Anybody made their own glass top?

[Angrie.Woman]

Still on my quest to provide more light to my tank.

I bought a glass top that fits *all* 29 gallon aquariums. Sadly, it won't
fit mine.

Has anybody made their own? What did you use for the middle "hinge" part,
and for the plastic along the back?

A
( If I hadn't managed to step on it while I was shooing the cat out of the
tank I might have been able to just cut 1/8" off the side and had a proper
fit.)

--
http://snipurl.com/cz4a : Submit a Google Request
"Default quoting of previous message in replies."

[Charles]

On Thu, 31 Mar 2005 01:36:25 GMT, "Angrie.Woman"
> wrote:

>Still on my quest to provide more light to my tank.
>
>I bought a glass top that fits *all* 29 gallon aquariums. Sadly, it won't
>fit mine.
>
>Has anybody made their own? What did you use for the middle "hinge" part,
>and for the plastic along the back?
>
>A
>( If I hadn't managed to step on it while I was shooing the cat out of the
>tank I might have been able to just cut 1/8" off the side and had a proper
>fit.)


For the plastic at the back you could get one for a bigger tank and
cut it to fit. Same for the hinge, or I have seen lids hinged with
aquarium cement. A local glass shop can cut the glass, make sure they
smooth the edges so you don't get cut.


--
Charles

Does not play well with others.

[CanadianCray]

I just make sliding glass lids. You can buy the plastic track for it in the
window section of most Homedepots dirt cheap. & you get two pieces of glass
cut so one can slide in the plastic track over the other.

"Angrie.Woman" > wrote in message
om...
> Still on my quest to provide more light to my tank.
>
> I bought a glass top that fits *all* 29 gallon aquariums. Sadly, it won't
> fit mine.
>
> Has anybody made their own? What did you use for the middle "hinge" part,
> and for the plastic along the back?
>
> A
> ( If I hadn't managed to step on it while I was shooing the cat out of the
> tank I might have been able to just cut 1/8" off the side and had a proper
> fit.)
>
> --
> http://snipurl.com/cz4a : Submit a Google Request
> "Default quoting of previous message in replies."
>

[~Roy~]

YOu can make a silicone hinge that will last a long time. Place the
two piece of glass together with a space about as thick as a doubled
up match book between them. Or approx 1/16" space. or about like the
diameter of a Q tip stick . Then run a piece of wide masking tape
down both side along the hinge point that will be the top, all along
the length of the space between the two pieces of glass, keeping it
approximately 1/2" away from the joint between the glass pieces. Then
put a strip of tape across the hinge point at each end . Flip the
glass pieces over, and remove spacers you installed previously, making
sure you do not allow glass to move together. Next run a bead of
silicone into the space between the glass, and trim/wipe off any that
is outside the joint between the glass pieces. Stick a strip of tape
all along the entire length directly over the silicon in the hinge
joint. Flip the glass over and lay a bead of silicone on this side the
lenght of the hinge line, and feather it out so its about 1/16" thick
in the middle and feathered oujt to the edges of the previously
applied tape. You can use water to keep it from sticking to your
fingers etc when you feather it out. Allow it to set a bit, and
feather it some more to get a uniform thickness. Allow to cure, remove
tape, and you now have a flexible silicone hinge. You can also do
this type hinge without a gap between the pieces, but make the top
portion a bit thicker than 1/16"

On Thu, 31 Mar 2005 01:36:25 GMT, "Angrie.Woman"
> wrote:

>===<>Still on my quest to provide more light to my tank.
>===<>
>===<>I bought a glass top that fits *all* 29 gallon aquariums. Sadly, it won't
>===<>fit mine.
>===<>
>===<>Has anybody made their own? What did you use for the middle "hinge" part,
>===<>and for the plastic along the back?
>===<>
>===<>A
>===<>( If I hadn't managed to step on it while I was shooing the cat out of the
>===<>tank I might have been able to just cut 1/8" off the side and had a proper
>===<>fit.)


