Best material for tight fitting lid?

[Scapexghost]

I need to create a tight fitting lid for a 29 gallon tank w/ an african butterfly fish in it. Im not a fan of the glass lids sould b/c the black hinge is right in the middle where the light is. I a also not a fan of the little plasic peases they come with feel like a cop-out and aren't very pleasing to look at. Glass won't work w/o the right tools(which i don't have) andacrylic bows over time(is this an issue on smaller tanks like 29s?). Lexan/polycarbonate is what i've seen recommended but it's a little expensive. Are there any other options to consider b4 i pick up some lexan?

[anewbie]

Not exactly what you asked but you can use fiberglass screening. It will prevent the fish from jumping out; it is extremely cheap and you can cut it exactly as you like (poke holes for tubing and stuff); and if you mess up for free you can reado it since the stuff is usually sold in rolls that will fit many 29s.

[Scapexghost]

On 2/17/2022 at 12:20 AM, anewbie said:

Not exactly what you asked but you can use fiberglass screening. It will prevent the fish from jumping out; it is extremely cheap and you can cut it exactly as you like (poke holes for tubing and stuff); and if you mess up for free you can reado it since the stuff is usually sold in rolls that will fit many 29s.

That would work to stop the fish from jumping but i forgot to mention the light i plan to use isn't waterproof so i won't be able to use something like that.

[Widgets]

How about a custom sliding lid? A local glass shop charged me $5 to cut down the glass for me. I have seen folks paint the white plastic black.

 

[Odd Duck]

Twinwall greenhouse panels can be fairly easily cut to fit and strong tape can be used to make a hinge.  It is significantly thicker than glass but transmits light very well, transmitting about 85% vs typical window glass at 81-82ish.  It doesn’t look as nice as glass, but can be cut to fit around your filter/hoses or holes drilled for airlines, cords, etc.  The open ends should be covered with clear tape (or you can use narrow, aluminum tape but I’ve tried that and don’t really like the look).  Moisture inside the channels can grow algae and that would be extremely difficult to clean out of the panel.

Here’s a link but you should be able to find it at most big box home improvement stores.  Some only have full size panels (2’ x 8’), some have half size panels (2’ x 4’).  Easily cut with a table saw or circular saw, or more slowly cut with a hack saw.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Palram-Sunlite-24-in-x-48-in-x-5-16-in-Polycarbonate-Clear-Twinwall-Sheet-174040/305560353

[KatFish]

I'm not sure how great of an idea it'll be (since I haven't done it yet) 
But for my 10g tank, I'm planning on getting a terrarium lid (Basically a wire mesh lid) that matches the size of the 10g.

I'm doing that because I'm having to use my ring light for plant growth on my 6.5g, because the LED that is installed into the lid isn't giving off enough light and the lid for that tank is bending. 
But- cheap plastic, what can you do? It was a kit aquarium. 

I know evaporation will be an issue with the terrarium lid, but I already have evaporation issues with the plastic one- and my main concern is fish jumping out. 
 

[Torrey]

On 2/17/2022 at 9:12 AM, Swampbones said:

I'm not sure how great of an idea it'll be (since I haven't done it yet) 
But for my 10g tank, I'm planning on getting a terrarium lid (Basically a wire mesh lid) that matches the size of the 10g.

I'm doing that because I'm having to use my ring light for plant growth on my 6.5g, because the LED that is installed into the lid isn't giving off enough light and the lid for that tank is bending. 
But- cheap plastic, what can you do? It was a kit aquarium. 

I know evaporation will be an issue with the terrarium lid, but I already have evaporation issues with the plastic one- and my main concern is fish jumping out. 
 

The wire reptile lid is very effective. Our apartment is in high desert, average humidity is 11%.

(Tank screen with light slid back)

As long as I keep ¾ of the tank water protected with plants, we lose less than an inch a week to evaporation. 

