Cheap Aquarium Lid?

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Ozzie Boss

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Iā€™m sorry if this is not the appropriate place to ask this, but I wanted to add a cheap lid on my 50 gallon due to the fact that I will be adding rainbows. I was thinking about a sheet of polycarbonate were I would cut slots for the filter and feeding hole. Is there any other options? Will adding a lid also dim my light that I currently have over water? Keep in mind I have a planted tank. Thanks.
 
Glass or Perspex are the only real options. You can cut either to size and shape although Perspex is easier to cut curves in.

If you cut a corner off the front and make a triangle with sides about 6 inches long, you can stick a couple of bits of glass/ Perspex on the side where it doesn't sit on the support strips and glue a handle on it so you can lift the corner up to feed the fish.

Covers get dust on them and sometimes algae. The dust and algae will reduce light but just clean them each week and you're good to go.

If you get glass, make sure it is 4, 5 or 6mm thick. Thinner glass (3mm) is what most shops sell, but it chips and is crap. For small tanks I use 4mm thick coverglass, for bigger tanks I usually go 5 or 6mm.

Thin Perspex will sag in the middle over time. If you get thicker Perspex it is less likely too, and if you have smaller covers (1 foot wide x the width of the tank) they sag less, and you can glue strips onto them to help reduce sagging.
eg: if the tank is 4 foot long x 14 inches wide x 18 inches high, you make the covers about 10-12 inches x 14 inches.
 
I have corrugated polycarbonate on my 110g stock tank. It works well but LED shop lights are suspended from above. On a 10g I have, I use regular window glass along with a plastic molding so it slides back and forth. Check out the following on YouTube:
DIY Sliding glass covers
 
Last edited:
Glass or Perspex are the only real options. You can cut either to size and shape although Perspex is easier to cut curves in.

If you cut a corner off the front and make a triangle with sides about 6 inches long, you can stick a couple of bits of glass/ Perspex on the side where it doesn't sit on the support strips and glue a handle on it so you can lift the corner up to feed the fish.

Covers get dust on them and sometimes algae. The dust and algae will reduce light but just clean them each week and you're good to go.

If you get glass, make sure it is 4, 5 or 6mm thick. Thinner glass (3mm) is what most shops sell, but it chips and is crap. For small tanks I use 4mm thick coverglass, for bigger tanks I usually go 5 or 6mm.

Thin Perspex will sag in the middle over time. If you get thicker Perspex it is less likely too, and if you have smaller covers (1 foot wide x the width of the tank) they sag less, and you can glue strips onto them to help reduce sagging.
eg: if the tank is 4 foot long x 14 inches wide x 18 inches high, you make the covers about 10-12 inches x 14 inches.

I agree with Colin. Iā€™ve just had a glass Perspex sheet made for my tank because I hated the lighting that came with the lid I had before. I have an overhead light now, itā€™s much stronger. Most places will make it to size if you send them the measurements through. Best of luck.
 

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