# Plexiglass Hood



## Noiro (Feb 4, 2007)

Would it be OK to build a hood for 2x96w CF bulbs out of plexiglass? Right now I've got the lights in a wood encloseure, and want to suspend the lights over the tank a bit, and figure that plexiglass would be light enough to do so. I'm only running 2x55w at the moment, and the temp inside the hood is 71f, so I don't think heat would be a big issue. I will be useing fans for extra cooling.

I also bought some nylon spaces so that the metal reflectors aren't in contact with the plexi. 

I don't think this would be a problem, but I would much rather hear from those with more experence in this than I so I don't melt the plexi down, or worse catch something on fire.


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## essabee (Oct 11, 2006)

A friend of mine bought a second-hand 48"X18"X18" all glass and handed it over to me to look it over and carry out such changes as would be required to enable him to set it up in my style.

The aquarium had a hood; sides were made of Ply-wood and the top with translucent white acrylic. There were 4 bulb holders for screw type Compact Florescent bulbs.

I dismantled the entire hood, lined the entire inside with aluminum sheet, sticking them to the old components with adhesive. Threw away the bulb holders, and made 4holes in the rear panel of the wood to insert 4 twin-tube 36 watts day-light CFL straights, so that their pins remained outside the hood. I supported the straight bulbs inside the hood with a 2” strip of clear acrylic 10mm thick with appropriate hole for the bulb to slide in. The pins behind are covered with a plastic conduit and the ballasts fitted at the outside rear of the hood.

The Hood and the aquarium is doing well.


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## Noiro (Feb 4, 2007)

I hadn't thought about useing wood for the sides. That would be much simpler than tring to shape the acrylic to use as the sides, although I can't really visualize how it would look. 

Thanks for the input!


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## essabee (Oct 11, 2006)

Sorry Noiro

Forgot to add---- The original hood had 4 wooden pegs to rest on the corners of the aquarium. I threw them out, and replaced them with a perimeter of alumunium angles, L pointed inwards to the aquarium, to rest on the aquarium and keep the bugs out. 1/2" wood overlapped the aquarium.

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If I was doing a new hood I would rather use the composite laminated panels, one side white and the other color matching my room decor. Silocone the joints, and keep the white side for the insides, comes out easier and better looking.


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