self made hood - Aquarium Advice

troutman11111 · 12-02-2003, 09:20 PM

i didn't now what else to do with my light it made the living room to bright.2x250mh x 2x65wpc actnic. so i cut 2 pieces of cardboard, painted the inside gloss white and the outside gloss black. put one in front and one in the back. what a differance, the sides are not coverd but it does not affect anyone. cheap and it works.

justDIY · 12-02-2003, 09:30 PM

sweet work man...

are you planing on building a wood 'wrap around' ... maybe some luan with 1x2's inside for ribbing?

troutman11111 · 12-02-2003, 09:41 PM

it would be nice, but i'm no carpenter. if the cardboard warps to bad i'll cut two more pieces. so far no problem going on 3 months.

12-03-2003, 12:06 AM

I would be cautious about using Cardboard.. I dont know about your [acronym:12ee776490="Metal halide light"]MH[/acronym:12ee776490] bulbs but mine get extremely Hot.. I left a thermometer on top of my canopy on accident and it read 125f in a pretty short time.. My canopy is made of 3/4 Marine Grade plywood..

[acronym:12ee776490="Hope this helps (or) Happy to help"]HTH[/acronym:12ee776490],
James

justDIY · 12-03-2003, 07:58 AM

well, the good thing about cardboard is there isn't much to burn - if it caught fire, it'd likely fall apart and into the tank rather quickly

on the other hand - how about fumes from your spray paint? getting cooking by the [acronym:da2bfd2b4a="Metal halide light"]MH[/acronym:da2bfd2b4a], must have an unpleasent smell for the 1st few days?

Bearfan · 12-03-2003, 08:16 AM

I think this is a bad idea. If one of your fans fails on your [acronym:7db2b5068e="Metal halide light"]MH[/acronym:7db2b5068e] fixture, there is a severe chance of fire. I think something a little more flame retardant would be a wise investment.

**BillyZ** · 12-03-2003, 01:39 PM

I agree. The cardboard scares me. I would go to Home Depot/Lowes and pick up 1/4" particle board. They can even cut it for you if you give them the dimensions. It's light enough to support itself the way your cardboard does, but it's also dense enouch to not worry me about fire as much as cardboard does.

troutman11111 · 02-05-2004, 11:37 PM

sorry, i did not reply 2months sonner. the paint did not smell at all,and my fans did not come on because of the timer losing time, yes the top of the light did get hot, but since the 2 peices of cardboard are only leaning on the back and front and nothing on the sides they did not get hot only warm. i like the particle board idea to replace my cardboard. this was only a temp hood, till i got more info. but man does time fly.

Thaiboxer · 02-06-2004, 10:10 AM

I'm making plans for a wood hood right now... I'll post when I get them. I'd be very anxious if I had a cardboard top!

NASCAR_Dave · 02-06-2004, 10:44 AM

I just built a canopy...well, am building a canopy. I usually draw all my woodworking projects up in Visio but this time I kinda winged it. I will see if I can draw up the plans this weekend and psot them, along with pictures of the canopy.

12-02-2003, 09:20 PM	#1
troutman11111 Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: n.j. Posts: 286 Images: 12	self made hood i didn't now what else to do with my light it made the living room to bright.2x250mh x 2x65wpc actnic. so i cut 2 pieces of cardboard, painted the inside gloss white and the outside gloss black. put one in front and one in the back. what a differance, the sides are not coverd but it does not affect anyone. cheap and it works.

12-02-2003, 09:41 PM	#3
troutman11111 Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: n.j. Posts: 286 Images: 12	it would be nice, but i'm no carpenter. if the cardboard warps to bad i'll cut two more pieces. so far no problem going on 3 months. __________________ 75gal oceanic with 20 gal refugium, 750g.p.h.pump for HSA-250 skimmer, EHEIM-1250 PUMP FOR 200gph mincal. calcium reactor with 20lb co2 tank and co2 regulator with solenoid, 800G.P.H. overflow box pump and filter, aquaclearl 500 power filter for circulation and carbon use only,wave maker 900, 3x300g.p.h., pinpoint ph controller, delta star 1/3hp chiller.with 600g.p.h. pump, spectrapure automatic liquid level controller for the addition of ro.di.top off water, kent marine 4 stage delux maxxima 35g.p.d. hi-s, t.d.s. monitor, flush kit, 170lbs live rock, 5in sand bed, acropora's LG green,pink, and med purple, LG montipora encrusting purple, LG porities coral yellow, LG ruffled ridge coral, LG starburst coral green, green hairy mushrooms 100+, blue mushrooms, red mush, fluorescent green mush,green striped mush, bubble coral, LG finger leather and 2in baby, green ricordia mush, in refugium halimeda plant, caulerpa, and lot's of bug's. 1 purple tang, male and female percular clown's, 1 yellow wrasse

