Reptile & Amphibian Forums

At the moment I am putting together a 30 gallon hex tank and have not been able to find a glass top for it. I checked all the local pet stores and came up with nothing. Then I measured the tank and went to a couple of hardware stores to see if they could make one for me with everyone telling me, no.
so my question is does anyone know the proper way of measuring for a hex. glass top so that I could order one online?

Thanks in advance for your help.
ADAM

Well, rather than asking them to make you one, make it yourself. Instead, have the hardware stores cut glass to the size you need. Measure the upper part of the tank (the plastic lip) and take a measurement that allows the glass to fit insode of the upper rim but still resting on the lower lip. You'll want to leave a space between the 2 plates of glass to allow ventilation. This space should be 3 to 4 inches. Afte the edges of the glass have been smoothened to remove any sharp edges, place them on the top of the tank accordingly. Once you have a nice fit, spread a thin layer of aquarium grade silicone on the inner edge (the edge that becomes the inner gap) about 1 inch away. Thiw will serve to hold the screen in place. P
lace the 2 strips of screen over the gap making sure it is tight and sits in the silicone completely. Once this has dried, you can now procede to attaching the hinges. If you can find some long acrylic hinges, this would be the best to use, but I have had no problems using the metal hinges found at hardware stores. Pay special attention to which way the hinge opens and set them in conjuction to how far you plan to open the lid. I normally set my hinges so that the lid can be set all the way over and rest on the other side. This leaves my hands free to do other tasks in the tank. Silicone the hinges on and allow to cure. Viola...you now have a nice, ventilated lid that cost next to nothing (if you bargain shopped).

-Bill Johnson
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2.2.6 D. azureus
1.2.24 D. ventrimaculatus 'yellow'
1.1 D. tinctorius 'cobalt' (one subadult)
0.0.3 D. tinctorius 'patricia'
1.1 D. auratus 'blue'
0.2 P. aurotaenia

Look in the yellow pages under "glass". You should see some shops that specialize in plate, or custom glass. I've bought acrylic and glass from a couple different shops in my area and while i've only had square or rectangular shapes cut, I have noticed some finished pieces for other customers sitting on the counter which had some pretty unique shapes. I would think cutting a hexigon piece out of glass and then drilling vent holes in it would be something they could do.

Gus

You can make a template of the top out of some poster board or thin cardboard. Mark where you want the cuts, and take the template to a glass shop. It will probably be cheaper to have a glass shop cut the glass, than to buy a factory top.

The correct way to measure a hex for a glass lid is to measure from flat to flat meaning one side that is flat to the other side that is flat. You can also give the person the point to point measurement that is from one of the pointed parts of the hex to another. Use the outside measurements. If for some reason you cant find anyone local to get you the top let me know. A top for a glass hex 30 gallon should run about 12.00 to 15.00 from a pet store. Thats with a pull handle and a back strip.