How to Make a Fishtank Hood

Fish tank hoods hold the fluorescent tubes that light up aquariums and provide light for freshwater plants and marine invertebrates, such as coral, to photosynthesize. Tank hoods also prevent fish from jumping out of the aquarium and dust from falling into it. Fish tank hoods are commercially available, but you can design and make your own.

Things You'll Need

  • One piece of half-inch-thick plywood (24 inches by 10 inches)
  • Wood glue
  • One piece of half-inch-thick plywood (24 inches by 12 inches)
  • Finish nail gun
  • Finish nails
  • Two pieces of half-inch-thick plywood (10 inches by 12 inches)
  • One square rod, 18 inches long ( 3/4 inch by 3/4 inch)
  • Two square rods, 8 inches long (3/4 inch by 3/4 inch)
  • One tin wood stain
  • Paint brush
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place the half-inch-thick, 24-inch-by-10-inch plywood panel on a dust-free work surface, facing upwards. This is the top panel of the fish tank hood.

    • 2

      Carefully squeeze a continuous, half-inch-thick stripe of wood glue along one top surface-length edge of the top panel.

    • 3

      Place the half-inch-thick, 24-inch-by-12-inch plywood panel vertically on the glue stripe and make sure that this panel fits square in relation to the first panel. Support the vertical panel for one or two minutes and leave it to cure for an hour.

    • 4

      Reposition the two panel structure so you can nail these panels together. Use the finish nail gun and place the nails along the initial glue line.

    • 5

      Return the structure to its original position.

    • 6

      Squeeze a continuous stripe of glue along the bottom and left-hand side-surface edges of one of the half-inch-thick, 10-inch-by-12-inch plywood panels. Position this panel against the left-hand side surfaces of the structure.

    • 7

      Leave the wood glue to cure for an hour, then use the finish nail gun to nail this side piece in place. Place the nails along the line where the wood glue was applied.

    • 8

      Squeeze a continuous stripe of glue along the bottom and right-hand side-surface edges of the second half-inch-thick 10-inch-by-12-inch plywood panel. Position this panel against the right-hand side-surfaces of the structure.

    • 9

      Leave the wood glue to cure for an hour, then use the finish nail gun to nail this side piece in place. Place the nails along the line where the wood glue was applied.

    • 10

      Lay the newly built canopy on its front pane. Place the 18-inch square rod in a horizontal position, along the inside length of the front panel. Position the rod approximately 1 inch in from the bottom edge of the pane. Center the 18-inch square rod and secure it in place with nails.

    • 11

      Stand the canopy in a vertical position, with the right-side pane flush with the work bench. Place one 8-inch square rod along the inside length of the side panel. Position the rod approximately 1 inch in from the bottom edge of the pane. Center the 8-inch square rod and secure it in place with nails.

    • 12

      Stand the canopy in a vertical position, with the left-side pane flush with the work bench. Place one 8-inch square rod along the inside length of the side panel. Position the rod approximately 1 inch in from the bottom edge of the pane. Center the 8-inch square rod and secure it in place with nails.

    • 13

      Stain the outside of the canopy.

    • 14

      Place canopy on the aquarium. Access the canopy from the back, which is open to make servicing the tank easy.