i think this height is so so loh. Really look very weird ah?

[weishun]

Hmm if i were to put the MH inside the hood rite... the height of the hood will be much much higher instead because i will need to bring up the height of the mh even when the mh is inside the hood

[typrobin]

i thnk your tank and my tank is about the same size, wats the height of your tank? i think most likely 1.5ft?

my tank is 2ft tall, so i place my MH really close to the water surface, almost like 4inches above only...if u wanna have a good spread, i suggest u change it to a 250W and take out all the PLs to save some electrical bills...

by placing the MH so high up, it will reduce the intensity of the light very much...

just my opinion, may not be the best, may even be a bad idea...

another thing, the nails and screws, use the glue tubes to seal them up..it is those that pple use with a glue gun...wat i did was soften the glue tube with a lighter and then smulge the soft glue onto the screw and nail head...this will help prevent rust...

[weishun]

typrobim, i was thinking of doing that to my nails too. But u dun have a glue gun. Plus i just finished laquering my hood. Now very shiny. Just wondering, instead of using glue gun, can i use silicon instead?

My tank is 18inch tall in height.

[typrobin]

eerrmmm...i think silicon should be ok...

but no need to buy glue gun, just soften it with lighter then smulge it all over, it will look messy but wat the heck...

[weishun]

typrobin: haha yah loh, for me i dun care whether i looks nice or not. As long as its working fine and carries no problem to me its okay liao. Haha. I think i wait till the laquer dries up first then tomorrow i silicon the nails up. Hehe.

[moron_clown]

here's mine.2X250w with spider reflector.mounted using chengal strips.

[weishun]

maron_clown: you running on MH as well? Is that an aircon i see in your tank hood?