# LED Hood vs old fluorescent hood



## MattB (Dec 24, 2009)

I had the light fail on my old hood (29 Gallon tank) so I decided to get a LED replacement. I found a Marineland on Amazon for not much money so I thought I'd give it a try. It seems kind of cheap, but I may be able to get over that. 
My issue is the space in the back for the filter or other things that need an opening is bigger than I'd like. Normally I'd cut up the strips that go in the back of most older hoods for a custom fit but this just has a big space. It's also on a curved and not flat surface so I'm not even sure a strip would fit anyway. 
Has anyone else made a nice tight custom fit on one of these newer inexpensive hoods or do I have to get a better hood to be able to do that? If you have done it, how?
This is the hood I got: Amazon.com: Marineland LED Aquarium Hood 30 by 12: Pet Supplies

Thanks!
Matt


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## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

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## Avraptorhal (Jan 24, 2013)

MattB said:


> I had the light fail on my old hood (29 Gallon tank) so I decided to get a LED replacement. I found a Marineland on Amazon for not much money so I thought I'd give it a try. It seems kind of cheap, but I may be able to get over that.
> My issue is the space in the back for the filter or other things that need an opening is bigger than I'd like. Normally I'd cut up the strips that go in the back of most older hoods for a custom fit but this just has a big space. It's also on a curved and not flat surface so I'm not even sure a strip would fit anyway.
> Has anyone else made a nice tight custom fit on one of these newer inexpensive hoods or do I have to get a better hood to be able to do that? If you have done it, how?
> This is the hood I got: Amazon.com: Marineland LED Aquarium Hood 30 by 12: Pet Supplies
> ...


I did away with the hood entirely. I put a T5HO (CurrentUSA) light on the same size tank and put a glass canopy under it. My main reason for the change was the loss of light while doing a WC. My senior eyes need the extra light so I can see what I'm doing poking around in the weeds. LOL


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## MattB (Dec 24, 2009)

Thanks for the ideas. My tank is a standard 12"x30" 29 Gallon so I don't think that BioCube solution would fit. Plus that's really expensive! Or maybe I'm just cheap but I don't want to spend that much on this project. 
I'd also like to keep the light contained in the tank because we watch tv in this room and it's much nicer with the light just coming through the water than escaping from the top. 

Any other suggestions? Thanks!


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## Avraptorhal (Jan 24, 2013)

MattB said:


> Thanks for the ideas. My tank is a standard 12"x30" 29 Gallon so I don't think that BioCube solution would fit. Plus that's really expensive! Or maybe I'm just cheap but I don't want to spend that much on this project.
> I'd also like to keep the light contained in the tank because we watch tv in this room and it's much nicer with the light just coming through the water than escaping from the top.
> 
> Any other suggestions? Thanks!


My tank is about 30" from the TV on the same wall and I have no problems with viewing the TV. My problem is my Senior ears. The T5HO fixture does present a problem when photographing the tank, the light leakage to the front messes up the exposure. When I'm not lazy I'm going to block the front of the fixture with some Al foil and see how that works.

Just a thought.


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## hotwingz (Mar 3, 2013)

I have switched most of my tanks to glass tops and LED lights. Whether they just lay on the glass or they are lifted up by supports they shine down, not out like a bulb fixture will. I have been very happy with the change. My fish look nicer and my plants seem to appreciate it too.


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## MattB (Dec 24, 2009)

Well, I'm sending the hood back. It just seems too cheap in addition to the space for a filter in the back being too big. 
I decided to spend a little more and try a different LED array that should fit my existing hood better. 
I'm getting this Finnex FugeRay light instead. Hopefully this will work out for me. Thanks for the suggestions!


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