Kraken/Clearview/Top Lids - WHICH ONE ?

[Cell]

Why do you like kraken better?

Much cleaner, sleeper look than competitors. No ugly support tabs, sits perfectly flat.

 

[Cell]

Here's a video of my Clearview lid for an IM25 Lagoon that does not sit flat/flush on the tank rim. I have since replaced it with a Kraken lid that sits perfectly flat.

 

[EliMelly]

Came here to vote. Don’t go with top lids. Horrible service. Quality is solid but they messed up my measurements as well as I paid for expedited and got the basic 10 week. I was refunded but made my decision because they promised the fastest turn around and once they said they couldn’t they refused to refund 70%. I’ve gone with kraken as well in the past who were great time wise.

 

[Jimbo327]

I laughed at the sigh of disappointment at the end of Cell's video.

 

[EliMelly]

I laughed at the sigh of disappointment at the end.

?

 

[SanFernandoValleyAIOReef]

No one make a nice thin trim? Don’t like the thick trim and hate the eco-skeleton looking ones.

 

[Cell]

No one make a nice thin trim? Don’t like the thick trim and hate the eco-skeleton looking ones.

Side profile of Kraken. Very low profile. No tabs.

 

[SanFernandoValleyAIOReef]

Side profile of Kraken. Very low profile. No tabs.

I meant the lip like the end of lid to the start of mesh

 

[Cell]

Top view

 

[mizukage]

I have a Clear View or Top Lids on one tank — 260 gallon — (came with the tank) and I’m getting a Kraken lid today for my Waterbox 150.4 tank.

Can definitely shoot over any thoughts when I have the other lid in hand.

I can concretely tell you I absolutely loathe the Waterbox lids lol.

How did the kraken lid for your waterbox 150.4 turn out ? Are you happy? Any pics? I got the same tank and am researching which old maker to go with.

 

[Jimbo662]

If Kraken makes a lid for that tank, I'd go Kraken over Clearview. I've tried both.

I've had both. Both are great but I prefer Kraken over Clearview.

 

[mizukage]

I've had both. Both are great but I prefer Kraken over Clearview.

Does the kraken develop condensation on the lip so that when you lift it up, water falls everywhere? Clearview and Top lids market what they call a "vented" lid to prevent that and I can't find any mention of that on the karaken site.

 

[Tamberav]

Does the kraken develop condensation on the lip so that when you lift it up, water falls everywhere? Clearview and Top lids market what they call a "vented" lid to prevent that and I can't find any mention of that on the karaken site.

DO NOT get clearviews puzzle piece design, it collects salt creep like crazy and over time cracks from stress. That design shouldn't even be sold.

Piles of salt creep literally 100x worse than water condensation.

Post #2 is what you get to enjoy, salt creep all over and cracks, all can be yours for a couple $100 bucks.

Lid for tank

I’m looking for a recommendation for a new lid for my tank. I have lost numerous fish, some My own fault due to forgetting to closing the feeding door, but this morning my Bells flasher managed to jump out the smallest crevice of my clear view lid exo. At least this is my assumption since the...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Jimbo662]

Does the kraken develop condensation on the lip so that when you lift it up, water falls everywhere? Clearview and Top lids market what they call a "vented" lid to prevent that and I can't find any mention of that on the karaken site.

It does get some.

 

[Gabe]

DO NOT get clearviews puzzle piece design, it collects salt creep like crazy and over time cracks from stress. That design shouldn't even be sold.

Piles of salt creep literally 100x worse than water condensation.

Post #2 is what you get to enjoy, salt creep all over and cracks, all can be yours for a couple $100 bucks.

Lid for tank

I’m looking for a recommendation for a new lid for my tank. I have lost numerous fish, some My own fault due to forgetting to closing the feeding door, but this morning my Bells flasher managed to jump out the smallest crevice of my clear view lid exo. At least this is my assumption since the...

www.reef2reef.com

I have had the Clearview lid you mentioned (Pisces) since 2020. Lead times were over 90 days and communication was a little poor, but not horrible. I know there were some supply chain issues back then, so that wasn't a big deal. The lid never fit correctly, not even close. I measured several times too, which made it frustrating. The design of the lid was bad too. The salt creep issue you mentioned is wild. The puzzle piece gaps act like a sponge for salt creep. I can't recall salt creep being caused by any other piece of equipment like that in almost 25 years in the hobby.

But none of those are the worst parts about the lid. It bowed since day one, it can barely support its own weight. I am gentle with it, but over the past few years it has developed cracks all over. When it was just two major cracks, it was workable because it almost folded in half. The mesh would get soaked, but it was fine. Now, it has developed cracks and broken in four or five places. It is non functional and makes me dread having to remove it. The mesh sags into the water and last week, my dog started chewing a small 1"x1" piece that randomly fell off during maintenance. All of those puzzle piece connections are failure points. I have run equipment on this tank that is nearly 15 years old. I take good care of everything, but this lid is junk.

