Simple hood and light

[Crow]

This seems a little simple compared to the other projects I've seen in this forum, but it seemed like the best place to ask.

I inherited a ten gallon tank that I'm using as a quaratine tank. It didn't have a hood with it though.

I salvaged a piece of acrylic that I'm going to cut into a two-pieced hinged cover.

Would small metal hinges work, or would I have a problem with rusting?

And would just a normal ballast work, or do I need to protect it in some manner? It would sit on top of the acrylic. The tanks not planted, so I'm not concerned about WPG.

 

[justDIY]

go with brass hinges, yes they will corrode, but not to the point of becoming un-useable

as for your ballast, I need to know more about what type of lighting you want ... most (but not all) electronic ballasts allow for a good length of wire between the ballast and the bulb, magnetic ballasts work best mounted as close to the bulb as possible.

a lot of commerical ballasts are rated class I or II for outdoor use, which means they can withstand excessive humdity and bad conditions. if the ballast says "indoor use only", then it would not be good to use inside the hood / canopy, as it will receive too much humidity from the tank.