How To Diy A Hood?

I have a 5.5 gal I'm planning on using as a betta tank, which means I need a hood, but the hood that came with the tank won't fit the light I have. How can I make a hood for my tank, that will both give a place for the lights and keep the betta in?

The LEDs are waterproof, so they can go on the inside or outside of the tank.

I will need something that can have holes for the filter and heater, and possible my thermometer, give me easy access to the tank for feeding, and will either be far enough off the water so I could grow floating plants, or that will let light through.

The most important parts to me are easy access and letting light in, and I don't have much of a budget for the project. Does anyone have any ideas?

 

You could do a simple mesh lid that will allow you to cut out sections for all of those things. Theres plenty of DIY guides online that show the process. Basically all you'd need is some screen frame (for screen doors), corners, spline, and mesh. Otherwise you could get a piece of polypropylene and cut it to fit. I'd get a bit thicker plastic if you use this method so it doesn't sag over time. Same deal here you can cut it to fit and make cutouts for your equipment. Since its only a 5 gal you need very little material for either project.

 

Sounds neat, though mesh wouldn't help with evaporation, and I'm not too sure where I could get polypropylene around here. A brief google search doesn't help much when looking for "cheap".

 

Sounds neat, though mesh wouldn't help with evaporation, and I'm not too sure where I could get polypropylene around here. A brief google search doesn't help much when looking for "cheap".

any hardware store...lowes, homedepot, etc. has it. by poly it could be plexiglass. or any variation of plastic, aquarium safe, sheets. You can get a 2ft by 2ft square for about 30 dollars (near me).
Reef Safe Plastics & Leaching (myths&facts) for a quickie lesson on plastics for tanks.

 

I always make wood hoods for all my tanks.
You need a saw, sand paper.
Use wood glue OR nails+hammer OR screw+drill to attach it (whatever you have access to)


$2.50 for an 8 foot 2"x2" (or 2"x3" if the light is thick) - you need <4'
$5 for 1/2" plywood.
$4.50 for black lacquer
$1 for a pair of hinges if you want a flap to open/close.

Assemble it. then spray on the lacquer, hand the light from the inside.
I line the underside with foil tape, makes the light reflect and adds more waterproofing but isn't necessary

Rough example of how to put it together:

 

I bought some sheet aluminium ordered cut ready to size for mine. I modified the tricky bits myself with simple tools.