I'm about to buy a lid from Kraken this evening FWIW.

 

[mizukage]

I have had the Clearview lid you mentioned (Pisces) since 2020. Lead times were over 90 days and communication was a little poor, but not horrible. I know there were some supply chain issues back then, so that wasn't a big deal. The lid never fit correctly, not even close. I measured several times too, which made it frustrating. The design of the lid was bad too. The salt creep issue you mentioned is wild. The puzzle piece gaps act like a sponge for salt creep. I can't recall salt creep being caused by any other piece of equipment like that in almost 25 years in the hobby.

But none of those are the worst parts about the lid. It bowed since day one, it can barely support its own weight. I am gentle with it, but over the past few years it has developed cracks all over. When it was just two major cracks, it was workable because it almost folded in half. The mesh would get soaked, but it was fine. Now, it has developed cracks and broken in four or five places. It is non functional and makes me dread having to remove it. The mesh sags into the water and last week, my dog started chewing a small 1"x1" piece that randomly fell off during maintenance. All of those puzzle piece connections are failure points. I have run equipment on this tank that is nearly 15 years old. I take good care of everything, but this lid is junk.

I'm about to buy a lid from Kraken this evening FWIW.

Thanks for sharing your experience with the lid. Sounds like a no no for me.

 

[Tamberav]

I have had the Clearview lid you mentioned (Pisces) since 2020. Lead times were over 90 days and communication was a little poor, but not horrible. I know there were some supply chain issues back then, so that wasn't a big deal. The lid never fit correctly, not even close. I measured several times too, which made it frustrating. The design of the lid was bad too. The salt creep issue you mentioned is wild. The puzzle piece gaps act like a sponge for salt creep. I can't recall salt creep being caused by any other piece of equipment like that in almost 25 years in the hobby.

But none of those are the worst parts about the lid. It bowed since day one, it can barely support its own weight. I am gentle with it, but over the past few years it has developed cracks all over. When it was just two major cracks, it was workable because it almost folded in half. The mesh would get soaked, but it was fine. Now, it has developed cracks and broken in four or five places. It is non functional and makes me dread having to remove it. The mesh sags into the water and last week, my dog started chewing a small 1"x1" piece that randomly fell off during maintenance. All of those puzzle piece connections are failure points. I have run equipment on this tank that is nearly 15 years old. I take good care of everything, but this lid is junk.

I'm about to buy a lid from Kraken this evening FWIW.

Ya, it is not just us. I have found buried reviews and even photos of peoples tanks where you can tell its starting to go to crap...

FYI my lid never fit right either and I even asked if they wanted measurements but they said no because they had that tank on file. I had to send it back in to get the overflow re-cut then when it started to crack in less then a year they said they would not warranty my lid because I had already sent it in once.... but it was sent in because they already made it wrong the first go around...

Their customer service is a junk as their Pisces/Tsunami lids.

 

[Gabe]

Thanks for sharing your experience with the lid. Sounds like a no no for me.

I went ahead and ordered the Kraken tonight. Will post here in 3-4 weeks when I have some thoughts on it .

Ya, it is not just us. I have found buried reviews and even photos of peoples tanks where you can tell its starting to go to crap...

FYI my lid never fit right either and I even asked if they wanted measurements but they said no because they had that tank on file. I had to send it back in to get the overflow re-cut then when it started to crack in less then a year they said they would not warranty my lid because I had already sent it in once.... but it was sent in because they already made it wrong the first go around...

Their customer service is a junk as their Pisces/Tsunami lids.

Lol, I wasn't going to post my other experience with them in case it was an isolated thing... but I stopped at their booth this year at RAP and asked in a friendly way if they had dimensions for my tank on file now because I needed to reorder and didn't have a great fit the first go around. I got a really curt reply saying "if it was a custom order we would have only made it to your specs..." or something to that effect. The guy didn't even answer my question and I just kind of smiled and kept walking.

I was carrying over $600 of hardware I just bought in bags from other vendors at that point and it was early on day 1. It was really bizarre because I wasn't complaining and just genuinely interested if they maybe had an exact fit because I know they make other styles of lids.

Enough of me complaining though - just hope that others considering the Pisces lid steer clear.

 

[mizukage]

I went ahead and ordered the Kraken tonight. Will post here in 3-4 weeks when I have some thoughts on it .

Yes please do, I would really appreciate that. I haven’t ordered my lid yet as I’m just not at that stage of tank set up yet but I will get one eventually and so it’s helpful to know which one to save my $$ for.

 

[spsick]

I got a Clearview Exo earlier this year and my experience was fine. It’s custom for my rimmed acrylic tank and this skeleton style was the only kind that fit the bill for me.