Need help hanging hood - PLEASE

[Sea Serpent]

Hi all of you DIYers . . .
I have a 72 bowfront and have just received my new lights (2 250 MH and 2 VHO actinics). My husband is helping me hang the new OAK hood and we are quibbling about logistics. I want the hood to be on a pully system so I can regulate the height. My husband (a mechanical engineer) is over-engineering this task to the point of ridiculousness. Does anyone else have this kind of setup (pully) on their hood? What kind of hardware have you used? The hood came without ANY hanging hardware or instructions. It weighs about 40-45 pounds. I would really like to have my new lights up . . . I have waited one year for this upgrade . . .
TIA
Sea Serpent

 

[EmilyB]

I feel your frustration.....

You will want your lights hanging up away from the tank (IMO, IME) for heat anyway. If the front of your hood can be lifted, even with a simple chain and hook, this will work if your hood is oversized. If not, hang it so the front of the canopy is across the straight part of the tank and you can still have access to the tank. S hooks.

 

[davelin315]

Skip the S hooks and get some higher strength rings. There are a few that will work well, and you will be able to swing your hood around without them possibly falling off of your S hooks. Not that that would ever happen, but you never know.

 

[davelin315]

I think that you are asking for potential trouble by putting the hood on pulleys. 45 lbs. is a not a small amount of weight when you think about it, and by hanging it, even though pulley's would theoretically make it easier to handle (I am thinking of how it is easier to extend my extension ladder than it is to manually push it up), it is still a lot of weight, and if you have an accident, it can come crashing down on your tank and worst case scenario, shatter the bulbs, crack your tank, and then electrocute everything. I think that pulleys would be a bad idea, although I have never tried it, so I could be way way off base. One thing that could make it easier to do, maybe hinge it on the back of the tank, and use your pulley system in conjunction with some closers (the ones that create the soft close on doors or chest lids) so that if you do drop it, it won't come crashing down.

 

[danmhippo]

Does chains and hanging screws sounds too simple for you? BTW, why do you want to adjust the height once its all setup? Not unless your hubbie want to make your living room to look like a car service garage......