# Show off your DIY Enclosures



## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

I'm looking for ideas for an enclosure. Let see some pictures of your DIY enclosures.

Maybe I can model mine after yours.

Thanks!


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## cS (Jan 27, 2004)

This is an old photo of my first enclosure. While it worked beautifully, the only problem I had was that it's quite airtight. If I were to build it all over again, then I would have added overhead grills or build something like the Coralife Aqualight fixtures to improve ventilation as well as allowing for an "open-top" view.

Oh, and please ignore the spiral light bulbs. :madgrin:


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## dennis (Mar 1, 2004)

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/aquascaping/10807-50-gallon-journal.html


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## MatPat (Mar 22, 2004)

Here are a few pics of my 55g DIY stand and canopy along with the ODNO lighting. I need to take some better pics now that I have a better camera but here are a few:

Whole tank shot









Stand interior









Detail of hood molding









Back half of hood opened and resting on front half. The front opens the same way but I couldn't get a good pic of it with my old camera


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## Simpte 27 (Jul 16, 2004)

Not fair!! he's a carpenter!!!!!


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## MatPat (Mar 22, 2004)

Cabinetmaker actually, as is Dennis


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## jeff63851 (Feb 23, 2005)

Those enclosures look good. How the heck did MatPat learn to build stuff like that? That hood on the 55 gallon is giving me ideas...


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

jeff63851 said:


> That hood on the 55 gallon is giving me ideas...


Great! That's what this enclosure showcase is for..ideas! They all look great! Dennis's and Matpat's enclosures are definately fantastic. Cs's looks great as well, and simple to do. Keep em coming folks. I would love to see more of your DIY enclosures!

-John N.


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## scans (Feb 3, 2006)

I'm no carpenter but here is what I built. It used to be a reef, now it is Planted discus !

http://homepage.mac.com/scans/PhotoAlbum14.html


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## MatPat (Mar 22, 2004)

scans said:


> I'm no carpenter but here is what I built. It used to be a reef, now it is Planted discus !
> 
> http://homepage.mac.com/scans/PhotoAlbum14.html


Nice!

If I ever get to set up the 180g tank I want, I want to do something very similar to what you have done. I assume the high canopy is for heat distribution due to MH lighting? I would do a similarly high canopy but would have storage space above the lighting. The high storage would be great for keeping little hands out of the various fertilizers needed for planted tank


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## BryceM (Nov 6, 2005)

If you want to see an ugly, but functional one check this out:

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/do-it-yourself/13727-diy-spiral-compact-fluorescent-fixture.html


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## scans (Feb 3, 2006)

yes the hight was needed because of the lights. 2 400w 12000k lights.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

Here is the one I built and am using for my 29 gallon tank. It has all of the ideas I dreamed up while longing for another tank.









Note the splash guard mounted on the canopy instead of on the tank. And, the hold open device.


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## MatPat (Mar 22, 2004)

Another nice design! What wood did you use? The piece that sits on the tank looks like it may be Mahogany!

I really like the integrated splash guard! I may incorporate that into my next hood if you don't mind me "stealing" your idea. Ingenious use of a toy box/blanket chest support also. 

Is the hole on the left side for ventilation? It appears that there are some holes to the left of the lamps.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

It is made of 3/8 mdf, with a skin of "door skin" luan plywood, which is a form of mahogany. Very cheap!! Ventilation is a double row of 1/8 " holes across the back and an equal number in the top. So far, no heat problems, but when I replace those lamps with 110 watts of AHS PC's I may run into a problem.

I need to add - this thing is much too heavy, requiring the hold open/assist spring on the left side. And that looks like it will eventually break off of the wood. But, the AHS lights are lighter, so I am hoping it will be adequate.


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## jeff63851 (Feb 23, 2005)

Hey hoppy,

Are you using aluminum foil as the reflector? It looks like you spent a lot of time building that canopy!


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

The reflector is aluminized mylar - actually a "space blanket", which is very thin mylar. It is epoxied to a wood form. As you can see, I wasn't able to get the air bubbles and wrinkles out, and as time goes by the aluminizing is getting less shiny. This was a fun project all the way, but I actually spent about as much as the cost of an AHS kit just for the lights and reflector. Now I have spent it again by buying a two 55 watt AHS kit.


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

Very cool enclosure guys. Definately got some good ideas so far.

You know when your selecting the wood, should all 4 sides be 1/4 or 1/2 inches? Or should 2 sides be 1/4 and the front-back pieces be 1/2? Does it matter?

And when you put these pieces together is it all nails or all wood glue or a combination of both?

-John N.


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## MatPat (Mar 22, 2004)

My canopy was put together using glue and screws (pocket hole variety). Pocket holes hide the screws so they are only visible from the inside of the hood. I also built mine from 3/4 cabinet grade ply but 1/2'" would work. 1/4" ply will be difficult to screw together but nails would work in combination with glue. I would stick with 1/2" myself but that is my preference for ease of construction.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

I used a pneumatic brad nailer plus carpenter's wood glue (yellow stuff) to hold mine together. The trade off is: thick wood, easy assembly, but heavy - thin wood, hard assembly, but light. If you use thicker wood for the two ends, and thin for the top, especially, you have the best of both worlds.


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## Capt. (Nov 24, 2004)

Here's my DIY stand and canopy. The canopy has a double bulb shop light in it, may replace it with a 65 watt PC in the future.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

Chris, how do you reach down to the bottom of the tank? Take the canopy off? Your stand looks like you sized it to raise the tank up to good viewing height. I did that too, and I regret that I didn't make it a bit lower so I can reach the bottom easier. Or is the tank just a lot smaller than it looks - I'm guessing about 20 to 30 gallons?


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## Capt. (Nov 24, 2004)

Yes I have to take the canopy off to work in the tank. The stand is fairly tall, I think I made it around 32 inches. I'm pretty tall so I wanted a higher stand, it's easier on my back if I have to do a lot of planting.

Good guess on the tank size, it's about 27 gallons. 24x12x22 roughly


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

Wow, that is a tall tank setup you got there.

Time to run over to HD and pick up some plywood and a handsaw.

Wish me luck!


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## jeff63851 (Feb 23, 2005)

Here's a link that I found to be very useful.

http://www.fishandtips.com/index.php


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

I never did show the final creation of my enclosure from everyone's ideas. Here it is!









_The final product: Complete details building and my AHsupply experience ._

Any new enclosures you want to show off?

-John N.


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## Muirner (Jan 9, 2007)

I have a custom hood 4 x 32 Watt T8/T12 (I use only T8's currently) 6500k. It's rather tall but i have all the timers and a GFI in the hood.










http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...cts/36389-muirners-diy-hood-lots-of-pics.html I will be adding with plant pictures soon.


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## jon_the_newb (Dec 30, 2006)

Amazing how these old threads just pop back up again. I finished building my 75G stand and canopy a month or so ago. Just tonight I finally got the old 29G moved out, and the 75G moved in. Here's a shot of it, and then a couple of the canopy.




























You can see the whole front swings up and open so I can feed the fish, once they actually get in there. What you can't see in those photos, inbetween the 55W reflectors, is some blue night lights.

Jon


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## RESGuy (Feb 11, 2007)

My 55g stand before the doors and handles were added: 








After (sorry not very good):


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## shake (Feb 26, 2006)

Here's my 90g Stand. No hood as I wanted the open look.


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## Jimbo205 (Feb 2, 2006)

That is simply an amazing photo.

Thank you.


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