HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hey yall! I want to cut a plexiglass lid for the 80 gallon. Those of you with plexiglass lids, do you have anything on top holding them down? I'll have a light on top, but I dont think its heavy enough. What do yall use?

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ciaraalston wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 23, 2019 6:42 pm

Hey yall! I want to cut a plexiglass lid for the 80 gallon. Those of you with plexiglass lids, do you have anything on top holding them down? I'll have a light on top, but I dont think its heavy enough. What do yall use?

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Is it framed? Can you find a mesh lid to fit? I have a mesh lid on my 90gal and taped plexiglass to it.

You can use plexiglass, but the heat and humidity will cause it to slowly bend inward.

odelayheehoo wrote:You can use plexiglass, but the heat and humidity will cause it to slowly bend inward.

Same thing happened to all of my handmade plexi lids. I gave up and went with glass.


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My plexiglass never bent. Maybe because it's laid on top of a mesh lid and taped securely down.

Hermiesguardian wrote:My plexiglass never bent. Maybe because it's laid on top of a mesh lid and taped securely down.

Yeah, that would work. Mine was under my mesh lid.


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My plexi lid also bowed for half of my 75 G. It is 16 x 22 x 3/16. It also has a 6.5" round hole cut into the center. That is so my UVB can shine directly into the tank so it isn't filtered. I had it made at a local glass shop and it was around $30. A glass top for both sides was around $50 I think.

If you go with a custom plexi glass top I would either add reinforcement around the edge, possiblly 1/2 or 5/8 strips of wood. Then add a strip down the center and attach a hinge as well. You could even bump up something thicker like 1/4 or 3/8". With all of that you could easily be paying someone $100 or more for a custom top.

So, with the price of plexiglass, I dont think we are going that route immediately. I totally underestimated those numbers. I would have ended up spending about $100 for the lid, which isnt a bad price but I also have to reinforce it so it doesnt warp and fasten it down all around. So, for right now this is what we have.


I HATE this because every time I open the tank for food and water changes I have to unload all this stuff, do what I gotta do, then reload it all back. It's a hassle. But it's what I gotta do until we figure out a permanent lid.

I'll go into detail on another post, but here's what we got tonight!


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ciaraalston wrote:So, with the price of plexiglass, I dont think we are going that route immediately. I totally underestimated those numbers. I would have ended up spending about $100 for the lid, which isnt a bad price but I also have to reinforce it so it doesnt warp and fasten it down all around. So, for right now this is what we have.


I HATE this because every time I open the tank for food and water changes I have to unload all this stuff, do what I gotta do, then reload it all back. It's a hassle. But it's what I gotta do until we figure out a permanent lid.

I'll go into detail on another post, but here's what we got tonight!


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It’s so clean and crisp!


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Lol yeah, I estimate about 2 days before they destroy it!

Any recommendations on where to place my accurite? Right now it's just sitting on the sub, front middle of tank. I've got a second reader in the left front corner, it's a small corded thermometer only that goes with my digital one the UTH is plugged into. (Does that make sense? I feel like it's a rambling mess)

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LeeHasCrabs wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 24, 2019 6:17 pm

Yeah, that would work. Mine was under my mesh lid.


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With the plexiglass on top they can still climb upside down on the mesh lid.

ciaraalston wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 24, 2019 7:00 pm

So, with the price of plexiglass, I dont think we are going that route immediately. I totally underestimated those numbers. I would have ended up spending about $100 for the lid, which isnt a bad price but I also have to reinforce it so it doesnt warp and fasten it down all around. So, for right now this is what we have.


I HATE this because every time I open the tank for food and water changes I have to unload all this stuff, do what I gotta do, then reload it all back. It's a hassle. But it's what I gotta do until we figure out a permanent lid.

I'll go into detail on another post, but here's what we got tonight!


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I got my plexiglass from Hobby Lobby for about $6. It's thin sheets.

Hermiesguardian wrote: I got my plexiglass from Hobby Lobby for about $6. It's thin sheets.

$6?!? Omg I'm gonna go check! Thank you!

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ciaraalston wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 25, 2019 8:56 am

$6?!? Omg I'm gonna go check! Thank you!

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You're welcome!

Lol Nice set up!