Reptile & Amphibian Forums

How did u make that hood for you tank, and do u have the blue prints.

What are the draw backs of it.

I'm working on a project to make a pand tank like yours.
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1.2.1 Leopard Geks
1.0.1 High Yellow, 0.1 Blizzard, 0.1 Normal
2 White's Treefrogs
2.1 Fire Bellied Toads
0.0.2 Red Eared Sliders
Fish:
0.2 Parrot Cichlids
1 Upside Down Catfish
0.0.2 Bullhead Catfish
1 Geophagus jurupari
1 Fire Barb
0.0.4 Blue Gouramis
Goldfish

Herpin since 93'

Well there are no blueprints for it, I just had an idea and I built it. Some pet stores have canopy hoods, and if you see how they sit on the tank you can figure out how to make it work.
Mine is made out of 1/4" plywood, and it sits on the tank with 1x2s attached around the inside. As you can see, mine covers up the black plastic rim of the tank.

Drawbacks, you pretty much have to know what kind of filter youre gonna use because youll have to cut holes in the wood for them. The hang on tank filters would probly be really difficult since they would need such a big hole.
If you are going to have a large hole you may want to use thicker wood.
Also, seal the wood very good on the inside. The inside of the hood will be very humid. If the hood is closed it will get quite warm above the water too. I stained the wood then applied about 5 coats of polyeurethane.
Be very careful with your electrical components, as they will be exposed to constant humidity.
If you are going to have a window like mine, expect it to be covered in condensation quite often if the temp inside the tank is different from the room.
Make sure your tank is at a low enough height that you can reach inside when the hood is on. My hood is connected to my filter now, so taking the hood off will be very complicated. Also, even tho the hood is only 1/4" it is still very heavy and awkward.

The photo below is the only blueprint I had. I drew it in Photoshop and pasted it on my tank to see how it would look.
If I could do it all over, I would probly make the hood taller, so the basking lamp would be farther away from the basking area, but I just put a smaller bulb in and get the same result. My turtles enjoy basking away from the lamp when the hood is closed because the heat the hood traps inside.

One other thing I wish I woulda done with my tank is to install lights under it. I think that would look pretty cool, especially if you had it shining up through some plants or through a hole in a rock or something. Well maybe next time.

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Another thing, would all the humidity be good for the turtles, could you use a screen instead.
What would be the total costs of it.
Another thing, when ur fish are sick do u put medicine in there, or will that effect the sliders.
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1.2.1 Leopard Geks
1.0.1 High Yellow, 0.1 Blizzard, 0.1 Normal
2 White's Treefrogs
2.1 Fire Bellied Toads
0.0.2 Red Eared Sliders
Fish:
0.2 Parrot Cichlids
1 Upside Down Catfish
0.0.2 Bullhead Catfish
1 Geophagus jurupari
1 Fire Barb
0.0.4 Blue Gouramis
Goldfish

Herpin since 93'

Hey. I've been pretty good with woodworking in my life. Cages, stage displays, tree houses and the like. But when it comes to blueprints, I never use em for some reason... With the stand in that pic, what did u use to build it? 3/4 ply? Gimme a basic idea on the construction. I need one for my RES's new 120
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Coastal Carpet Python 0.1
Albino Burm 0.1
Columbian RedTail 0.1
Kenyan Sand Boa 1.0
Common Snapping Turtle 1.1
RES 1.0

the stand is 2x4s and 3/4" but I couldve used something much thinner, all of the weight is supported on the 2x4s, and if you look at the bottom of your tank, you will see that it only contacts the stand where the black plastic frame is. I also believe I really overbuilt this stand after seeing the particle board crap at the pet stores.
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n/m

Im no scientist, I just build stuff. My opinion expressed here is exactly that, my opinon.
Humidity is fine for aquatic turtles, when theyre in the water, theyre in 100% humidity.

As for the fish, they are all wild caught on artificials. If they die, the other fish or the turtles will eat them, unless I see it first, then they will go to the freezer for catfish bait.

Also, I dont have sliders, only painted turtles. I just started sharing in here because the painted room is kinda slow, and I have kept sliders in the past.
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Also how big is that bass and how much will it eat a day/week?
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1.2.1 Leopard Geks
1.0.1 High Yellow, 0.1 Blizzard, 0.1 Normal
2 White's Treefrogs
2.1 Fire Bellied Toads
0.0.2 Red Eared Sliders
Fish:
0.2 Parrot Cichlids
1 Upside Down Catfish
0.0.2 Bullhead Catfish
1 Geophagus jurupari
1 Fire Barb
0.0.4 Blue Gouramis
Goldfish

Herpin since 93'

Last measured about a week ago, the bass was 8 inches long. I cant record how much he eats a day, but when he has gone without minnows for a while, he usually eats about 12 when I put them in.

When theres no minnows, he will eat cichlid pellets, and Reptomin, dried baby shrimp, frozen shrimp, earthworms, crayfish. A couple days ago, I thawed a 4" creek chub I had in the freezer and threw it in, the bass swallowed it right away.
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