# DIY eggcrate hood



## justintrask (Jun 29, 2008)

Okay. My gar jumped out, so I decided its time for a hood.

No center brace on the tank. I made three braces out of wood and silicon'd them in place.

Then cut up a 4x2 section of eggcrate to fit between the pieces of wood. I found out the eggcrate wouldnt cut smoothly to fit between them, so instead I put them on top of the center brace with one end silicon'd. That way it is like a hinge.

Okay, pictures.


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## justintrask (Jun 29, 2008)

more pics of the hood


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## COM (Mar 15, 2008)

The eggcrate looks pretty cool.

You might want to put a brace around the front left corner. I see that there is some cracking in the plastic rim, which might slightly weaken the strength of the seal in that corner. Maybe silicon an L-brace on the inside?


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## justintrask (Jun 29, 2008)

i need to do some major work on this tank at some point. the right side of the brace is completely missing. i also was drinking while doing this. I started on the right side, and ended on the left. can you tell? progressively worse.


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## darkstar (Nov 25, 2008)

A polyurethane varnish on the wood will stop it rotting which it will do if left above a water source for any length of time. Interesting idea though...do you not suffer a lot of evaporation with a set-up like that?


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

jit:

What are doing for tank illumination?

TR


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## justintrask (Jun 29, 2008)

I'm doing a 4ft shoplight in the center with 2 fixtures. Possibly going to do two, but not planting the tank except for maybe some frogbit and that other floating plant that my family calls "james plant". grows in really long strands with needlelike leafs throughout the whole thing. my brother james bought a 4" section of it, and now if we spread it out, we probably have over 500 feet of it throughout all of our tanks.


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

justintrask said:


> I'm doing a 4ft shoplight in the center with 2 fixtures. Possibly going to do two, but not planting the tank except for maybe some frogbit and that other floating plant that my family calls "james plant". grows in really long strands with needlelike leafs throughout the whole thing. my brother james bought a 4" section of it, and now if we spread it out, we probably have over 500 feet of it throughout all of our tanks.


jit: I am not interrogating but just inquisitive and knowing you I believe that you really thought this out but I do not know the answer.

If you hang the shop lights (or otherwise place them) near the surface of the egg crating the heat and/or UV light will very soon ....

If you hang them well above the egg crating the heat will become inconsequential and the UV lighting will be seriously decreased (but so will the illumination).

What is the "plan of attack" here?

TR


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## justintrask (Jun 29, 2008)

Well I don't think the eggcrate will be melted due to the heat of the lights, and it will be resting on top of the eggcrate. If there is a problem with the heat, I will simply cut two more pieces of wood to raise the lights slightly off of the eggcrate. This is a trial by fire 
I have never used the eggcrate as a hood before, but have heard of people doing it.


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## COM (Mar 15, 2008)

I think you should be fine with the eggcrate. I don't think that the heat from lights will melt it.

As for the "James Plant," it is probably hornwort. Sounds like it.


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## justintrask (Jun 29, 2008)

yep thats it.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

I agree, you can set the fixture on the eggcrate. Eggcrate's primary use is a diffuser for lights. I think its polystyrene. It will eventually get yellow and brittle, but should be fine for years. I do like the idea of hanging it though. It just reduces the chance of dunking it and you could shorten the chain and have light while you work in the tank unobstructed.


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## justintrask (Jun 29, 2008)

buttt im in an untouchable apartment


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

justintrask said:


> buttt im in an untouchable apartment


Justin

IMHO, you have received some very good input in this thread (and it has been a learning experience for me).

Will your apartment folks not even let you drill a hole in the ceiling for a J hook onto which you can hang a planted basket?

TR


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Read your lease. Some places are really untouchable. Others just must be returned to original condition when you leave. Like you can make hole and paint as long as you spackle the holes and paint it white again when you leave.


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