armchair clownfish and a glass canopy

[IronMan72]

My 4 year old daughter walked up to me this afternoon and asked where we got the toy nemo. She was holding what appeared to be a very realistic looking rubber clown fish. Only it wasn't a rubber toy, it was my female amphiprion ocellaris. She found it laying in the recliner sitting next to my 180G DT. It was obviously dead and it sucked having to tell her that it wasn't a toy.

I've been trying to decided if I wanted to use a glass top for this tank (as I do all of my other tanks) or go with clear mesh from BRS. I finally decided that it was going to be glass and called the hardware store last week to price the pieces that I needed. They were higher than I expected (almost double what I paid for the canopy online for my 220) so I decided to look around for a better price. Too little too late I guess.

Anyone know where in the Buffalo area to get glass cut at a reasonable price?

 

[reefman5511]

I've used Sterling Glass on Niagara St near Forest a number of times.

 

[5380]

Twin cities did my glass baffles. They cut and ready to go in around 3 hours.

 

[rjn82291]

How much did twin cities charge?

 

[rjmayes34]

thats a bummer, sorry to hear.
Especially that way!!

 

[ReeferBill]

Glass or screen?

Glass or screen?

Sorry to hear about your clown...Think again about making your own screens with quarter inch clear mesh from BRS , I just did and I love it. You will be sorry if you use glass , always covered with salt and no oxygen/air exchange....$24 Cost = 12 for screen and 12 for frame from Home Desperate , do the mathand you don't have to clean the screens. Its a no brainer and smarter option!:hammer:

 

[block head]

Sorry to hear about your clown...Think again about making your own screens with quarter inch clear mesh from BRS , I just did and I love it. You will be sorry if you use glass , always covered with salt and no oxygen/air exchange....$24 Cost = 12 for screen and 12 for frame from Home Desperate , do the mathand you don't have to clean the screens. Its a no brainer and smarter option!:hammer:

+1 just finished building one for my 90. of course i had a blenny jump from my only uncovered tank.

 

[pascal32]

Take the suggestions on the screened top - glass cuts air exchange and builds up heat. not to mention it is hard to keep looking good over time. I have the 1/4" netting and have had some firefish make it through, much to my disbelief.

 

[IronMan72]

Thank you for all of your comments. The main reason for glass is that the boss told me I have to cover it. She is unhappy with the increased humidity since the tank has been set up. I'll still have 3400 sq inches of uncovered surface area for air exchange and fans to promote evaporative cooling when needed. If heat really becomes a problem I can always open the glass hood until it's corrected.

That said. If I can't find a better price on the glass, I'll be going with screen and she'll just have to deal with it.

 

[acdraindrps]

I would go with the screen. Glass tops are too hard to keep clean, and cause heat issues. I got the diy window screen kit from home depot, enough frame to make another top if I ever need to, and enough screen to make about 30 (For under $15). The screen I used is meant to keep birds away from your garden. I didn't want black at first but since using it I think I like the black better than I would like the clear.

Here's mine

 

[lcs]

I also went the bird screen route. I was paranoid about fish getting through, so I double it up with them offset about 45*.