Matthew RJ

I have an aquarium minus canopy & lighting. Got the fliter, no heater.

Is it cheaper to buy a kit or is there a way to DIY build a canopy / light?

mathas

There are a lot of ways to get DIY lighting, many of which have been discussed in the DIY forum.

If you can be more specific about what you're hoping to achieve (general tank lighting, low-light plants, high-light plants, etc.) more specific suggestions may be available.

Matthew RJ

I was looking for the DIY section to post this question in... (followed the link, moved the thread)

as for lighting, I'd hope to eventually put in a few plants.
the canopy, just looking to stop the jumpers.

The price of canopy + heater is close to the price of a new kit.

I've seen a few examples from wood, but what about moisture?

Nutter

Most store bought canopies don't have enough light for decent if any plant growth & don't usually have space to add extra lights. DIY is probably the way to go if you want plants in the future.

This is my DIY stand & hood. All up it cost me under $200aus, including the T8 fittings but not the tubes. It took me a day to make. The hood is just a hinged lid made of old floor boards & a couple of pieces of dressed pine. It is supported by four legs that are bolted directly to the stand itself. There is supposed to be another light fitting in there but I had to steal it back for another tank. I can fit up to 6 x 48" T8 fittings in there. I will put another layer of floor boards over the top one day to conceal the power cords for the lights.
There will be plans for different designs on this forum or you can do a google search to find other plans. There are literally thousands of plans for hoods on the net, just pick one you like & feel able to build well. Make sure it has good access to the tank for maintainance & that it won't allow lights etc to be exposed to moisture. That means adequate ventilation. Varnish all wood to protect it from moisture to.

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