Aquarium Hood Sizes

There are several aquarium hood sizes available (18″, 20″, 24″, 30″, 36″, 48” and so on). If your aquarium is of the standard variety, you won’t have problems finding hoods for it. However, size is not all that matters.

Purpose

Hoods don’t just make fish tanks look attractive. They are also very practical tools. Properly installed, it will keep foreign objects from getting inside the aquarium. Another reason why they are used is they keep the tank upper lighting in place. These tools can also be used to keep cats, ferrets and other pets from eating your fish.

With the proper aquarium hood sizes, you will also be able to keep pet dander, airborne pollutants, smoke and dust away from the fish. This will make cleaning easier to do. The lack of pollutants will keep the fish tank cleaner for longer periods of time. Finally, a hood will keep the fish from jumping out of the aquarium.

Custom Built Hoods

If you can’t find a hood with the proper dimensions, you can have them custom built. However, they will cost more money. Not all companies offer custom hoods, so have a look around first.

Material Composition

Most of them are constructed from metal, wood or plastic. There are also composite variants made from different materials. Wood tanks are very popular and robust. Some are made from solid wood or fiberboard. The only drawback is they are susceptible to damage when wet. They are also heavier compared to metal and plastic. If you are going to buy wood hoods, make sure they don’t warp easily. A poorly made wood will warp under the heat from the aquarium.

You can also use plastic hoods. The biggest advantage of these plastics is their light weight. Although cheaper, some of them are not sturdy. These hoods, however, are compatible with saltwater and freshwater tanks.

Plastic hoods are also easier to modify. Customization will be necessary if you are going to add more fixtures and lighting. Steel hoods have powder aluminum which provides corrosion resistance. Like plastic, these can be used for plastic or metal.

Other Information

The costs of these items will depend on the material used for their construction. Size is not much of a factor. The most basic type will have a lighting fixture included.

Aquarium hood sizes won’t be an issue if you bought a complete kit. But if you purchased the parts separately, then you need to consider the factors stated above.