DIY hood for my tank

[Wolf3101]

Personally I think you should stick with 3 fixtures. I have a 110 long that origanally came with lights on the doors. every time you opened the hood you had a blinding light in your eyes. Every OTHER time you opened the door the bulbs shifted and the lights went out...That only lasted a single night before I ripped them off and installed a MUCH better unit.

Additionally...I have and USE those plastic tube covers on our tank lights and they work great. The only thing I would add is to fill the sockets with diaelectric grease to water proof them. I do this with EVERY connection around my tanks...even on the power strips.

 

[canucksfan1]

that is the plan, just wondering how to go about keeping the moisture from the ballast???

 

[canucksfan1]

so i just finished all the woodwork for the hood and put it all together, i still haven't cut where i am putting the opening and the hinge but i wanted to see where i could cut it so that i don't have to lift the weight of the light when i open it. I also put a test patch of the rubberized paint i am using to seal the wood, all i need to buy is a piece of that pink styrofoam insulation that i want to put in to help keep some heat in the tank. (sometimes at night my house gets somewhat cold because we use a woodburning stove for heat so i am hoping this will help just in case)

 

[canucksfan1]

k well i got the lighting in and all wired up and it works pretty good, more then enough light for not needing to grow plants, i also got the inside all painted up and seales, just gotta make a cut where i am putting hinges and the paint the outside of it black and were good to go

O i will post some pics a little later when i can figure out why i can't get any pics from my phone to my comp. I am almost done everything for my 518 gallon tank now and i pretty stoked to go get the fish from my buddies unlce, all i need now is to buy a heater, an FX5, and a pump that can handle 1200gph at 6 feet of head for my wet dry

O and anyone have any ideas on how to keep the moisture away from the ballast so i don't burn them out??? I am gunna drill a couple 4 inch holes in the hood and hook up some fans will that be enough??