# Could I use OPTIX Clear Acrylic Sheet as aquarium lid?



## arash53

I just wonder if I could use Home Depot OPTIX Clear Acrylic Sheet as lid for reef aquarium, I don't know if it effects too much on my light systems!

Optix | Clear Acrylic Sheet - 080 Inch x 18 Inch x 24 Inch | Home Depot Canada


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## tony1928

Not sure about impact on light, but it will definitely filter out some of the intensity. Also, that looks to be fairly thin, so depending on your tank, the plexi will sag. It won't stay nice and flat like a piece of glass.


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## SeaHorse_Fanatic

What lighting are you using because Halides or other hot lights will discolour and soften plexi if its close to the surface.


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## arash53

SeaHorse_Fanatic said:


> What lighting are you using because Halides or other hot lights will discolour and soften plexi if its close to the surface.


Oh you right my MH will burn it eventually 

What is the cheapest way to get a glass for lid?

I could also cover the sides instead but I am not sure how

Hers is my tank :


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## Foxtail

Craigslist... Put "glass" or "tempered" in the free section search. I just did it last night. Tons of it comes up... Would probably need to get it cut down tho

Sent from my SGH-T959D using Tapatalk 2


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## Rastapus

I agree with other posts, acrylic sheet warps like crazy, even thicker stuff. It wont take more then a couple weeks to have an s curved lid. Glass is the way to go. Glass will screen out a lot of the UV but so does the glas covers on your light so no difference there.


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## 2wheelsx2

Yep, that piece would be touching the water in your tank in no time. 

Any cover is going to cut down on light intensity. You can do what a lot of people do, which is to put a cover on the tank only after lights out, or when the moonlights are on. Then you have the best of both worlds, and your glass top will stay cleaner too.


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## macframalama

the above is all good advise , and that stuff at depot is stupid thin so warping and distorting would be fast


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## arash53

Rastapus said:


> I agree with other posts, acrylic sheet warps like crazy, even thicker stuff. It wont take more then a couple weeks to have an s curved lid. Glass is the way to go. Glass will screen out a lot of the UV but so does the glas covers on your light so no difference there.


Yea that material is out of my list as a lid. I am thinking to build something to cover the sides and the front, something easy attach/detach to my fixture.



2wheelsx2 said:


> Yep, that piece would be touching the water in your tank in no time.
> 
> Any cover is going to cut down on light intensity. You can do what a lot of people do, which is to put a cover on the tank only after lights out, or when the moonlights are on. Then you have the best of both worlds, and your glass top will stay cleaner too.


So fish wont jump out when the lights are on?


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## SeaHorse_Fanatic

If you're diligent about cleaning the glass (I'm not), then it doesn't really affect intensity too much.

Call Candu glass and give them your exact dimensions. They can cut a piece of 5mm quite inexpensively.

Anthony


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## arash53

SeaHorse_Fanatic said:


> If you're diligent about cleaning the glass (I'm not), then it doesn't really affect intensity too much.
> 
> Call Candu glass and give them your exact dimensions. They can cut a piece of 5mm quite inexpensively.
> 
> Anthony


I called them , it will cost 20$ with safe edges ,pretty reasonable.


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## 2wheelsx2

arash53 said:


> So fish wont jump out when the lights are on?


Oh I didn't know that the lid was for jumpers. I've never had a fish jump out of my little cube when the lights are on. I always find them dried up in the morning.  I just thought you were worried about evap/make up water since it's a sw tank. If jumpers is a problem, lowering the water level would be more effective than a lid, as they would still bang themselves up on the lid.


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## arash53

The reason I need lid is wrasse, and they are big time jumpers. 

how lid will effect on my tank temperature, it will go up or down? I am a bit confused. it will be additional shield for MH heat but will it over all cause the temperature go up?!!


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## 2wheelsx2

I see.

The lid will keep insulate the tank, so warmer when it's warm, cooler longer when it's cool, except when the lights are on...it'll always be warmer then.


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## arash53

2wheelsx2 said:


> I see.
> 
> The lid will keep insulate the tank, so warmer when it's warm, cooler longer when it's cool, except when the lights are on...it'll always be warmer then.


if I get a lid about 2" shorter from front and back, will it resolve that issue?


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## 2wheelsx2

I'll have to let the salties answer that as I don't have lids on my tanks with the most lights. I know that even with an enclosed canopy that is lidless in my 100 gallon cube, the heater comes on a lot less often for my discus tank than when I had nothing on top.


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## ACBerb

Wow that Candu glass sounds great, anyone know a place out in the valley that does custom glass at a reasonable price like that?


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## SeaHorse_Fanatic

The other option Arash is to get some mesh screen material from Home Depot to stop the jumpers. Won't affect evap or temp.


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## tony1928

How about just using some eggcrate and secure it to the tank? Lots of people use it as a tank topper. It won't stop the splashing but it will keep the fish in the tank provided its held down properly.


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## Captured Moments

Yep the eggcrate works well. Just hold it down with a couple of heavy rocks on top.


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