# Exo Terra Lid modding



## galaxie83 (Mar 24, 2011)

Im sorry if this has been a thread already or answered but I can't seem to find any tutorials or info on this.

For those of you who take the stock Exo Terra lid and replace it with a glass one. How do you cut the glass in the back so your not leaving the holes for wires open (FFP)? Also I'm wondring how you are to add a screened section to the glass lid in the front to keep the doors from fogging up.


Thank you!


----------



## bristles (Jan 19, 2011)

I just got a piece of glass the same size as the exo top and set it on top of the exo lid, it slides easily to make for adjustable venting


----------



## galaxie83 (Mar 24, 2011)

I was thinking about that but wanted something more permanet since I will need holes drilled in the glass for a mistking system and a fogger/fans.

What about lexan? is that stuff sturdy. I know it does fine against heat. It might be easier to drill through.


----------



## PantMan (Dec 10, 2009)

For the top fr0nt of the tank I use the plastic sleeves used for versa tops. there easy to drill and cut. The rest of the top is plate glass. I'll try to take a photo tonight when I get home and post it.


----------



## galaxie83 (Mar 24, 2011)

awesome. thank you!!


----------



## PantMan (Dec 10, 2009)

Here you go:

Front of tank









Front corner - cut out for hinge, it;s not the cleanest cut but it works









Holes for mistking (center) and fans (in corners)









Looking from the inside









This are from a recent build but it seems to work well so far. Oh yea, remeber to cut out the tabs on top of the exo's or the glass doesn't fit right


----------



## Tadbit (Jul 16, 2010)

Nice approach Mike. A nifty work around for potential glass drilling headaches. 

Not to hijack the thread but do you feel like 2 fans are necessary for your 18x18x18 (or 18x18x24 sorry can't tell from the photo)?


----------



## PantMan (Dec 10, 2009)

Tadbit said:


> Nice approach Mike. A nifty work around for potential glass drilling headaches.
> 
> Not to hijack the thread but do you feel like 2 fans are necessary for your 18x18x18 (or 18x18x24 sorry can't tell from the photo)?


Good question I went with two fans for several reasons:

A) They're small, 40 mm each, they're listed at about 7 cfm and with humid air I wouldn't be surprised if it was more like 5 cfm.
B) I plan to put some orchids in the tank and air flow will be key.
C)These tanks were deigned specifically for pumillio and everything i researched suggest air circulation is beneficial. Plus, the two fans wont be creating any type of artificial wind. They'll just ensure good air mixture in the tank and in my opinion a little overkill isn't a bad thing in this case. Plus at 12 amps each its not like its going to cause my electric bill to spike.


----------



## PantMan (Dec 10, 2009)

oh its 18x18x24. the 18x24x24 also has 2 fans though


----------



## Venutus1 (Feb 13, 2010)

I modded in a slightly different way.
Went w/ a 6" hole cut in the center of the glass, because I am using zoo med 5.0 uv cfls over holes in center. (fine stainless steel screen over holes)
It all works great and I achieved the result I wanted... but cost $$ and was pretty complex. I would HATE to break one! 
Pics should be self explanatory. The frosted glass has a very nice effect. refracts the light & you actually lose very little light.
In the final set-up, the slim exo monsoon mist head assemblys come down in thru the front left corners in both tanks. I had to cut and/or grind all the corners to round them. 
Cheers. Todd


----------



## PeanutbuttER (Jan 1, 2011)

I like the look of it. Where did you get frosted glass out of curiosity. All the places I've checked around here don't do frosted (weird, I know...) Are those tanks set up for darts?


----------



## erlese (Jun 11, 2008)

Venutus1 said:


> I modded in a slightly different way.
> Went w/ a 6" hole cut in the center of the glass, because I am using zoo med 5.0 uv cfls over holes in center. (fine stainless steel screen over holes)
> It all works great and I achieved the result I wanted... but cost $$ and was pretty complex. I would HATE to break one!
> Pics should be self explanatory. The frosted glass has a very nice effect. refracts the light & you actually lose very little light.
> ...



Todd. I bought one of your 25W indoor sunshine for my 18x18x24
Since the zoomed canopy ( for the 18") holds two lights do you recommend two ( of your 25s or one of yours and one of Exo terras??? ( it's for PDF )


----------



## bristles (Jan 19, 2011)

PantMan said:


> Good question I went with two fans for several reasons:
> 
> A) They're small, 40 mm each, they're listed at about 7 cfm and with humid air I wouldn't be surprised if it was more like 5 cfm.
> B) I plan to put some orchids in the tank and air flow will be key.
> C)These tanks were deigned specifically for pumillio and everything i researched suggest air circulation is beneficial. Plus, the two fans wont be creating any type of artificial wind. They'll just ensure good air mixture in the tank and in my opinion a little overkill isn't a bad thing in this case. Plus at 12 amps each its not like its going to cause my electric bill to spike.


awesome viv Mike, how long do you run the fans daily ?


