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Tank hood jerririg

HeatherFay

New Member
Messages
4
Location
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
How frustrating! I bought a lovely 30 gallon aquarium - used. Went out and bought a new hood/light combo for it and it's 1/4" too small. The box says it's 13" wide. The aquarium is about 11 3/4 " wide and the $%^& hood is 11 1/2" (inside measurements)

The box actually says the hood 13" wide! Ya - the box maybe. I know I can return it, but my dilemma is, what will I get instead if my tank is some kind weird size. I've been researching all over the internet and get very sloppy information about tank dimensions. Many places simply state that the hood is 36" long, as if the width measurement is a standard. The outside dimensions are 36" x 12.5" by 18"

So... I'm beginning to think my used Hagen wasn't such a deal.

I was considering the possibility of siliconing a strip of something along the edge of the hood to make it fit. But what?

Anybody have any experience trying to jerririg a hood fit? Any other suggestions for a cover / light solution?
 

HeatherFay

New Member
Messages
4
Location
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
And another thing... the inside lip of the tank is disconcertingly narrow - barely 1/4" wide. Maybe this tank is not intended to hold a hood? At least not one that rests on the inside lip.
 

gerald

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
1,491
Location
Wake Forest NC, USA
How about a plastic rod salvaged from an old window blind? The rod that you turn to open & close the blind slats.
I always save those - they're useful for so many fix-it projects. Take the metal hook off.

Or, go to a glass shop and get two pieces of glass cut to the size you need. No need for a silicone hinge; just lay them together.
Tank maintenence is much easier if you can just lift the glass panes off. Ask them to sand all the edges so they're not sharp.

Your tank WAS designed to hold a hood made by THAT manufacturer. Different brands are slightly differenet sizes so hoods are not always interchangeable (as you now know).
 

Mike Wise

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
11,202
Location
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
Gerald has the best answer. Every manufacturer seems to have plastic trim a bit different from the next. If you don't want a glass canopy/strip light, then look for a hood with small 'knock off' pins to customize the hood to the tank. If you don't like glass, then try finding some Solexx (or equivalent) brand plastic greenhouse panels. I've seen hobbyists use it on 40 breeders without it flexing. Easy to cut to size and nearly unbreakable. Expensive stuff, but I'm thinking about changing all my odd size/brands (including metal frame) tanks to it.
 

HeatherFay

New Member
Messages
4
Location
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Thanks very much guys. Lots of good ideas! I've been stewing over my options and have finally decided to go with a glass canopy / strip light. As I type, the local glass guy is custom fitting a canopy for me. I returned the hood to the store this morning and they couldn't help me with any other options. Nothing they have, or can get, will fit. Gerald's idea got me thinking about slitting 2 lengths of airline tubing and siliconing them to the long edges of the hood to make it fit, but the bottom line is I lack confidence in myself when it comes to DIY stuff. I have a long history of "good idea, poor execution" projects. Heh heh. At this point in my life I'm willing to turn it over to the experts. Thanks again.

....anxiously waiting to get my tank home and start cycling...
 

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