==============================================
Put some color in your cheeks...garden naked!

[Angrie.Woman]

"CanadianCray" > wrote in message
. ..
>I just make sliding glass lids. You can buy the plastic track for it in the
>window section of most Homedepots dirt cheap. & you get two pieces of glass
>cut so one can slide in the plastic track over the other.

Interesting. It slides front to back?

A

[Angrie.Woman]

"Charles" > wrote in message
...
>
> For the plastic at the back you could get one for a bigger tank and
> cut it to fit. Same for the hinge, or I have seen lids hinged with
> aquarium cement. A local glass shop can cut the glass, make sure they
> smooth the edges so you don't get cut.

I actually have the tools here to cut the glass, so I'm ok in that area.
Trying to figure out what to use for a hinge is stumping me. Metal will
rust, and I don't remember ever seeing a plastic hinge.

A

[Angrie.Woman]

"~Roy~" > wrote in message
...
> YOu can make a silicone hinge that will last a long time. Place the
> two piece of glass together with a space about as thick as a doubled
> up match book between them. Or approx 1/16" space. or about like the
> diameter of a Q tip stick . Then run a piece of wide masking tape
> down both side along the hinge point that will be the top, all along
> the length of the space between the two pieces of glass, keeping it
> approximately 1/2" away from the joint between the glass pieces. Then
> put a strip of tape across the hinge point at each end . Flip the
> glass pieces over, and remove spacers you installed previously, making
> sure you do not allow glass to move together. Next run a bead of
> silicone into the space between the glass, and trim/wipe off any that
> is outside the joint between the glass pieces. Stick a strip of tape
> all along the entire length directly over the silicon in the hinge
> joint. Flip the glass over and lay a bead of silicone on this side the
> lenght of the hinge line, and feather it out so its about 1/16" thick
> in the middle and feathered oujt to the edges of the previously
> applied tape. You can use water to keep it from sticking to your
> fingers etc when you feather it out. Allow it to set a bit, and
> feather it some more to get a uniform thickness. Allow to cure, remove
> tape, and you now have a flexible silicone hinge. You can also do
> this type hinge without a gap between the pieces, but make the top
> portion a bit thicker than 1/16"


Oh I like this. I might be trying this over the weekend.

A

>
> On Thu, 31 Mar 2005 01:36:25 GMT, "Angrie.Woman"
> > wrote:
>
>>===<>Still on my quest to provide more light to my tank.
>>===<>
>>===<>I bought a glass top that fits *all* 29 gallon aquariums. Sadly, it
>>won't
>>===<>fit mine.
>>===<>
>>===<>Has anybody made their own? What did you use for the middle "hinge"
>>part,
>>===<>and for the plastic along the back?
>>===<>
>>===<>A
>>===<>( If I hadn't managed to step on it while I was shooing the cat out
>>of the
>>===<>tank I might have been able to just cut 1/8" off the side and had a
>>proper
>>===<>fit.)
>
>
> ==============================================
> Put some color in your cheeks...garden naked!

[blue sky]

Do they make hinges out of stainless steel or aluminium?
"Angrie.Woman" > wrote in message
m...
>
> "Charles" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> For the plastic at the back you could get one for a bigger tank and
>> cut it to fit. Same for the hinge, or I have seen lids hinged with
>> aquarium cement. A local glass shop can cut the glass, make sure they
>> smooth the edges so you don't get cut.
>
> I actually have the tools here to cut the glass, so I'm ok in that area.
> Trying to figure out what to use for a hinge is stumping me. Metal will
> rust, and I don't remember ever seeing a plastic hinge.
>
> A
>

[Charles]

On Thu, 31 Mar 2005 04:31:53 GMT, "Angrie.Woman"
> wrote:

>
>"Charles" > wrote in message
...
>>
>> For the plastic at the back you could get one for a bigger tank and
>> cut it to fit. Same for the hinge, or I have seen lids hinged with
>> aquarium cement. A local glass shop can cut the glass, make sure they
>> smooth the edges so you don't get cut.
>
>I actually have the tools here to cut the glass, so I'm ok in that area.
>Trying to figure out what to use for a hinge is stumping me. Metal will
>rust, and I don't remember ever seeing a plastic hinge.
>
>A
>


The aquarium cement hinge I referred to is what Roy posted about. His
sounds much better than what I did, I just smeared cement along the
joint.

