DIY Rain Gutter Aquarium Hood

This aquarium hood is made out of plastic rain gutter and 1/2" PVC pipe. The hood can hold up to four full length bulbs and the bulb connections are all waterproof (safe from splash but maybe not submersion). When the hood is open, there is lots of room to feed your fish and clean the tank. Wires are connected or soldered to the bulbs and strips of 3-inch bicycle inner tube cover the ends to make a waterproof seal. Holes are drilled in the appropriate places on the PVC fittings to run all the wires inside the PVC pipe to the opposite side and then back out to the remote ballast. The lights are controlled by timers. The aquarium shown is a standard 55 gallon aquarium.

PRICE BREAKDOWN (prices are approximate)

QuantityDescription Price
10 ftplastic rain gutter$7
4gutter ends$10
~40 fthouse wire (for lamp cords, etc) $15
12ft1/2" PVC pipe Schedule 40 $2
4 Elbows
2 3-way Elbows
2 Adaptors
2 End Caps
 PVC fittings$5
1bicycle inner tube (hopefully free at bike shops) -
2Twin bulb fluorescent ballast $30
-Miscellaneous $10
Total $79


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The Tokumi design DIY aquarium hood uses standard Lowes rain gutters, and pvc pipe. It will contain 4 full length bulbs to really light this aquarium up. The front end opens up for feeding and cleaning.
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I had to get these different kinds of gutter ends (mounts inside the gutter instead of outside) to give myself more room to get the hood to fit. Its a tight squeeze with those big filters hanging off the back.
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Drew up the gutter ends and drill holes in AutoCAD, lining up the holes for proper clearances. Printed and taped the paper to the gutter ends. Ready for drilling.
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Drill bits to drill the large holes.
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Going to work with the drill press. Drill press makes it easier but its not a necessity. Hand drill can work too.
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After drilling.
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Test fit. It all works!

Note the 2 styles of gutter ends used. The back one mounts on the outside of the gutter. The front one mounts on the inside of the gutter. The inside mount was necessary due to space constraints to provide adequate space for the filters.
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This is how the inside looks. Flourescent tubes will go in here. 2 bulbs in each gutter.
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Time for electrical. Layout of wiring.
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Layout of wiring through the pvc pipes.
Rain Gutter Aquarium Hood

Test run of the lights. A little setback. Lights are so bright, it made the plastic gutters glow. Solution was to line the inside of the gutter with tin foil. The front gutter in this photo is already lined with foil, so you can see how the glow is eliminated. The back gutter still needs to be lined with foil.
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Standard r/c car Tamiya connectors can be used to connect the wire to the bulbs. They just happen to be the right size to be a perfect fit.
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Bicycle inner tube slides over the ends of the bulbs for a nice waterproof connection.
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Remote flourescent ballasts in my little contraption. If you are an electrician, please let me know if this box is breaking code. I have a feeling it is not up to code, since its so open. I just used stuff that I had around the house.
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Final product. Closed position. Two PowerGlo 4-ft bulbs and two Lowes aquarium/plant 4-ft bulbs are used.
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Open position. Since gutters are hinged on the pvc pipe, the gutters always stay facing down and don't glare in your face when you are cleaning and feeding.
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Flowerhorn Cichlid tank. Lala on the left and and Lulu on the right.
 

MATERIALS

Item Description Quantity Where to Buy
Plastic Rain Gutter
  • Genova Model# RW100
  • Comes in 10-ft lengths
  • Buy this item locally at Home Depot or Lowes. Shipping is too costly.
    		• 1 Amazon / Lowes
    Outside Gutter End Cap
  • These snap on to the ends of the rain gutter.
  • Model# RW102V
    		• 2 Amazon / Lowes
    Inside Gutter End Cap
  • Inside gutter end caps and the nylon nuts and bolts can be used instead of the outer gutter end caps if more room is needed behind the hood to fit your filters.
  • These are drilled and screwed on to the inside of the gutter.
  • Model# RW101V
    		•  2 Amazon / Lowes
    Nylon Nuts & Bolts
  • 1/4-20 thread, 1/2" long
  • Used to mount the inside gutter end cap to the gutter
    		• 6 Nylon Nut
    Nylon Screw
    1/2" PVC Pipe
  • Schedule 40
  • Comes in 10-ft lengths
  • Buy this item locally at Home Depot or Lowes. Shipping is too costly.
    		• 1 Lowes
    1/2" PVC Pipe Fittings
  • 1/2" Elbow
  • 1/2" 3-way Elbow
  • 1/2" Adaptor - thread to slip
  • 1/2" End cap
    		•   
    4
    2
    2
    2    		  
    Amazon / Lowes
    Amazon / Lowes
    Amazon / Lowes
    Amazon / Lowes
    Lamp Cord
  • 18 awg, dual wire
    		• ~50-feet Visit your Local Lowes or Home Depot.
    Bulb Connector
  • Tamiya Male Battery Connector
  • Connects the wire to your flourescent bulbs
    		•  8 pairs Amazon
    T8
    Bulb

    		 T8 Flourescent Bulb Ballast
  • Twin bulb ballast. One ballast can power 2 bulbs.
    		• 1 Amazon
    T8 Flourescent Bulbs
  • Hagen Power-Glo; T8 Flourescent 48" bulb.
    		• 2 Amazon
    1.25" Bicycle Inner Tube
  • Check your bike shops. They may just give you ones they're throwing out for free.
    		• 1 Amazon / Local Bike Shop
    T12
    Bulb

    		 T12 Flourescent Bulb Ballast
  • Twin bulb ballast. One ballast can power 2 bulbs.
    		• 1 Amazon
    T12 Flourescent Bulbs
  • GE 40-Watt Plant & Aquarium T12 Fluorescent 48" Bulb
    		• 2 Amazon / Lowes
    1.75" Bicycle Inner Tube
  • Check your bike shops. They may just give you ones they're throwing out for free.
    		• 1 Amazon / Local Bike Shop


    DIAGRAMS
    Hood Closed Hood Open
    Plan View - Hood Closed Be sure to have enough space in the back for your filters
    click here    		 PLAN VIEW You have lots of room here to work in your aquarium with hood open.
    click here    		 Plan View - Hood Open
    Front View - Hood Closed click here FRONT VIEW Bulbs don't glare in your face with hood open.
    click here    		 Front View - Hood Open
    Left View - Hood Closed See larger picture.
    click here     		LEFT VIEW Weight of bulb keeps them facing down when the hood is open.
    click here    		 Left View - Hood Open
    Isometric View - Hood Closed click here ISOMETRIC VIEW click here Isometric View - Hood Open
    Closeup View - Hood Closed Drill large holes in the gutter ends with a circle saw for the 2 bulbs and the 1/2" PVC. Use a short piece of 3/4" PVC (red) as a brace to keep the gutters from sliding around on the 1/2" pipes.
    click here    		 CLOSEUP Drill holes in PVC fittings as required to route wires in and out of the PVC fittings. Solder wires to bulbs or use some other kind of connector. Larger picture contains component labels.
    click here    		 Closeup View - Hood Open
    Closeup View - Hood Closed Wires route through the 1/2" PVC pipes to the opposite end of the hood. Use 2 timers to get a sunrise / sunset effect.
    click here    		 CLOSEUP
    (left)
     
    BOTTOM VIEW
    (right)    		 Hood can hold up to 4 bulbs as shown here. Line the inside to the hood with foil to help ground the bulbs.
    click here    		 Bottom View - Hood Closed