DIY screen top for my T5 lights coming in the mail soon.

My 48" Odyssea Quad T5 is coming in the mail soon. I will operate only 2 T5s at a time using the built-in timer. I can't find a glass top that will fit my tank so I just made a screen top. Plus it will be good when summer comes.
Check it out!



This is just the right side. I have to make two since my tank had 2 canopies and 2 T8 lights. My tank is 25" high not including the lid.

I attached the egg crate with gorilla glue. Gorilla glue is awesome. You have to wet it so it activates and it turns into white foam that hardens. Then you can cut or sand the excess. The netting is white nylon netting I purchased from JoAnn Crafts. The spaces in the back where the egg crate is at is for my overflow box, heater, and some air lines. I also put some netting on the egg crate and used super glue all around.

 

Good morning,

Great job Mat!

Ken

 

Thanks!

 

Nice DIY'ing. If the evaporation becomes too much to deal with because of the screen, here is a link for easy glass tops:

 

Awesome!! Thanks Matt! I think I'll make them soon. Although I think I'll make mine with Lexan so I can cut them myself. With acrylic I can cut openings at the back and not have to use egg crate.

 

Better yet! So I know for my own future reference, how does that material hold up to heat from HO lights on top of it and what thickness would it be? I would also appreciate the ease of shaping acrylic compared to glass.

 

It's .093in thick and is pretty rigid as you can see.


That's 22.5" long and 4.5" wide. I used it to cover my old T8 housings from splashing. So it's pretty good with heat.
The one I use is a Lexan brand which is a polycarbonate material.

I think it should be similar to what Oddysea uses.

Here's how to cut it.

There's also a thicker .22in but more expensive.

 

Thanks! I think as a test I may try that in 1/8" thick on my 15 gallon using the sliding top method to see how it does.

 

finished.