# Exo terra glass replacement tops?



## ambilobe (May 13, 2019)

Does anyone have a link to a top to replace the 36 x 18 x 18 exo terra terraroum screen lid with a glass one? 

I don,t like just placing glass on the screen because I am getting rust everywhere.

I bought some glass drill bits for the mist king nozzles , buy if there was a place that has some built in that would be great.


Thanks

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## Reptile35 (Jun 12, 2010)

Just find a local glass shop and have them cut you a piece of 1/4 inch plate to fit on the lip the original top sat on.


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## ambilobe (May 13, 2019)

I didn't want to take off the top without being around because the frogs are in it.
I guess I can put a board over the whole thing with no light etc for a day or so.

Thanks


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## Holdway (Jan 26, 2015)

Just measure the exact size you need. Your glass shop will only need your measurements in order to cut what you need.


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## RogueFish (Jun 22, 2019)

I've always had good experiences with Lowes or Home Depot (with glass cutting anyways). Their glass cutting might also be cheaper than any specialty glass shops. Good luck and let us know how you make out!


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## ambilobe (May 13, 2019)

The home depot or lowes by me doesn't cut glass. 

I was able to go to a local hardware store and they cut it for free, they just sell the sheets of glass. (Only could fine 1/8 inch)

I also got a diamond drill bit and was able to drill a 5/8 hole for the mist king nozzel.

I left 1 inch across the back open and I will hot glue a mesh just to allow some air flow. 

I'll show a pic when the silicone is cured. Looks like it will work out well. 

If it works on this tank, I will roll the technique out on my other ones



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## jgragg (Nov 23, 2009)

> If it works on this tank, I will roll the technique out on my other ones


Sounds like you've done well so far. I expect you will be quite pleased, and will replicate.


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## chillnvillian (May 5, 2019)

Excited to see how this turns out. We are looking to do the exact same thing to ensure humidity levels are maintained for the specific plants we are adding. Good to know that the drill bit worked well for the MistKing too.


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## ambilobe (May 13, 2019)

chillnvillian said:


> Excited to see how this turns out. We are looking to do the exact same thing to ensure humidity levels are maintained for the specific plants we are adding. Good to know that the drill bit worked well for the MistKing too.


So it came out pretty well.

The front glass pane completely covers the front panel top section. ( when you take out the screen there are two sections , not 4)

I drilled a hole with the 5/8 in the center and it fits the mistking perfectly. Use a diamond glass cutting bit ( watch on youtube).

For the back panel, I had the glass cut an inch short. After the silicone dried, and the glass was fixed to the top, I cut a strip of screen and glued it on for ventilation.

Just be careful when you attach the mist king tubing. I moved the nozel and it broke the glass. I have to make another panel










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## Kinstrome (Oct 6, 2017)

Great info about the glass operation. I'm glad you had success.


ambilobe said:


> Just be careful when you attach the mist king tubing. I moved the nozel and it broke the glass. I have to make another panel


I'm not sure I understand this part. Are you saying you moved the threaded bulkhead part of the nozzle fixture --- the part that passes from one side of the glass to the other --- by moving the tubing, and it cracked? I want to know in case I have to drill glass again one day, as the last time(s) I did it, I did not use a MistKing bulkhead. (Or really any bulkhead. ...Yeah, it was a leakage disaster.)


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## ambilobe (May 13, 2019)

Kinstrome said:


> Great info about the glass operation. I'm glad you had success.
> 
> 
> 
> I'm not sure I understand this part. Are you saying you moved the threaded bulkhead part of the nozzle fixture --- the part that passes from one side of the glass to the other --- by moving the tubing, and it cracked? I want to know in case I have to drill glass again one day, as the last time(s) I did it, I did not use a MistKing bulkhead. (Or really any bulkhead. ...Yeah, it was a leakage disaster.)


So I drilled the hole, and put the mistking nozzle through and it went through fine.

When I attached the tubing to the nozzle, it pulled a little and I think that small tilting caused a crack in the glass.

I was using 1/8 inch glass because that is what the store had.

Not sure how to protect this from happening unless I have thicker glass



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## Kinstrome (Oct 6, 2017)

ambilobe said:


> So I drilled the hole, and put the mistking nozzle through and it went through fine.
> 
> When I attached the tubing to the nozzle, it pulled a little and I think that small tilting caused a crack in the glass.
> 
> ...


Is there a way you can brace the tubing someway, so that if you accidentally pull the tubing, the thing you braced the tubing on / against absorbs most of the force?

I'm imagining some kind of bar or something that you rest the tubing on. It might look like you made a pulley, and the tubing is the rope you're using to pull up the glass. Does that make sense?


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## ambilobe (May 13, 2019)

That does, but I can't exactly picture it.

I could just make the tubing longer, but I have two tanks and I want the tubing to look neat.

I think I just have to get 1/4 inch glass and be more careful




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## jgragg (Nov 23, 2009)

Sorry to hear of the little mishap. All in all though - seems like you're satisfied. Excellent.



> I think I just have to get 1/4 inch glass and be more careful


This is one way. Another would be to just beef up the area right where the nozzle is placed. Drill a ~3x3" piece of glass (thick or thin as you like) to fit the nozzle, and silicone it over the bigger piece so the holes line up. (Or drill first, cut glass later - I doubt it matters if you have a good place to set up & do the work. Personally, I'm better at drilling than cutting so I'd cut first, expecting that's when I'll break something, if ever.)

Anyway - good for you, for going for it. I'm always mystified when people won't do a little DIY and make an investment in their skill set.


