Making A Cheap Diy Hood For My 55g

[Zenki]

So two days ago i decided i was tired of lamps and one unsightly under-cabinet florescent light.
(this had been used previously for automotive work so had quite the beating lol)
(light was also diasembled and cleaned inside the fixture and out because of this)

I also am getting ready to start planting my tank and do away with a large bit of the plastics,and sponge bob houses to my youngest sister.

SO,I know for fact i need more light than what i had @ 1/2 watt to a gallon tops.

not having money for a good hood and having issues with my 18 m/o son who loves the fishies enough to try to swim with them,I decided to make a hood with some non chemical treated wood leftover from building a fake wall about a year ago.


So far i've made the frame and got the new undercabinet 24 t/8 grow/aqaurium light@ 10.99 usd i still have one more to purchase.

i went ahead and used the old undercabinet as it is the same size as the grow lights to go in place of the second grow lamp.

there will be three lamps total for 80 watts from the grow lights and whatever i decide on for a central light/ ambient light temp.

I'm waiting for my girlfriend to wake up to take pictures of the framing which is getting paint to day, 3 coats of satin black min.

My light question >>>

I am wondering though as to what light temperatures i should use for ambeint light the grow light seems almost purple (assuming blue spectrum is responsible for this?)

right now its is just a standard kitchen bulb and is quite bright,thinking maybe a cooler coolered light my current bulb seems like a much warmer tone.

also the light for ambiance is going to be in the middle front of the tank, with the two 24 inch grow bulbs to the back of it.


hopefully i should have pics of the frame bare @ painted sometime by midday.

also any good suggestions on a reflective surface, I was thinking about using aluminum as it doesn't rust but am not completely sure thats the solution.

 

[Aquascaper]

Household tubes are normally 4500k which gives the 'warm yellow' glow, ideally for growing plants under T8's you need 6500k which is a more 'warm white'.

As you go higher up the Kelvin rating the colours go (roughly): Red - Yellow - White - Blue.

If you want a 'cooler' white for the ambient tube then perhaps a marine white tube @ 10000k

Any aquatic fluorescent tube described as 'daylight' or 'plant' will suffice for the grow lights.

Household tin foil works fine as a reflector and it's what I cover the inside of all my hoods with. Just stick it to the wood with glue and smooth it out.

 

[Zenki]

Household tubes are normally 4500k which gives the 'warm yellow' glow, ideally for growing plants under T8's you need 6500k which is a more 'warm white'.

As you go higher up the Kelvin rating the colours go (roughly): Red - Yellow - White - Blue.

If you want a 'cooler' white for the ambient tube then perhaps a marine white tube @ 10000k

Any aquatic fluorescent tube described as 'daylight' or 'plant' will suffice for the grow lights.

Household tin foil works fine as a reflector and it's what I cover the inside of all my hoods with. Just stick it to the wood with glue and smooth it out.

Any suggestions as to what kind of glue or would regular old superglue work.

thanks for the light suggestion too, that sounds like the daylight bulbs i was looking at yesterday which where 10000k iirc would be good then. I just didn't know if it would be right for the fish or too bright.

 

[Aquascaper]

I attached mine to plastic hoods with pritt stic and to wooden hoods with watered down PVA glue.

The fish will adapt to any light over time (more nocturnal species may hide more) but only you will know if it's too bright really.

If you search the Arcadia tube range that will show different options.

 

[Zenki]

I attached mine to plastic hoods with pritt stic and to wooden hoods with watered down PVA glue.

The fish will adapt to any light over time (more nocturnal species may hide more) but only you will know if it's too bright really.

If you search the Arcadia tube range that will show different options.

Good info for sure. thanks man

 

[Zenki]

waiting on it to dry so i can do touch up here is some pics i need to get another phillips head for the drill to get rid of the gaps and move the back over roughly a 1/2 inch. It was late last night when i started and i only had the tools for the night ended up stripping out the bit

You can see the gap where the screws didn't set right. I have to get another Phillips bit and drill a pilot hole and it will come together

I still have to make sides,something for the front and a lid. still debating on computer fans in the far ends but i think i
will wait till summer on those when the tank might need the cooling

also still have one growlight fixture to get and i'm pretty sure i'm going to go with the 10000k it seems like it will give me what i want for ambient light. it will be mounted in the center towards the front.

 

[Zenki]

Paints dry hoods fits on the tank pretty well considering i measured out just the three bottom beams and eyeballed the rest