Loaches Online Forum

"Hi, my name is Kate and I am a loachaholic"

So, our 44" long tank is in place , and we are still trying to figure out how to build/customize a hood for it. I know a lot of you have custom tanks in all different sizes, what did you do?

Thanks for all the advice!

(and the loach book has shipped -- maybe I'll have alot fewer questions once it arrives! )

Hi Katy,

I went to an aquarium shop I knew had access to a custom stand and canopy carpenter. Another option is a custom cabinet carpenter. It will help if you have a drawn plan to give them. Make sure you have exact dimensions, an area for feeding and maintenance, inside clearance for lighting, an area for fans (if needed) and opening for hoses. If you can afford it get marine grade wood or a marine grade paint on the inside. I did not and because of evaporation and water splash, mine has warped a little.

Good luck!

Linda ><)))*> <*(((><

Personally, i don't like wooden hoods that cover the tank. I don't like the look or the awkwardness of opening them and working in the tank. I prefer the glass hinged tops. They're much easier to work with and they allow you to set a variety of lights on top. You'd have to go to a glass shop for a custom size, or make it with plastic/plexiglass. Somewhere on the site is a video showing a top Martin made for one of his tanks but I couldn't find it??

Thanks! We live in the boonies, so finding custom-anything is tough (except for taxidermy -- hope we dont' need that) Dh bought more gals and some hinges, and has ordered lights. May do the reflector from flashing...

I've found all woods and a lot of plastics warp.
A

Both of my acrylic aquariums have acrylic hoods and they haven't warped. If they were made out of thinner acrylic or subject to more stresses then I could see it happening. The cover for my wet/dry warped under the weight of all the hoses. It unwarped after sometime in storage though, saving me the trouble of fixing it myself.