12-03-2003, 08:16 AM	#6
Bearfan Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Marquette, MI Posts: 3,570 Images: 45	I think this is a bad idea. If one of your fans fails on your [acronym:7db2b5068e="Metal halide light"]MH[/acronym:7db2b5068e] fixture, there is a severe chance of fire. I think something a little more flame retardant would be a wise investment. __________________ 75 gal w/ 75 gal sump, 25 gal fuge with Chaeto and 25 gal frag - 4x65 PC w/ Moonlite on the main tank, 2x20W PC on the fuge, 4x20W PC on the frag 72 Gal Bowfront Planted w/ 2x65 PC and 40W T8

12-03-2003, 01:39 PM	#7
BillyZ Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Western NY Posts: 3,623 Images: 6	I agree. The cardboard scares me. I would go to Home Depot/Lowes and pick up 1/4" particle board. They can even cut it for you if you give them the dimensions. It's light enough to support itself the way your cardboard does, but it's also dense enouch to not worry me about fire as much as cardboard does. __________________ Acronyms and Abbreviations

02-05-2004, 11:37 PM	#8
troutman11111 Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: n.j. Posts: 286 Images: 12	sorry, i did not reply 2months sonner. the paint did not smell at all,and my fans did not come on because of the timer losing time, yes the top of the light did get hot, but since the 2 peices of cardboard are only leaning on the back and front and nothing on the sides they did not get hot only warm. i like the particle board idea to replace my cardboard. this was only a temp hood, till i got more info. but man does time fly. __________________ 75gal oceanic with 20 gal refugium, 750g.p.h.pump for HSA-250 skimmer, EHEIM-1250 PUMP FOR 200gph mincal. calcium reactor with 20lb co2 tank and co2 regulator with solenoid, 800G.P.H. overflow box pump and filter, aquaclearl 500 power filter for circulation and carbon use only,wave maker 900, 3x300g.p.h., pinpoint ph controller, delta star 1/3hp chiller.with 600g.p.h. pump, spectrapure automatic liquid level controller for the addition of ro.di.top off water, kent marine 4 stage delux maxxima 35g.p.d. hi-s, t.d.s. monitor, flush kit, 170lbs live rock, 5in sand bed, acropora's LG green,pink, and med purple, LG montipora encrusting purple, LG porities coral yellow, LG ruffled ridge coral, LG starburst coral green, green hairy mushrooms 100+, blue mushrooms, red mush, fluorescent green mush,green striped mush, bubble coral, LG finger leather and 2in baby, green ricordia mush, in refugium halimeda plant, caulerpa, and lot's of bug's. 1 purple tang, male and female percular clown's, 1 yellow wrasse

12-02-2003, 09:30 PM	#2
justDIY Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Earth Posts: 1,191 Images: 12	sweet work man... are you planing on building a wood 'wrap around' ... maybe some luan with 1x2's inside for ribbing?

12-03-2003, 12:06 AM	#4
cj10488 Guest Posts: n/a	I would be cautious about using Cardboard.. I dont know about your [acronym:12ee776490="Metal halide light"]MH[/acronym:12ee776490] bulbs but mine get extremely Hot.. I left a thermometer on top of my canopy on accident and it read 125f in a pretty short time.. My canopy is made of 3/4 Marine Grade plywood.. [acronym:12ee776490="Hope this helps (or) Happy to help"]HTH[/acronym:12ee776490], James

12-03-2003, 07:58 AM	#5
justDIY Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Earth Posts: 1,191 Images: 12	well, the good thing about cardboard is there isn't much to burn - if it caught fire, it'd likely fall apart and into the tank rather quickly on the other hand - how about fumes from your spray paint? getting cooking by the [acronym:da2bfd2b4a="Metal halide light"]MH[/acronym:da2bfd2b4a], must have an unpleasent smell for the 1st few days?

02-06-2004, 10:10 AM	#9
Thaiboxer Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 449	I'm making plans for a wood hood right now... I'll post when I get them. I'd be very anxious if I had a cardboard top!

02-06-2004, 10:44 AM	#10
NASCAR_Dave Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Euless, TX Posts: 31 Images: 5	I just built a canopy...well, am building a canopy. I usually draw all my woodworking projects up in Visio but this time I kinda winged it. I will see if I can draw up the plans this weekend and psot them, along with pictures of the canopy.

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