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## ambilobe (May 13, 2019)

Ran into an issue where the screen attaches to the glass.

I first used hot glue (on inside) and it just peeled off. 

Then tried super glue.

The screen still is not stuck to the glass , and I'm worried they can try to slip out. 

Besides the screen frame technique, is there anything that would work..

The screen is fiberglass.



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## dmb5245 (Feb 7, 2014)

Over that large of a span, using 1/8" glass is pretty risky. You want 1/4" from a glass shop to avoid breaks.

The best way I've found is to throw away the top completely and drop in the 1/4" glass on the lip the top used to rest on. I leave it a few inches short from the front and then add a vent that runs the width the viv made from no-see-um mesh and a window screen replacement kit. That method is easy, cheap, and looks good.


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## ambilobe (May 13, 2019)

Something like this 

Your friend has shared a link to a Home Depot product they think you would be interested in seeing:

Saint-Gobain ADFORS5/16 in. x 84 in. Brown Aluminum Screen Frame Piece
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Saint-G...uminum-Screen-Frame-Piece-FSP8492-U/100397094


Your friend has shared a link to a Home Depot product they think you would be interested in seeing:

Screen Tight5/16 in. x 36 in. White Aluminum Window Screen Frame Kit
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Screen-...-Window-Screen-Frame-Kit-WSKIT51636/206613125


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## dmb5245 (Feb 7, 2014)

Yeah, something like that link. I think it’s even cheaper to buy the corners and sides separate.


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## dmb5245 (Feb 7, 2014)

Here’s mine


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## ambilobe (May 13, 2019)

That looks perfect. 

The 1/4 inch would be ok for a 36 x 18 exoterra? 

Would you happen to know the dimensions of the glass so it will fit in the lip inside? 



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## ambilobe (May 13, 2019)

ambilobe said:


> That looks perfect.
> 
> The 1/4 inch would be ok for a 36 x 18 exoterra?
> 
> ...


Looks like 34.5 x 13 would work and leave enough room to make the screen.

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## dmb5245 (Feb 7, 2014)

ambilobe said:


> The 1/4 inch would be ok for a 36 x 18 exoterra?
> 
> Would you happen to know the dimensions of the glass so it will fit in the lip inside?


1/4" is pretty heavy, so probably yes, but the glass shop can give you a definitive answer. Just don't let them sell you tempered since you're going to drill.

As far as the dimensions, you'll have to bust out the tape measure. I'd also measure in several places since it may not be perfectly square


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## ambilobe (May 13, 2019)

I'm going to get the this glass this am. He changed me 90 for three pieces which seemed ok for 34.5 x 13. (Not tempered)

It looks like you have the screen in the front. Do you put the misters in the front?



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## johnachilli (Feb 8, 2007)

ambilobe said:


> I'm going to get the this glass this am. He changed me 90 for three pieces which seemed ok for 34.5 x 13. (Not tempered)
> 
> It looks like you have the screen in the front. Do you put the misters in the front?
> 
> ...


Just finished putting together an Exo Top conversion blog post that may be of interest to you.
Walks you through the method I have used to convert the tops on Exos.

https://www.thedartfrogblog.com/blog/exo-terra-top-conversion


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## ambilobe (May 13, 2019)

Is that gap going to give me a problem?
Have citronella in this terrarium









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## ambilobe (May 13, 2019)

ambilobe said:


> Is that gap going to give me a problem?
> Have citronella in this terrarium
> 
> 
> ...


I dont think I can silicone while they are in the tank 

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## ambilobe (May 13, 2019)

ambilobe said:


> I dont think I can silicone while they are in the tank
> 
> Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk


Or can I if I setup fans etc?

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## fishingguy12345 (Apr 7, 2019)

It's not safe to do silicone with the frogs in there. You can also try using the insulation tape/foam that people use to seal up doors to stop drafts


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## ambilobe (May 13, 2019)

fishingguy12345 said:


> It's not safe to do silicone with the frogs in there. You can also try using the insulation tape/foam that people use to seal up doors to stop drafts


Can you suggest a tape that wouldn't look so bad? I'm going to look at home depot. 
I know great stuff would look terrible. 
Are you sure the silicone would be bad? 
Maybe I will just try to move the frogs out. Have a few small ones in there. 


Or just leave a small gap ? 

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## ambilobe (May 13, 2019)

I used packing tape. So far so good. 


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## dmb5245 (Feb 7, 2014)

ambilobe said:


> It looks like you have the screen in the front. Do you put the misters in the front?


Sorry I didn't respond to this. I hand mist, so I don't worry about mister nozzles. Search around on here and you can probably find how close to the edge of the glass you can safely drill.

I saw the photo of the gap too. Nothing is getting through that besides the stray fruit fly. But if it bothers you, it looks like the screen narrows in the middle? Maybe you pulled the mesh too taught on that part?


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## Jwiley (Oct 13, 2019)

NE herps offers glass inserts that just sit on top of the screen. I have four of them and put my mistking nozzles straight into the screen in the front. The front two panels offer a little room for ventilation. I like it alot because I can adjust the humidity by just removing one or two of the front panels. 


https://www.neherpetoculture.com/vivariumenclosureacc

3rd item down


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## ambilobe (May 13, 2019)

Jwiley said:


> NE herps offers glass inserts that just sit on top of the screen. I have four of them and put my mistking nozzles straight into the screen in the front. The front two panels offer a little room for ventilation. I like it alot because I can adjust the humidity by just removing one or two of the front panels.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I have used that in the last, but after a while the rust starts to run through. 


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## Brad42 (Jan 3, 2019)

Here is another option for a vent. 


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