Follow his directions, not mine.

<:-)


--
Charles

Does not play well with others.

[Elaine T]

Angrie.Woman wrote:
> Still on my quest to provide more light to my tank.
>
> I bought a glass top that fits *all* 29 gallon aquariums. Sadly, it won't
> fit mine.
>
> Has anybody made their own? What did you use for the middle "hinge" part,
> and for the plastic along the back?
>
> A
> ( If I hadn't managed to step on it while I was shooing the cat out of the
> tank I might have been able to just cut 1/8" off the side and had a proper
> fit.)
>
For a completely different idea, I use flourescent lighting diffuser
(eggcrate) to top all of my tanks. I cut out an area for the light bulb
so that the light shines into the tank at full intensity. The open
meshy plastic keeps the fish in but allows water to evaporate, cooling
the tanks while the lights are on.

Another thing I've done is used a glass canopy without a hinge (the
hinge self-destructed really fast), and eggcrate for the plastic on the
back.

--
__ Elaine T __
><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><

[[email protected]]

Have you considered acrylic. Home Depot will do right angled cuts for
free. Lowe will do it for free too I think.

[CanadianCray]

Acrylic is crap for lids. It warps & gets foggy very easy. More so with
lights.

> wrote in message
ups.com...
> Have you considered acrylic. Home Depot will do right angled cuts for
> free. Lowe will do it for free too I think.
>

[~Roy~]

Well that all depends on whata type acrylic you get..Granted general
run of the mill acrylic yu buy at big box stores may not be suited for
this use, but a good case hardened cast acrylic will not bow up or bow
with the heat or light as a extruded acrylic will. Some acrylics even
have a label on the one side that states to place that side towrads
sunlight.....or heat........do it the opposite way and it will bow up.
Good acrylic is just like glass and works very well.

On Thu, 31 Mar 2005 07:46:41 -0500, "CanadianCray"
> wrote:

>===<>Acrylic is crap for lids. It warps & gets foggy very easy. More so with
>===<>lights.
>===<>
> wrote in message
ups.com...
>===<>> Have you considered acrylic. Home Depot will do right angled cuts for
>===<>> free. Lowe will do it for free too I think.
>===<>>
>===<>


==============================================
Put some color in your cheeks...garden naked!

[~Roy~]

I would not use aluminum, as it is susceptable to corrosion with water
condensation or exposure to ph levels much aboe a 7.2 environment.....

Stainless would work and its available in all kinds of widrths and
thicknesses, and could be adhered to glass with RTV compounds. I tend
to like to make the tops etc so they are esentially all one piece with
no ver visible hinges and joints etc.....and a stainless hinge would
stand out.

On Thu, 31 Mar 2005 04:38:23 GMT, "blue sky" > wrote:

>===<>Do they make hinges out of stainless steel or aluminium?
>===<>"Angrie.Woman" > wrote in message
m...
>===<>>
>===<>> "Charles" > wrote in message
>===<>> ...
>===<>>>
>===<>>> For the plastic at the back you could get one for a bigger tank and
>===<>>> cut it to fit. Same for the hinge, or I have seen lids hinged with
>===<>>> aquarium cement. A local glass shop can cut the glass, make sure they
>===<>>> smooth the edges so you don't get cut.
>===<>>
>===<>> I actually have the tools here to cut the glass, so I'm ok in that area.
>===<>> Trying to figure out what to use for a hinge is stumping me. Metal will
>===<>> rust, and I don't remember ever seeing a plastic hinge.
>===<>>
>===<>> A
>===<>>
>===<>


==============================================
Put some color in your cheeks...garden naked!

