# Ideas for a lid



## DishyFishy (Aug 11, 2011)

Hey all, 
in the near future I'll be getting a 30gal from a friend that has a pretty ugly lid. I was planning on de-rimming it and doing a better lid but I don't like the stuff you see in the pet stores. Can you give me some ideas on materials I could find easily that would look nice that wouldn't be a ton of trouble? Im not very savvy with this stuff


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## JustLikeAPill (Oct 9, 2006)

Get some metal hooks, the ones ADA uses on their tanks. You'll need four (or more if you want.) Then have a piece of glass cut to the dimensions you need and beveled to make it look nice. 

Most people don't even use the metal hooks that come with their ADA tanks. I don't. Ask for some of the appropriate size for the glass thickness of your tank and someone will hook you up. 

Or just go without a lid. I think it looks better.


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## OVT (Aug 26, 2010)

I personally like the lidless look, but if you need one check Walmart etc for clear one-piece plastic picture frame. I use one over my odd-shape 22g to hold up an Coralife light.


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## miles (Apr 26, 2006)

how about clear glass louvers. relatively inexpensive. you could use one to lay your lights on and have the rest of the tank open.


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## DishyFishy (Aug 11, 2011)

Ok all good ideas, and not super difficult. I did want a lid that would cover the whole thing though I plan on having some jumpers in there. Is it expensive to have a piece of glass cut for you? Can you do that at like Lowe's or a home improvement store?


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

DishyFishy said:


> Ok all good ideas, and not super difficult. I did want a lid that would cover the whole thing though I plan on having some jumpers in there. Is it expensive to have a piece of glass cut for you? Can you do that at like Lowe's or a home improvement store?


It's been pretty cheap when I've had it done. I've always gone to a glass company. You could also consider acrylic for the top. It would be safer, but more expensive and scratch easier.


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

Acrylic, if it doesn't warp, might be better than glass if you take care not to scratch it when cleaning it. A glass lid becomes clouded after a year or two by condensation water dissolving and re-depositing the glass. I have not yet found a way to polish this clouding.


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## Coursair (Apr 18, 2011)

HeyPK said:


> Acrylic, if it doesn't warp, might be better than glass if you take care not to scratch it when cleaning it. A glass lid becomes clouded after a year or two by condensation water dissolving and re-depositing the glass. I have not yet found a way to polish this clouding.


If acrylic warps, flip it over.


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## m00se (Jan 18, 2011)

HeyPK said:


> Acrylic, if it doesn't warp, might be better than glass if you take care not to scratch it when cleaning it. A glass lid becomes clouded after a year or two by condensation water dissolving and re-depositing the glass. I have not yet found a way to polish this clouding.


Muriatic acid


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

> Muriatic acid


Nope! It is not a calcium deposit. It is a silica deposit and very hard. Acids don't touch it. When water condenses on the tank top it actually dissolves some of the glass, and when the lights come on in the morning and heat up the glass, the water dries up and re-deposits the glass. After a year of this happening you get glass clouded enough to reduce the light coming through.


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## Silvering (Jun 10, 2011)

So that's what happens! I always thought it was some demon form of hard-water deposit. 

I wonder if Rain-X would prevent that from happening?


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## m00se (Jan 18, 2011)

Yea, I observed this with the last tank I bought used off of someone. They had let the water level drop about 1" from the top and there was a permanent haze there. I wonder if the rouge-like stuff they sell for windshields would work on it.

Cheers


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## jart (Mar 13, 2005)

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/diy/42194-sliding-glass-top-how.html


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

I have tried that rouge-like stuff. I have not been able to make any difference by hand with it. Perhaps a powerful drill with a buffer pad and the rouge might make a visible impact.


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