Don't Flip Your Lid!

[hoffmeyerz]

I'm struggling a bit with a lid for the tank. Tank is a standard 75gal and I have glass lids for it, problem is I have a hard time keeping the temp down in the summer. I wired a fan up and connected it to my apex which helps but the thing that really does it is to just take the lids off.
I would like to change but I'm having a hard time deciding what to change to. I do have coral so shadowing is a concern.
What do you use, why, and how well does it work?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I use black egg crate (have used white before but IMO black looks better).
Minimal PAR loss, no noticeable shadowing.
Works very well, especially considering the price. Can easily be cut to accommodate cords, internal overflow, etc.

 

[VintageReefer]

I replaced the glass lids on my 75 with these custom polycarbonate lids

 

[hoffmeyerz]

I use black egg crate (have used white before but IMO black looks better).
Minimal PAR loss, no noticeable shadowing.
Works very well, especially considering the price. Can easily be cut to accommodate cords, internal overflow, etc.

That's great to hear! I was leaning towards egg crate but was worried about light loss/shadowing.

 

[hoffmeyerz]

I replaced the glass lids on my 75 with these custom polycarbonate lids

Love those lids, especially how they're sectioned like that.
I think I would still have the same heat issue though that I have with the glass lids.

 

[ryanjohn1]

Kraken lid

 

[TokenReefer]

I couldn't find a lid I liked for my standard tank; in the end the diy screen was pretty easy

 

[danimal1211]

I made one of these and it works great.

 

[redfishbluefish]

I am lid-less, but stop carpet surfing by building tall canopies. Here's my current 5 foot 90 gallon:

Even my QT has a tall canopy:

And a JBJ28 I gave my son a number of years ago:

Never lost a fish to carpet surfing since going with tall canopies.

 

[X-37B]

I used egg crate on my 120 and it worked well with Halides.
Current ext 170 has a Clear View Classic lid. Basic but works very well.

 

[ScottJ]

I have used egg crate, but switched to a DIY screen. I like the look better. I found a place that does custom printed corners that fit hardware store aluminum window screen frame. Got screen material from BRS (although hardware store stuff would have probably worked fine) and put them together. Used silicone to hold the corners to the frame lengths and a couple places where I couldn't get the spline to hold. Put in a couple feed ports, also. They work pretty good.

 

[smitten with ocean life]

is this hijacking your thread op if i ask about this egg crate stuff? never seen it before. was thinking of trying a kraken lid but i am frustrated with how they want me to measure

 

[X-37B]

is this hijacking your thread op if i ask about this egg crate stuff? never seen it before. was thinking of trying a kraken lid but i am frustrated with how they want me to measure

Egg Crate is a light diffuser used in homes and works well as a frag rack.

 

[Devaji]

I have used so many things over the years, from nothing to egg crate to DIY alum. with netting.

the DIY window frame twisted and bent in no time.
egg crate was OK but small fish still can get through. ( if you go that way add netting/screen to it. will cut down some PAR... maybe

the last few tanks I have use custom lids, I have a kraken for the RS 300 and had a clear view for the RS 650p there alot of $$$ but boy do they look nice.

if you think you're going to have that 75 for a few years I would go that way but if you think you might change your tank. then go with a cheaper option.

 

[hoffmeyerz]

is this hijacking your thread op if i ask about this egg crate stuff? never seen it before. was thinking of trying a kraken lid but i am frustrated with how they want me to measure

As mentioned, the egg crate is a light diffuser material you can get at the big box hardware stores or even BRS and Amazon.
It's a plastic material put together in a grid pattern typically about 1/4" spacing.
It can come in black or white and easy to cut and shape around items.

 

[hoffmeyerz]

I have used so many things over the years, from nothing to egg crate to DIY alum. with netting.

the DIY window frame twisted and bent in no time.
egg crate was OK but small fish still can get through. ( if you go that way add netting/screen to it. will cut down some PAR... maybe

the last few tanks I have use custom lids, I have a kraken for the RS 300 and had a clear view for the RS 650p there alot of $$$ but boy do they look nice.

if you think you're going to have that 75 for a few years I would go that way but if you think you might change your tank. then go with a cheaper option.

I'm not familiar with the kraken lids but I'll look at them.
I plan on having the tank for many years, will possibly add a larger tank too though....lol
Really trying to keep costs down though so I'll need the low cost option for now.

 

[X-37B]

I'm not familiar with the kraken lids but I'll look at them.
I plan on having the tank for many years, will possibly add a larger tank too though....lol
Really trying to keep costs down though so I'll need the low cost option for now.

Clear View Classic was the best price for my ext 170. I had 2 cutouts for my Sea Sweeps and they made it simple.

 

[ScottJ]

I'm not familiar with the kraken lids but I'll look at them.
I plan on having the tank for many years, will possibly add a larger tank too though....lol
Really trying to keep costs down though so I'll need the low cost option for now.

Egg crate is the quickest, most cost effective, and easiest thing, IMO. You can always do something more fancy later.

 

[BrokenReefer]

I use window screening from the big box stores. Aluminum channel, rubber seal, fiberglass mesh… virtually invisible, however, If you want a more invisible look paint it black.

 

[hoffmeyerz]

Egg crate is the quickest, most cost effective, and easiest thing, IMO. You can always do something more fancy later.

Def what I'm thinking. I was just worried it might cut down the light too much but my radions are only at 35% so I can always up them if there's too much drop.