[~Roy~]

Just give it ample time to fully cure......sometimes you may need to
make a small slit in the bottom silicone area for the hinge to
relieve tension which makes the hinged portion want to spring back.
The close joint with silicone on top only does not have this tendency,
but after some time and use, it sort of looses its memory to want to
automatically spring back. Use a good grade of silicone for best
results.


On Thu, 31 Mar 2005 04:37:20 GMT, "Angrie.Woman"
> wrote:

>===<>
>===<>"~Roy~" > wrote in message
...
>===<>> YOu can make a silicone hinge that will last a long time. Place the
>===<>> two piece of glass together with a space about as thick as a doubled
>===<>> up match book between them. Or approx 1/16" space. or about like the
>===<>> diameter of a Q tip stick . Then run a piece of wide masking tape
>===<>> down both side along the hinge point that will be the top, all along
>===<>> the length of the space between the two pieces of glass, keeping it
>===<>> approximately 1/2" away from the joint between the glass pieces. Then
>===<>> put a strip of tape across the hinge point at each end . Flip the
>===<>> glass pieces over, and remove spacers you installed previously, making
>===<>> sure you do not allow glass to move together. Next run a bead of
>===<>> silicone into the space between the glass, and trim/wipe off any that
>===<>> is outside the joint between the glass pieces. Stick a strip of tape
>===<>> all along the entire length directly over the silicon in the hinge
>===<>> joint. Flip the glass over and lay a bead of silicone on this side the
>===<>> lenght of the hinge line, and feather it out so its about 1/16" thick
>===<>> in the middle and feathered oujt to the edges of the previously
>===<>> applied tape. You can use water to keep it from sticking to your
>===<>> fingers etc when you feather it out. Allow it to set a bit, and
>===<>> feather it some more to get a uniform thickness. Allow to cure, remove
>===<>> tape, and you now have a flexible silicone hinge. You can also do
>===<>> this type hinge without a gap between the pieces, but make the top
>===<>> portion a bit thicker than 1/16"
>===<>
>===<>
>===<>Oh I like this. I might be trying this over the weekend.
>===<>
>===<>A
>===<>
>===<>>
>===<>> On Thu, 31 Mar 2005 01:36:25 GMT, "Angrie.Woman"
>===<>> > wrote:
>===<>>
>===<>>>===<>Still on my quest to provide more light to my tank.
>===<>>>===<>
>===<>>>===<>I bought a glass top that fits *all* 29 gallon aquariums. Sadly, it
>===<>>>won't
>===<>>>===<>fit mine.
>===<>>>===<>
>===<>>>===<>Has anybody made their own? What did you use for the middle "hinge"
>===<>>>part,
>===<>>>===<>and for the plastic along the back?
>===<>>>===<>
>===<>>>===<>A
>===<>>>===<>( If I hadn't managed to step on it while I was shooing the cat out
>===<>>>of the
>===<>>>===<>tank I might have been able to just cut 1/8" off the side and had a
>===<>>>proper
>===<>>>===<>fit.)
>===<>>
>===<>>
>===<>> ==============================================
>===<>> Put some color in your cheeks...garden naked!
>===<>


==============================================
Put some color in your cheeks...garden naked!

[Angrie.Woman]

"Elaine T" > wrote in message
m...

> For a completely different idea, I use flourescent lighting diffuser
> (eggcrate) to top all of my tanks.

Argh - I worked with that stuff making my pond filter. Ouch Ouch Ouch.

I cut out an area for the light bulb
> so that the light shines into the tank at full intensity.

Have you tried the ones that are coated in silver? I can't have big holes,
as my snail in inclined to leave.

The open
> meshy plastic keeps the fish in but allows water to evaporate, cooling the
> tanks while the lights are on.

How much evaporation do you get?


