Help! with Lid

haha depending on the time of day, I can be quite crafty, or quite disasterous! I'll post the final version tomorrow!!

 

I made mine from eggcrate, its very easy to cut into any shape with a pair of wire cutters.

 

Kcbrad – excellent job on the build !

Ok – I assume that if you build a one piece notched around the overflow you are going to lose structural support right? I am the obvious answer would be to build the frame around it.

With that in mind, what if you built a two piece cover? Add a support piece left to or front to back with a lip on both sides at the height of your tank frame, with a lip to rest your frame pieces on. I picture it as an upside down tee with the top most part resting on the tank frame so the lower part created a lip to rest your DIY lid on at the exact height of your tanks frame.

This way you can build two lids for the one side and notch around the over flow and still have strength.

Or, just make the lid without that corner but keep the mesh in place and simply lay it over the overflow. You could add a small weight on the unattached corner of the mesh to ensure it stays in place.

here - see this pic:

 

the egg crate blocks too much light, afterall, that was it's original function

 

Kacy,

Nice job! what kind of mesh did you use?
It looks great

You get the Martha MacGuyver Award today! (After all, Martha would insist that it be "tastefully done" and MacGuyver? well.....there isn't anything that guy can't build in a pinch!)

;D

elizabeth

 

The issue to me is stability. when you add the cut outs for the overflow, you end up with that "big L" and it will likely be unstable and droop into the tank since the frame won't be stiff enough.

Here are two possible solutions.

1) Glue a frame support to your overflow. Get a plastic 1/2" L and glue it to the overflow to support the frame. That would fix the droop problem.

2) Increase stiffness in the frame itself. Use fishing line to put in diagonals. Drill a small in each corner of the 2 rectangles that make up your big L. Tie fishing line tight but not too tight to make "X"'s across the rectangles. That should provide some extra stability without blocking light.

The combination of these two ideas might do it.

Just my thought

Mark

 

I thought about laying the mesh over the overflow, but I'm worried that will still allow room for escapees. I've read some scary escapee stories on here! I have a (expensive!) wrasse coming, and I want to make sure he stays in the tank.

I do like your idea about the lip though. And thank you for the picture!

haha thanks. I used the clear mesh from the guy off Ebay (I'm pretty sure you're the one that recommended it...). It's great!! So thank you!

Those are great ideas!! I was worried about the mesh drooping, but I wasn't sure what to do about it. I think the idea about gluing supports on to the overflow box would really work. That way it will also make the lid fit tighter to the overflox box.


Thank you everyone! This has been SO helpful!!

 

Ah yes - i thought that mesh looked familiar!

You gotta admit - it looks great and has absolutely NO bearing on light. If you look up at it from a lower elevation while viewing the tank - it virtually disappears.

Im so glad that worked out for you!

elizabeth

 

You should ask Eric for a picture of what he did with his corner tank. He has kind of the same situation where the filer and skimmer didn't work for a cover. But, the mesh top with the frame kind of glued or welded together to form the ] shape for the overflow sounds like it would work. I wonder if you could make it so it rests on the rim of the overflow... not sure if this is possible, but may provide more stability. Good luck

 

Thanks for the ideas! Eric promised me a picture today - so we shall see!