(View from above, with both shop lights on top of the wire mesh screen and the hinge in the middle)

 

 

 

[dmurray407]

I made my granddaughter a lid for her aquarium out of plastic egg crate used for ceiling lights.  You can get it at any building supply place like Home Depot. It's easy to cut, it fits her tank perfectly-keeps the fish in and her cat out 🙂

Edited February 18, 2022 by dmurray407

[Chili_girl]

I tried plastic cross stitch canvas to close the gap on the back of the lid but can't figure out how to fasten to the aquarium lid other than tape. Hot glue didn't work. Plastic egg crate won't work for me to keep tiny shrimp, snails and tiny fish from escaping. 

20g long 29 1/8"  x 12" planted tank

The hinged glass lid I have is approx. 1.5" too short even with 2 inch plastic piece on the back to cut holes for electrical cords. I've scoured the internet but none have the measurements needed. Does anyone with this same problem have any other suggestions?  

 

Edited April 2 by Chili_girl
wrong dimension

[Dacotua]

On 2/17/2022 at 1:16 AM, Scapexghost said:

I need to create a tight fitting lid for a 29 gallon tank w/ an african butterfly fish in it. Im not a fan of the glass lids sould b/c the black hinge is right in the middle where the light is. I a also not a fan of the little plasic peases they come with feel like a cop-out and aren't very pleasing to look at. Glass won't work w/o the right tools(which i don't have) andacrylic bows over time(is this an issue on smaller tanks like 29s?). Lexan/polycarbonate is what i've seen recommended but it's a little expensive. Are there any other options to consider b4 i pick up some lexan?

I HATE that black hinge on a lot of glass lids. I simply removed it. When I want to open the top, I just remove the front portion. I cut lexan/plexiglass strip for the "Backstrip". I pushed the glass all the way forward, then measured the rear. I cut a piece of plexiglass to fit this area.

If you are worried about it sagging, you can simply superglue a small piece of plexiglass in the middle so it overhangs and catches the glass. The rear should be fully supported by the tank (if you have a framed tank).

[johnnyxxl]

On 2/17/2022 at 2:16 AM, Scapexghost said:

I need to create a tight fitting lid for a 29 gallon tank w/ an african butterfly fish in it. Im not a fan of the glass lids sould b/c the black hinge is right in the middle where the light is. I a also not a fan of the little plasic peases they come with feel like a cop-out and aren't very pleasing to look at. Glass won't work w/o the right tools(which i don't have) andacrylic bows over time(is this an issue on smaller tanks like 29s?). Lexan/polycarbonate is what i've seen recommended but it's a little expensive. Are there any other options to consider b4 i pick up some lexan?

I used greenhouse panels which are polycarbonate and cheap when you figure a 4x8 sheet was 50 dollars I cut drilled and put hinges that are clear  check my journal thread.

[madmark285]

On 4/2/2024 at 5:37 PM, Chili_girl said:

I tried plastic cross stitch canvas

I believe you are using something like this: 

Silicone sealant (such as GE silicone 1 sealant) will form a very strong bond to properly cleaned glass. So put a layer silicone on the glass then put the plastic canvas on top of it. Then put another layer of silicone over the plastic canvas.

So you are not glueing the plastic canvas to the glass, you embedding the plastic canvas into a layer of silicone which is bonded to the glass.  I hope that makes sense. Put masking tape down to get clean lines and it should look nice. 

[madmark285]

On 4/3/2024 at 5:42 AM, johnnyxxl said:

greenhouse panels which are polycarbonate and cheap

5 stars on this material! Yep, it is cheap and I believe you can cut it using a razor blade (score and snap method). From Amazon, you can get (3)  4' x 2' x 0.32" pieces for $48. The .24" thick version cost $42. 

I believe you can use an acrylic glue (such as weld-on) if you want to glue them together. 

Thanks for that tip!

 

[johnnyxxl]

On 4/3/2024 at 7:07 AM, madmark285 said:

5 stars on this material! Yep, it is cheap and I believe you can cut it using a razor blade (score and snap method). From Amazon, you can get (3)  4' x 2' x 0.32" pieces for $48. The .24" thick version cost $42. 

I believe you can use an acrylic glue (such as weld-on) if you want to glue them together. 

Thanks for that tip!

 

Bought mine at Lowe's, and used a table saw to cut then sanded it. Still have tons left lol.  It looks like plastic cardboard in that it's clear and corrugated. I used 2 part epoxy to glue everything up easy peasy