>
> Another thing I've done is used a glass canopy without a hinge (the hinge
> self-destructed really fast), and eggcrate for the plastic on the back.
>

The hinge is so I can feed them, and ease of water changes.. Where do you
drop food in with a set up like that?

A

[lgb]

In article >,
says...
> I actually have the tools here to cut the glass, so I'm ok in that area.
> Trying to figure out what to use for a hinge is stumping me. Metal will
> rust, and I don't remember ever seeing a plastic hinge.
>
My LFS sells them. They come in long lengths. I said what length I
needed and they cut one for me. Have you asked around? Have you done a
Google?

For example:

http://www.jmkdisplays.homestead.com/hinge.html

--
Homo sapiens is a goal, not a description

[lgb]

In article >,
says...
> Acrylic is crap for lids. It warps & gets foggy very easy. More so with
> lights.
>
I can attest to that. I tried it - lasted about 3 days. Lexan might
work if it's thick enough, I haven't tried it.

--
Homo sapiens is a goal, not a description

[Angrie.Woman]

"lgb" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> says...
>> I actually have the tools here to cut the glass, so I'm ok in that area.
>> Trying to figure out what to use for a hinge is stumping me. Metal will
>> rust, and I don't remember ever seeing a plastic hinge.
>>
> My LFS sells them. They come in long lengths. I said what length I
> needed and they cut one for me. Have you asked around? Have you done a
> Google?

I do not have a local fish store. All I have are chains. I actually quit
asking them things quite a while ago. Totally clueless, they are.

>
> For example:
>
> http://www.jmkdisplays.homestead.com/hinge.html

Ah yes, that's nice. But by the time I pay shipping, I might as well order
another pre-fab and just not step on it. :)

A

[Wm Hopkins]

"Angrie.Woman" > wrote in message
om...
>
> "lgb" > wrote in message
> ...
>> In article >,
>> says...
>>> I actually have the tools here to cut the glass, so I'm ok in that area.
>>> Trying to figure out what to use for a hinge is stumping me. Metal
>>> will
>>> rust, and I don't remember ever seeing a plastic hinge.
>>>
>> My LFS sells them. They come in long lengths. I said what length I
>> needed and they cut one for me. Have you asked around? Have you done a
>> Google?
>
> I do not have a local fish store. All I have are chains. I actually quit
> asking them things quite a while ago. Totally clueless, they are.
>
>>
>> For example:
>>
>> http://www.jmkdisplays.homestead.com/hinge.html
>
> Ah yes, that's nice. But by the time I pay shipping, I might as well order
> another pre-fab and just not step on it. :)
>
> A
>

Just get 2 small "piano hinges" of your preferred metal and use an
automotive rear-view-mirror adhesive kit to attach to the glass.

Bill

[sophie]

In message >,
Angrie.Woman > writes
>
>"Charles" > wrote in message
...
>>
>> For the plastic at the back you could get one for a bigger tank and
>> cut it to fit. Same for the hinge, or I have seen lids hinged with
>> aquarium cement. A local glass shop can cut the glass, make sure they
>> smooth the edges so you don't get cut.
>
>I actually have the tools here to cut the glass, so I'm ok in that area.
>Trying to figure out what to use for a hinge is stumping me. Metal will
>rust, and I don't remember ever seeing a plastic hinge.

why don't you use two pieces of glass, each slightly more than half the
length of the tank, and fit them into sliders? (a slider being a long
piece of hard plastic with a profile like a capital E - one piece of
glass fitting in the top, another in the bottom. Like shop freezer
cabinets, or sliding doors).

I'd rather slide big bits of glass than lower them up and down, any
day...
--
sophie

[Angrie.Woman]

"sophie" > wrote in message
...
>
> why don't you use two pieces of glass, each slightly more than half the
> length of the tank, and fit them into sliders? (a slider being a long
> piece of hard plastic with a profile like a capital E - one piece of glass
> fitting in the top, another in the bottom. Like shop freezer cabinets, or
> sliding doors).
>
> I'd rather slide big bits of glass than lower them up and down, any day...

