Aquarium glass lid

[Dan]

I purchased a 29 gal kit on sale for Black Friday. It came with a silly plastic lid with an led light strip built in. I want to replace it with glass but just realized the opening is a odd size. I need a 28.5 x 11. Does anyone know where I could find an odd sized lid?

[Paul]

21 minutes ago, Dan said:

I purchased a 29 gal kit on sale for Black Friday. It came with a silly plastic lid with an led light strip built in. I want to replace it with glass but just realized the opening is a odd size. I need a 28.5 x 11. Does anyone know where I could find an odd sized lid?

Who made the tank?

[Dan]

Top fin. Bought it at pets mart 

[Kat_Rigel]

I bought glass this weekend to make my own lid; it hasn't exactly been smooth sailing, but its tough because I don't have much space to work in. I had trouble making a clean break with a 22.5" length of glass; I suspect it will be even tougher at 28.5". You could try Sunlight multi-wall polycarbonate method too; that was my first choice but it is not readily available here.

Glass DIY: (and just use a piece of the liner as a handle)

Polycarbonate DIY:

 

[MickS77]

I like buying a sheet from a local glass shop and cutting it to suit my needs. It can be tricky but not too bad. Be sure to compensate for the width of the hinge in figuring out your dimensions. Allow a little play all around the edges so its not too tight fitting. 

[Dan]

That sounds like it might be a good option. Do the glass company’s usually carry the hinge or would I need to find it somewhere else.  

[MickS77]

1 minute ago, Dan said:

Do the glass company’s usually carry the hinge

I bought them online, they go by thickness of the glass, 1/8" or 3/16". Search "Perfecto Aquarium Glass Replacement Hinge" 

[Marnol D]

If you have a Pet Supplies Plus near you they also will sale glass lids that fit decent to the dimensions you need. 

[Maggie]

The aqueon or top fin top for the 20L should fit. 

Edit: never mind, it measures about 29 1/4.

Edited December 9, 2020 by Maggie

[StevesFishTanks]

Petsmart sells glass lids that fit the odd tank sizes they sell

[Tami]

I attempted to cut class and make a lid with the track but getting a clean cut was impossibly frustrated so I made a lid with the some plastic that our graphic art shop cut for me because I have a HOB filter and needed a cut out - semi-fail: the plastic is bowing in the center.

Going to try Cory's demo and make a new one since I just got a hand-me-down tank without a lid so I can make them at the same time.

Good luck, I have had a hard time locating the proper size glass lids at the stores

[Kat_Rigel]

5 hours ago, Tami said:

I attempted to cut class and make a lid with the track but getting a clean cut was impossibly frustrated so I made a lid with the some plastic that our graphic art shop cut for me because I have a HOB filter and needed a cut out - semi-fail: the plastic is bowing in the center.

Going to try Cory's demo and make a new one since I just got a hand-me-down tank without a lid so I can make them at the same time.

Good luck, I have had a hard time locating the proper size glass lids at the stores

Omg I hear you on the sagging lids! I made a nice acrylic one once, I was so proud of it, and it just bows SO badly over a fairly short period of time. Blech. 

[Cole]

Petsmart has a top fin lid that fits a 20 long. I just bought one for my aqueon 20L I picked up. 

[demicent]

I purchased a $16  polystyrene Plaskolite 24-in x 48-in 7.85-sq ft Louvered Ceiling Light Panel from Lowes and snipped it to size with diagonal cutters.  Rested it nestled in the inner lip of the tank rim for a perfect fit.  If you have rimless tanks, you could rest it on the top edges. It's really simple to snip out openings for HOB filters, power cords and air lines. I sanded the edges.  I rest my saggy thin Lexan sheets on top to prevent evaporation or fish jumping. You can rest glass on it, too.  I can feed through it, add water, and use a pipette to draw water for samples.  I flip it up and lean the edge against the wall for water changes and gravel vac.  It also just lifts out easily.  

I don't like the black hinges on regular tops because they are always in a bad spot for blocking light.  One negative of the louver panel is that the light can't spread as evenly, it's directed straight down through the louvers when the light is sitting right on top of the lid.  Also it reflects up a bright strip of white light that is distracting and harder on the eyes.  When I raise up the light a little and turn up the power, I get more even coverage.   I think the opening sizes on the grid are about 3/4  inch.

There is black louver material available for a lot more money.  I don't know if it would be safe to spray paint the white louver to prevent that reflection.  Are there aquarium safe paints?  Water condenses on it under the lexan and drips back into the tank.  

At any rate, this is a decent and cheap solution until I decide what I want to do long term.

 

Edited December 10, 2020 by demicent

[Tanked]

2 hours ago, demicent said:

I purchased a $16  polystyrene Plaskolite 24-in x 48-in 7.85-sq ft Louvered Ceiling Light Panel from Lowes and snipped it to size with diagonal cutters.  Rested it nestled in the inner lip of the tank rim for a perfect fit.  If you have rimless tanks, you could rest it on the top edges. It's really simple to snip out openings for HOB filters, power cords and air lines. I sanded the edges.  I rest my saggy thin Lexan sheets on top to prevent evaporation or fish jumping. You can rest glass on it, too.  I can feed through it, add water, and use a pipette to draw water for samples.  I flip it up and lean the edge against the wall for water changes and gravel vac.  It also just lifts out easily.  

 

I'm considering this for replacing the glass lids on my Tinfoil Barb tank.  If I keep the tank topped up the glass needs to be removed and scrubbed weekly to remove condensation and a a heavy algae growth that makes the whole tank look green.

[Chris 5]

@Tanked try turning down the air flow in your air stone or sponge filter. I find the bubbles splash the glass

[Dancing Matt]

I really like the multiwalled greenhouse siding as a glass top alternative. I have it on most of my tanks. It really helps to keep in the heat and is easy to cut.

[Tanked]

On 12/14/2020 at 11:18 AM, Chris 5 said:

@Tanked try turning down the air flow in your air stone or sponge filter. I find the bubbles splash the glass

I don't use either of those, and most of the water collects in the hinges. Now that you mention it, the splash could be from the hob filter. ...and the Barbs habit of striking at the food floating on the surface. 

[L.W. Wetarm]

I bought a lid from Amazon that was slightly too  wide. It’s tricky but a small piece, like a ½” to ¼”, can be trimmed from a piece of glass. 

Use a simple glass cutter from the hardware store. Score the glass. One good solid even score is best, but if it needs to be improved that’s okay. Here’s the trick I learned to get a clean break when you can’t just snap it like you a larger piece. The glass cutter has a little ball at the end of the handle. Use this ball to lightly tap on the underside of the score. Keep tapping lightly  until a crack starts to run along the length of the score. Slow and tedious is the way to go. When the score has completely cracked, with hopefully no runs into the good side, go ahead and snap it off. Use some emery cloth to smooth down the now very sharp edge.
 

There’s a good YouTube vid on the subject. I had cut larger pieces of glass before but was very nervous about making such a small cut into a $30 lid. The video tip really helped.  I trimmed about ¼” off of my replacement lid and it worked great.