Aquarium Lid

[Ryan1988]

Hello All,

I'm hoping one of you can point me in the right direction. I'm new to the aquarium business. I started out about 2 months ago with a top fin 20 gallon tank. I'm in the market for a new lid for my tank due to upgrading the crappy filter that it came with. I recently purchased a Tetra Perfecto Aquarium Hood Led from amazon. Took me a good long while to find this as they really don't have many options out there. It arrives and it is not as advertised it is only a replacement hood with hinges no frame included. Please send me any recommendations for a new lid that can fit the Aqueon 50 HOB filter. Preferably one with an LED light or room for one. Side note, do they make lids that work with the co-op automatic feeders? 

Thank you,

Ryan

[Patrick_G]

Welcome to the hobby! I’d recommend an Aqueon glass lid and then a separate LED light that fits over the lid. The glass lids are available at Petco, and you can get a good light from Aquarium co-op. 

Edited May 27, 2022 by Patrick_G

[nabokovfan87]

All of the big box stores are going to have their version/brand of "glass canopy".  The two big ones being versatop (Aqueon / petco) and top fin (the other guys)

One of them is pretty much readily available.

From my experience, the 75G aqueon lids are AWESOME and I am very happy with them. My 55G I made my own in various materials. Because of the "high quality" of the 75G lids I got the same brand for my 29G and I was very unhappy.  It was as if they had shipped me an incorrect part (rear trim was 1/2" too short.  If I took the trim off my 75, works fine.  I've since ordered a replacement trim, but that alone was the cost of the entire lid!  Not having many options I went and got the same thing for my 10G QT tank, works fine except for it being a lid that you can open (the spring tension is so stiff the glass snaps back and then I have issues with it scaring the fish. 

SO..... back to the 29G and I've had the lid for a few months. It's nearly falling apart.  I try cleaning it over and over but the hinge piece is so worn and eroded away (on the top of the tank, presumably by the head of the light or something) and it looks like it's about to do this to me.
 

So I think for my next one I'll be trying "the other guys".  I tried a brand from amazon, you'll know which one, and it's basically very cheap/thin glass and very cheap materials.  Again, poor tolerances and it barely fits the tank.

As far as to your question and request....

 

 

On 5/26/2022 at 4:14 PM, Ryan1988 said:

Preferably one with an LED light or room for one. Side note, do they make lids that work with the co-op automatic feeders? 

Glass tops, you'd buy the LED seperately.  It usually gives you a lot more flexability and protects the light itself from water damage a bit better than being directly over the water.

I really like the marineland lid I had, but those you just can't actually purchase anywhere (let alone a bare tank without all the fixins).

If you want the light/lid, you're looking at what they call a canopy or hood.  If you want the glass version, it's a glass canopy and then you'd buy something else to use as a light that can rest on top.  The co-op has a few options on their website as well.

https://www.aquariumcoop.com/collections/lights/products/finnex-stingray-led-lights

[Ryan1988]

@Patrick_G 

Thank you for the reply. Would the glass top work if the tank has no frame? It would just be glass meets glass unless they sell a frame somewhere? That's the issue I had with the amazon one. it made it seems like it included a frame plus the hood, no it was just the hood.

[nabokovfan87]

For rimless, a glass lid is going to look something like...



Depending who manufactured the tank is going to vary what your options are, but essentially, you can find a mount like these and have the glass cut to size at a shop (or they should have some online).

[Ryan1988]

Have any of you added a frame to a rimless tank? I'm not to sure why petsmart / topfin would make this as part of the starter kit when it seems that the industry has a rim on every single tank. This seems like the best option is to add the rim, add the glass + light. 

[nabokovfan87]

On 5/26/2022 at 6:56 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

So I think for my next one I'll be trying "the other guys".  I tried a brand from amazon, you'll know which one, and it's basically very cheap/thin glass and very cheap materials.  Again, poor tolerances and it barely fits the tank.

I have officially tried all 3 varieties.

Aqueon: Overall, can be the best quality, hinge material does not like hard water for some reason (there are wear issues on some size lids, not all). Handle is good, slightly too big on small tanks, but the adhesive is very good and works extremely well. Just make sure you put it in the right spot.

Top Fin: Same as Aqueon, but slightly nicer hinge (vinyl material).  The rear trim is exactly the same, the handle will fall off and you need to buy your own tape and a better handle.

Amazon variety: Glass is thin, the rear trim is essentially pointless and does not sit correctly with the lid installed (it's thin, cheap, not stiff enough to sit flat and is there purely to "cover the gap" and it cannot even do that.  Handle is fine, adhesive on the handle is a joke and you'll need to replace it.

29G 30" tank lids:
Aqueon: doesn't fit 1/4-1/2" too short (wrong trim piece length)
Top Fin: doesn't fit 1/4-1/2" too short (same trim piece issue)
Amazon variety: Fits, but the rear trim doesn't sit right, glass is extremely thin for the span of tank.

Edited July 5, 2022 by nabokovfan87

[nabokovfan87]

On 5/27/2022 at 7:23 AM, Ryan1988 said:

Have any of you added a frame to a rimless tank?

I have not, there is a few videos on it that are pretty good on how to do so. Structurally, there are some tools available, but I can't speak to any of them and how reliable they might be.

[MrWestCoast]

Just buy these for your rimless tank.

https://www.amazon.com/Aquarium-Acrylic-Universal-Rimless-Aquariums/dp/B07X912DS6

 

[nabokovfan87]

On 7/5/2022 at 9:04 PM, MrWestCoast said:

Just buy these for your rimless tank.

Agreed.  The topfin lid did come with some of those but MAAAAAAN they are flimsy and cheap as heck.