D.I.Y. HOOD
This hood has been made with no hinged or any other kind of access flap so I have 3 different lengths of prop sticks to put between the top tank edge, and the lower hood lip. Each prop stick has cut outs at both ends so the stick doesn't fall out.
HOOD FROM BELOW
HOOD FROM ABOVE
If the tank and hood togeather are low enough to see the ballasts, one thing you can do to hide them would be to put a "top" on the hood covering from about an inch away from the top front, to the start of the ballasts. It wouldn't be "cool" to cover the hot ballasts up. Another possibility would be to mount the ballasts on the back vertical side, if you have the room.
CROSSECTION FROM FRONT
END CROSS SECTION