Aquarium Hood

[Monty-2010]

Now then all,

I've just finished building a tank, don't have the space but i wanted to challenge myself to see if i could do it. the tank is fine the part i'm struggling on is how to go about making the hood. the tank is 3' by 1'
what material to use? couldn't find a piece of natural wood that size
any designs that are out there would be appreciated

 

[OldMan47]

Since you will want to hinge the top to make it easy to feed fish or do water changes, you don't really need a piece of wood that wide. By using some nice 1x8 lumber and placing a hinge toward the front, you would have about 6 1/2 inches of space to mount the light fixture toward the back and could cut down the front board to make things fit nicely. I make a simple box and hinge it near the middle of the top. The bottom edge of the box gets a rabbet all the way around the inside so that the hood stays put with no fancy hardware needed.

 

[Monty-2010]

Since you will want to hinge the top to make it easy to feed fish or do water changes, you don't really need a piece of wood that wide. By using some nice 1x8 lumber and placing a hinge toward the front, you would have about 6 1/2 inches of space to mount the light fixture toward the back and could cut down the front board to make things fit nicely. I make a simple box and hinge it near the middle of the top. The bottom edge of the box gets a rabbet all the way around the inside so that the hood stays put with no fancy hardware needed.

good idea, it's sort of what i've ended up going with. good point about the rabbet, but how do you keep it in a straight line?

another question what hinges are good to use?

 

[coldcazzie]

another question what hinges are good to use?

piano hinge

 

[Monty-2010]

whats a piano hinge?

 

[Athena]

Like this:

http/www.wickes.co.uk/piano-hinge/invt/159784/

piano hinge

Athena

 

[coldcazzie]

Like this:

http/www.wickes.co.uk/piano-hinge/invt/159784/

Yep - big long length of hinge like the kind they have in piano lids. Hence the name

 

[Monty-2010]

good call thanks guys

Another thing is there something safe i could treat the wood with, like some sort of varnish or wax? or even paint...

 

[OldMan47]

Piano hinge and white enamel primer paint.

 

[Tizer]

dont fit it with screws that will rust.