good tank lids?

gavinc123

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I have my newly set up 40 gallon breeder and wanted to get a lid for it because I noticed the temperature is fluctuating too much and wanted to minimize water loss too. What's the best way to go about it? I was thinking of just going to lowes and getting acrylic and having them size it to the top of the tank. I have 2 AI Prime 16HDs on the tank too.
 
I have my newly set up 40 gallon breeder and wanted to get a lid for it because I noticed the temperature is fluctuating too much and wanted to minimize water loss too. What's the best way to go about it? I was thinking of just going to lowes and getting acrylic and having them size it to the top of the tank. I have 2 AI Prime 16HDs on the tank too.
It might be better to go with a better bigger heater, it seems yours might not be high enough wattage
 
Personally I would recommend a mesh lid and bigger heater, Red Sea sell a kit but im sure you could make one cheaper if you went to the hardware store.

If you go for a more solid lid evaporation won't be an issue as much but heat may become an issue.
 
TopLids makes polycarbonate lids with screens, they also have an option for an evaporation cover which will cover up a lot of the holes and save ~80% of the evaporation vs without it. They're a bit on the pricey side, but they are excellent lids and can be custom cut for any hang-on equipment, light mounts, etc.
 
We can custom CNC Lexan® lids for you with evaporation slots and feeder hatches. Please contact one of our client care specialists for more information. See attached pic for an example. In about six months we will be rolling out an entire category of lids. Meanwhile give us a shout.
60 Inch Bow Front.jpg
 
TopLids makes polycarbonate lids with screens, they also have an option for an evaporation cover which will cover up a lot of the holes and save ~80% of the evaporation vs without it. They're a bit on the pricey side, but they are excellent lids and can be custom cut for any hang-on equipment, light mounts, etc.
I have one of their kids for my WB P7225. The lid evaporation inserts for the screened areas is not worth it. The screens alone block enough light for me to have to compensate for about 5-10 PAR. I have diffusers on my lights and they reduce part by an obscene %15-20% on top of that.

When I had the evaporation panel inserts installed I didn’t even get a chance to measure PAR because condensation built up so fast I knew it wasn’t going to be feasible to keep them installed because the condensation would block even more light.

Never mind the added weight one of my panels was already bowing a week after use.

I love mine. I imagine other vendors would have similar problems with their products.

I would just advise against wasting money on the evaporation prevention inserts.

I have pictures on my build thread for those interested.
 
Personally I would recommend a mesh lid and bigger heater, Red Sea sell a kit but im sure you could make one cheaper if you went to the hardware store.

If you go for a more solid lid evaporation won't be an issue as much but heat may become an issue.

BRS also sells kits (I use that)
 
Keep in mind that non mesh lids make gas exchange more difficult, can decrease par, and lower pH
 
BTW, for a 40 breeder, you are looking at about $30 which includes shipping. Lexan® is unbreakable and UV resistant. With extensive CNC machining you won't have condensation or gas exchange issues. Our clients swear by them. Lids have been on our radar for quite some time now. The one we would make for you would be a flat lid with a CNC edge detail so it would sit inside the rim. After we finalize the designs (and patent applications) we will be vacuum thermoforming them to drive the cost down to less than $40 bucks for a 125 Red Sea Reefer as an example. We have some of the largest vacuum thermoformers in the Southeast US and can make one piece lids up to 7 feet by 5 feet.
 
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Sorry. $30 with shipping.
I would love to order one for my Waterbox peninsula 15 that I'm using as a quarantine tank. I tried some acrylic from the hardware store and it sags way too much. That sag led to a 1/4" gap in the side where a yellow watchman goby that was all of one day in quarantine managed to jump out.

How does one go about ordering one?
 
I would love to order one for my Waterbox peninsula 15 that I'm using as a quarantine tank. I tried some acrylic from the hardware store and it sags way too much. That sag led to a 1/4" gap in the side where a yellow watchman goby that was all of one day in quarantine managed to jump out.

How does one go about ordering one?
Please contact one of our client specialists. [email protected]. These products are not yet available for sale to the general public as we are applying for patents. We have been looking at this category for a long time as a lid should not cost more than an aquarium. Our design staff will work closely with you to get it right. There will be a lot of back and forth and you would not be under any financial obligation. What I mean is, if you don't like it, we will keep trying to work out the bugs until it works the way it should. The lids we make right now are custom for our own line of tanks. Making them for other mfg's tanks is going to take a bit of effort but nothing insurmountable. Our goal is to get the cost down to less than $100 for an 8 foot tank. Much much lower for smaller ones. If you are willing to be one of our first test clients and can share in the field feedback with us, let's do this. Better yet, forget the cost, Please get in touch with us and we will do it no charge.
 
Please contact one of our client specialists. [email protected]. These products are not yet available for sale to the general public as we are applying for patents. We have been looking at this category for a long time as a lid should not cost more than an aquarium. Our design staff will work closely with you to get it right. There will be a lot of back and forth and you would not be under any financial obligation. What I mean is, if you don't like it, we will keep trying to work out the bugs until it works the way it should. The lids we make right now are custom for our own line of tanks. Making them for other mfg's tanks is going to take a bit of effort but nothing insurmountable. Our goal is to get the cost down to less than $100 for an 8 foot tank. Much much lower for smaller ones. If you are willing to be one of our first test clients and can share in the field feedback with us, let's do this. Better yet, forget the cost, Please get in touch with us and we will do it no charge.
I'd like to get in on that, I have a Reef Octopus Octo LUX T90 and no one makes a lid for it... I think it has to do with how the rear section of the tank is setup...
 
I'd like to get in on that, I have a Reef Octopus Octo LUX T90 and no one makes a lid for it... I think it has to do with how the rear section of the tank is setup...
[email protected]. Be sure to address Jim Skurdahl, no one else. The design guys and the client service guys love it when I do this to them. Please be patient with them . Kidding aside, this will be a collaborative effort. Even though we know how to build awesome aquariums and such, we need more user feedback. Condensation, venting. General fit and finish. Suggestions are welcome. Our objective is to develop a line of very cost effective but high quality lids. We have ideas and need real world results. Together with your help we will dial it in. Please note, we are pretty busy and this project may take a few days. No charge.
 
[email protected]. Be sure to address Jim Skurdahl, no one else. The design guys and the client service guys love it when I do this to them. Please be patient with them . Kidding aside, this will be a collaborative effort. Even though we know how to build awesome aquariums and such, we need more user feedback. Condensation, venting. General fit and finish. Suggestions are welcome. Our objective is to develop a line of very cost effective but high quality lids. We have ideas and need real world results. Together with your help we will dial it in. Please note, we are pretty busy and this project may take a few days. No charge.
What would the cost be for a 65 gallon with center brace?
 
What would the cost be for a 65 gallon with center brace?
Before this gets too out of hand, I want to say again that this is a collaborative prototyping effort and I want to limit it to standard well known brands. It is not a "get a free lid" offer. What we get from this is real world feedback and design assistance. What you get is a free lid which may or may not work out for you the first time around. Well known brand name aquariums are what we want to start out with. And nothing crazy big. 200 gallons or less. I want to limit the first go around to maybe ten different lids. Two already are spoken for
 

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

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