Another poster suggested that. I'll probably head over to the local store
this weekend to see what they have.

I liked the pre-fab glass tops, because they fit inside the tank, which
makes it easier for me to get my canopy on.

A

[sophie]

In message >,
Angrie.Woman > writes
>
>"sophie" > wrote in message
...
>>
>> why don't you use two pieces of glass, each slightly more than half the
>> length of the tank, and fit them into sliders? (a slider being a long
>> piece of hard plastic with a profile like a capital E - one piece of glass
>> fitting in the top, another in the bottom. Like shop freezer cabinets, or
>> sliding doors).
>>
>> I'd rather slide big bits of glass than lower them up and down, any day...
>
>Another poster suggested that. I'll probably head over to the local store
>this weekend to see what they have.
>
>I liked the pre-fab glass tops, because they fit inside the tank, which
>makes it easier for me to get my canopy on.

these slidey ones do that - the plastic strips sit on the braces inside
the tank, if you see what I mean.
>
>A
>
>
>
>
>

--
sophie

[Elaine T]

Angrie.Woman wrote:
> "Elaine T" > wrote in message
> m...
>
>
>>For a completely different idea, I use flourescent lighting diffuser
>>(eggcrate) to top all of my tanks.
>
>
> Argh - I worked with that stuff making my pond filter. Ouch Ouch Ouch.

I've got it pretty much figured out. I sit somewhere where I don't mind
the plastic chips flying and cut with tinsnips. Then I use needlenose
pliers to snap off the irregular bits the tinsnips leave behind. Some
folks use saws, but I suck with a handsaw!
>
> I cut out an area for the light bulb
>
>>so that the light shines into the tank at full intensity.
>
>
> Have you tried the ones that are coated in silver? I can't have big holes,
> as my snail in inclined to leave.

I was afraid the silver would flake and peel as I was working with the
stuff so I went with the plain white. Traveling snails would be a
problem, though. I don't keep snails because they eat my plants.
>
> The open
>
>>meshy plastic keeps the fish in but allows water to evaporate, cooling the
>>tanks while the lights are on.
>
>
> How much evaporation do you get?

About 2" a week when the weather is warm and dry. The brightly lit 5
gallon runs 3 degrees cooler. I started the 10 gallon with the eggcrate
so I don't know the temperature difference for that one.
>
>>Another thing I've done is used a glass canopy without a hinge (the hinge
>>self-destructed really fast), and eggcrate for the plastic on the back.
>>
>
>
> The hinge is so I can feed them, and ease of water changes.. Where do you
> drop food in with a set up like that?
>
Through the holes in the eggcrate. All of my fish are small, so I'm not
feeding anything big. I use an eye dropper for bloodworms - I don't
like to touch them anyway since I sensitize to things easily.
Blackworms I pick up on my pinky, touch the water through the eggcrate,
and they wriggle off. If I'm not cleaning gravel, I sometimes siphon
through thin tubing stuck through an opening as well. Then I dump the
water change water through the holes. Plant fertilizers get dosed at
the opening for the filter outflow, or with the eyedropper for tiny tanks.

--
__ Elaine T __
><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><

[lgb]

In article >, eetmail-
says...
> Plant fertilizers get dosed at
> the opening for the filter outflow, or with the eyedropper for tiny tanks.
>
I mix mine with the water for a water change. That way it's widely
diffused before it enters the tank. Probably just being paranoid, but
it can't hurt :-).

--
Homo sapiens is a goal, not a description

[Elaine T]

lgb wrote:
> In article >, eetmail-
> says...
>
>>Plant fertilizers get dosed at
>>the opening for the filter outflow, or with the eyedropper for tiny tanks.
>>
>
> I mix mine with the water for a water change. That way it's widely
> diffused before it enters the tank. Probably just being paranoid, but
> it can't hurt :-).
>
I used to, but I dose something every other day now. I'm getting ready
to go to PMDD which is daily.

--
__ Elaine T __
><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com