Glass Canopy

XanAvaloni said:
Acrylic/plastic would be even cheaper, easier and safer. (glass will need to be ground or sanded on the cut edges...if you know anybody who does stained glass work they will have the grinder which is best. You would not want to buy one just for a one-time job.)
Plastic on the other hand has no sharp edges and the store can cut it to size for you. Keep the leftovers for future projects or sale. Your only concern will be to get a thick enough sheet that it will not sag. Plus it can be easily drilled. Then you pick up a pack of little hinges and drill 4-6 holes and you're all set.
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Even quarter inch thick acrylic or plexi will sag over the width of a standard tank.
Lexon works well, but one wants scraps, not new sheets. It's a bit expensive.
 
Taari said:
Why is there a problem with having the hinge going lengthwise? If your tank has that plastic support bar in the center, then it is designed to have two smaller glass tops. Some tanks don't have that and can use the full 48" long ones.
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+1

u just get 2

I have 2 on my 72G bow

so, u have 2 pieces, each with a hinge, but those are kind of expensive IMO
 
looks like dbosman posted a good link for $19.99 plus shipping. It comes in 2 pieces, one for each side of the brace. Personally, I would never get one that goes completely over it in one piece across the entire tank.
 
dbosman said:
Even quarter inch thick acrylic or plexi will sag over the width of a standard tank.
Lexon works well, but one wants scraps, not new sheets. It's a bit expensive.
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I've made my own tops using plexi glass and it did indeed sag over the width of the tank. I assume the heat from my lights caused the sagging.
 
If the tank is small enough, and the plexi is thick enough, it won't sag. I got a used 5.5g tank that came with a piece of 1/4" plexi for the top and it doesn't sag at all. But I use 1/8" plexi on my 10, 20, and 20 long, and it starts to sag in a day. I just flip it every time i do a water change and it's not too bad, but if you buy 1/4" plexi to keep it from sagging, it's so expensive that you may as well have just gotten glass.
 
I think I can make it myself fairly cheap :D My sisters girlfriend works near a warehouse where they cut glasss and stuff like that and weill give her a pretty good price, and she found the hinges online. we already did all the measurements and it seems very possible/cheap! post pics soon
 
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