Top Fin (Petsmart) Glass Lid PSA

[Chris]

I've used the Top Fin Glass Lids for years on my tanks and have never had an issue. They were cost-effective, difficult to break, and the only thing available locally for me. 

The last lid I bought came in the same packaging, but the design of the lid has changed. The front piece of glass is the same, but the rear piece is now smaller by about 1/2" in every direction. You're meant to put some different plastic pieces on to make up for it, and those plastic pieces have built-in places for wires and airlines to exit the tank. 

The problem? At least in my experience, the thing is stupid easy to knock into the tank. Virtually every time I open the lid I knock it in. The front piece doesn't fit the trim of my tanks very well as it is, and with the loss of stability from the smaller piece in the back, it falls in with the slightest touch. 

I thought maybe I put it together wrong or was missing pieces, but from what I can tell this is the correct use case for this lid. This is also a tank purchase from Petsmart on their tank sale, a standard 20 tall. 

Just thought I'd try and save someone else the frustration. 

The new design:

The old design:

Excuse the crusty lids... it's been a bit since I've cleaned them!

[Tlindsey]

On 7/21/2024 at 2:46 PM, Chris said:

I've used the Top Fin Glass Lids for years on my tanks and have never had an issue. They were cost-effective, difficult to break, and the only thing available locally for me. 

The last lid I bought came in the same packaging, but the design of the lid has changed. The front piece of glass is the same, but the rear piece is now smaller by about 1/2" in every direction. You're meant to put some different plastic pieces on to make up for it, and those plastic pieces have built-in places for wires and airlines to exit the tank. 

The problem? At least in my experience, the thing is stupid easy to knock into the tank. Virtually every time I open the lid I knock it in. The front piece doesn't fit the trim of my tanks very well as it is, and with the loss of stability from the smaller piece in the back, it falls in with the slightest touch. 

I thought maybe I put it together wrong or was missing pieces, but from what I can tell this is the correct use case for this lid. This is also a tank purchase from Petsmart on their tank sale, a standard 20 tall. 

Just thought I'd try and save someone else the frustration. 

The new design:

The old design:

Excuse the crusty lids... it's been a bit since I've cleaned them!

Looks like a manufacturer design flaw.

[Chris]

On 7/21/2024 at 3:34 PM, Tlindsey said:

Looks like a manufacturer design flaw.

Agreed. The instruction manual had illustrations with the same smaller back piece, so I do think this was the intended product. 

[Tony s]

On 7/21/2024 at 3:37 PM, Chris said:

Agreed. The instruction manual had illustrations with the same smaller back piece, so I do think this was the intended product

I just put one onto a 20g. It’s actually more stable than it looks. Once you get the side pieces stretched out to max and the back pieces to max. But, I did drop it in 3 times getting it right. Once it’s on for a while, the plastic pieces become harder to move and less unstable. It’s not completely horrible after a while. 
 

unfortunately, this isn’t a design flaw, or misdesigned. The led was made to fit most 20 gallon tanks, which means it fits none as well as you’d like.

Smaller pieces on back. Small plastic pieces on side. Stretched out to fit. Bigger plastic piece on the back. This forms a basic triangle for stability. The front lid sits at a different level. Which is what threw me.

[Tony s]

@Chris looking at your picture. You’re missing 2 smaller plastic pieces that attach next to the hinge on the smaller glass. They cover the hole by the hinge and help to stabilize the whole lid. 

It’s one of the reasons the hinge stops short of the glass panel. So that the plastic pieces have room. With the small side pieces and the back piece at the same height. It forms a triangle of the same height (2 sides and back) which stabilizes the lid

 

[Tony s]

Without those pieces the lid is incredibly unstable 

[Lonkley]

I've personally always loved they sell aqueon tanks and top fin lids.  I ended up buying the matching aqueon elsewhere for my 5 and 10.  I don't really regard top fin making very good products.

[Chris]

So I'm potentially missing pieces, got it. 

Even if those pieces were to fix all the issues with the lid, why change the design? The original worked well enough. It's a lid. It doesn't necessarily get better by getting more complicated. 

Or maybe I'm just a grumpy person who doesn't like change. Lol

[Tony s]

On 7/21/2024 at 10:21 PM, Chris said:

Or maybe I'm just a grumpy person who doesn't like change. Lol

I think that’s all of us to some extent. Especially when software companies start messing with your programs 🤣

but, yeah. Definitely missing 2 pieces. They’re not large ones either. About 1” wide by 2.5 inches long. At the hinge. They prevent the lid from falling in. 

On 7/21/2024 at 10:19 PM, Lonkley said:

I don't really regard top fin making very good products.

That’s a possibility. But I only have a Petsmart nearby (1 hr drive)

[Tony s]

@Chris if you still have the box. It’s part #3 on the back. And on the front picture, look right beside the back hinge. On the side of the glass. 

[Tlindsey]

On 7/21/2024 at 10:21 PM, Chris said:

So I'm potentially missing pieces, got it. 

Even if those pieces were to fix all the issues with the lid, why change the design? The original worked well enough. It's a lid. It doesn't necessarily get better by getting more complicated. 

Or maybe I'm just a grumpy person who doesn't like change. Lol

I would be grumpy too.😆

[Chris]

On 7/21/2024 at 10:39 PM, Tony s said:

@Chris if you still have the box. It’s part #3 on the back. And on the front picture, look right beside the back hinge. On the side of the glass. 

Unfortunately I don't- I've had this lid for a couple months. But I definitely used all the pieces in the box, so I guess they just forgot them. Oh well. Live and learn.