Has anybody got any ideas for making a makeshift hood?

Last time round I build one from wood and took ages on it, it looked great but was lots of hassle and being wood it's very heavy and can expand and warp after time.


Has anybody got any other ideas (other then buying a proper one)

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Nandopsis Haitiensis - Parachromis Dovii - Paratheraps bifasciatus (Thank you Curvi!) - Motoro Ray -
Corydoras Sterbai + Schwartzi - Ripsaw Cat (Oxydoras niger) - Xiphophorus helleri (Swordtails) - Pelvicachromis pulcher (Kribensis)- Sturgeon - Koi

well you can make one out of sheet plastic and a piano hinge which runs the whole length of the opening flap dont know how much that would cost though , and it will still take a lot of time on the plus side you can silicon all the parts together .

I made a six foot one out of marine ply once, using a piano hinge running along the opening , stuck all tinfoil on the inside with silicon ,varnished it with yacht varnish and used it for twenty years. on a marine tank for 10 then tropical for ten no swelling no warping still got it on my six footer down the shed where I store my ro water .

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senile old git

does it have to be a hood? [not keen on em myself] if you just want a cheap cover, go to wicks, they sell corrogated plastic sheets 6ftx2ft for appx £5, thats what i use on my 6x2x2 all other tanks are open topped [convertiable stylee with white sidewalls CRUISIN DADDIO]

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WHO'S YA DADDY

how about posting a picture of the tank Pete, might give us some idea's

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My Set-Up's

http://www.aquarist-classifieds.co.u...et-up-925.html

http://www.aquarist-classifieds.co.u...et-up-918.html

http://www.aquarist-classifieds.co.u...l-set-929.html

brian - i made my last out of marine ply and coated it up with gear to make it last. it still seemed to expand a bit after a while. did yours from marine expand at all?

tel - thats a very good idea. do you have your lights on top of the plastic or under it?

alex - have you been on your pills again? how would a pic of YOUR tank help

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Nandopsis Haitiensis - Parachromis Dovii - Paratheraps bifasciatus (Thank you Curvi!) - Motoro Ray -
Corydoras Sterbai + Schwartzi - Ripsaw Cat (Oxydoras niger) - Xiphophorus helleri (Swordtails) - Pelvicachromis pulcher (Kribensis)- Sturgeon - Koi

not that I could see, ( but you know what my eyesight is like lol )

just put a few more coats of yacht varnish on the edges .

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senile old git

yes mate, the tubes lie in the grooves, i use 48W tubes and no melting in case ya worried?

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WHO'S YA DADDY

do that unless you or someone you know can do a wooden hood proper, as all the other home made one's i have seen on tanks look like cr*p bodge jobs, although sometimes nothing wrong with a cr*p bodge job, but if it takes and time and money then its a shame

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My Set-Up's

http://www.aquarist-classifieds.co.u...et-up-925.html

http://www.aquarist-classifieds.co.u...et-up-918.html

http://www.aquarist-classifieds.co.u...l-set-929.html

i did make my last one alex for my 6fter. because the rest of the tank is wood finish i wanted it all matching, it took a lot of effort and hassle but it did look good, wasn't cheap at all though cost about 40-50 quid all in after you buy hinges, handles the wood and whatever else.

plus like i said it expands slightly, so i had to shave some off one edge, then you have to re-seal the bugger again. more time and drama.

im going to try telboys method, for less then a tenner its gotta be worth a go.

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Nandopsis Haitiensis - Parachromis Dovii - Paratheraps bifasciatus (Thank you Curvi!) - Motoro Ray -
Corydoras Sterbai + Schwartzi - Ripsaw Cat (Oxydoras niger) - Xiphophorus helleri (Swordtails) - Pelvicachromis pulcher (Kribensis)- Sturgeon - Koi

is this for the cory breeding gang?
what size tank? very thin moisture resistant MDF is a option cut to size if u know a clever little woodworker

give us a clue is it for a front room/show tank or just a breeding project to house the lights?

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