i just got a metal halide unit for my tank but i still want to keep my glass lid does anyone know how i would go about cutting notches in the glass to clear the legs i have access to alot of tools but have little experience cutting glass. i realize i could just take the lid off but i would really like to keep it if at all possible, it really helps cut down on evaporation and also will help keep the critters in.
Glass lid and metal halide normally do not mix well as the heat build up will kill you, you will most likely find that in the warmer months or in a room heated to mid 70’s you will need to deploy fans to cool the tank if you don’t have a chiller and are running MH Lights.
As far as cutting the lid, it would be a gamble as it could shatter easy if it’s tempered, and I would us a glass bitand glass cutting wheel combo
Gotta agree with Hudzon, glass lid under MH equals alot of heat and not a good idea. And as far as cutting the lid like he said most are tempered and can not be cut.Ben, I’m not sure how much your tank is evaporating or if you have a sump. If you do have a sump, you can look into Auto Top Off (ATO) their not that expensive. If no sump, then I guess its a labor of love to continue adding top off water by hand.
If you really worry about critters jumping you can get eggcrete or light defusser and cut to size to fit over the top. Of course it will cut down your light intensity a little. Or better yet, use the screen door material with the framing, cut to size of course. That will work as well.
well with the lid i have had very minimal evap, no sump as of now so i cant do a ato, i will lose the lid i guess, and just do top offs manually. maybe i will build a 6-8" lip on the tank to keep the critters in and it will also keep the fixture from throwing so much light around the rest of the room
In a reef tank, evaporation is your friend. Check out Bulkreefsupply for a good diy “netting” top you could make to keep critters in. But without a sump ( or even with for that matter) I def wouldn’t advise glass lids. :TWOCENTS
here’s a link to the BRS video DIY screen top for aquariums - YouTube