----------



## galaxie83 (Mar 24, 2011)

Hey very nice. I will have to try this on a future tank.Thanks for the detailed pics. I just learned that a member on here makes lexan lids as well and I might go that route.


----------



## PantMan (Dec 10, 2009)

bristles said:


> awesome viv Mike, how long do you run the fans daily ?


I'm still working on it and havent finsihed hardwiring the fans yet. I haven't decieded if I want to run each tank, or fan, to a seperate controller or just hard wire everything together. However, I think I'm going to run them off the same timer with the lights, about 12 hours.


----------



## Venutus1 (Feb 13, 2010)

PeanutbuttER said:


> I like the look of it. Where did you get frosted glass out of curiosity. All the places I've checked around here don't do frosted (weird, I know...) Are those tanks set up for darts?


The frosted glass. Ahh Yes. 
The glass shop was suppose to get me frosted glass, but they had to order and I was inpatient**. So I took clear 1/4 glass instead and hated it. Because the top tank is above eye level, you could see all the sockets and got allot of glare.
Being the extreme "Do it Yourselfer" that I am ... 
I frosted / etched the glass myself!! 
I used Armour Etch (google & Youtube it) and a 4" paint roller to apply. Left on for 13 min. (must time Armour Etch (longer it stays on, the "frostier" the glass becomes.) Oh.. an it is super hazardous to work with. And I practiced on scrap glass first before risking it on the good tops because the 6" holes were already drilled. You have to use contact paper to cover EVRYWHERE you do not want to etch. IE. the whole underside of the glass.
** I will wait in the future and get the frosted glass "pre-frosted" from the glass shop. It came out great but was allot of work.
I don't recommend etching a sheet of glass unless you are a glutton for punishment like me.

I keep intending to do a proper build thread on this 2 tank set-up... but haven't had the time yet. 
Now I want to do a larger matching set-up with one 36 x 18 x 36h on top and two 18 x 18 x 24h's on bottom. 
ps. its got hidden wheels in the base and moves around effortlessly. pretty cool if i do say so myself 
sorry to hijack, but enjoy.
ps. oh yea, yes, dart frogs, it is for my troup of variabilis.


----------



## Venutus1 (Feb 13, 2010)

erlese said:


> Todd. I bought one of your 25W indoor sunshine for my 18x18x24
> Since the zoomed canopy ( for the 18") holds two lights do you recommend two ( of your 25s or one of yours and one of Exo terras??? ( it's for PDF )


Thank you again, David, I appreciate your business.

I would use 2 bulbs for plant growth. That would be 50 watts total. (I assume you have a 18 x 18 x 18h or 24h)

Just watch the temps, as I am sure you know. 

Since we are talking about glass tops...
I don't glass under the bulbs in the strip itself so the light fixture can get proper convection. (No matter what cfls are in it, so they don't run too hot.) I have cut and placed glass over the screen everywhere else in the viv below to keep humidity in. It's a 12 x 12 x 18 with a 25 w Indoor Sunshine® bulb. This tank houses more of my variabilis "heard", but they were not into having their pics taken this day. 
Its glassed everywhere except under the bulb. The glass is cut to fit and then just set on the screen.
This set up runs 76-78 degrees day, up near the top & mid level. 72-73 lower in the viv. And 68-70 degrees at nite. 
Thanks, Todd
ps. note temp gun in lower right of pic. The have come down allot in price, and if you can afford one, they are a valuable tool to have. You can get them for around 25 bucks now.


----------



## Tadbit (Jul 16, 2010)

Thanks Mike and Todd for some great nuggets concerning the fans (especially Pums and airflow, I hadn't heard that one yet) and lighting! 

I just added this thread to my "resource" collection of bookmarks. I need to organize that bookmark folder, it's gotten huge! lol


----------



## PantMan (Dec 10, 2009)

Venutus1 said:


> ps. note temp gun in lower right of pic. The have come down allot in price, and if you can afford one, they are a valuable tool to have. You can get them for around 25 bucks now.


good call, that and a desk fan are actually my next purchase (after frog day). I saw a temp gun on amazon for like twenty bucks.


----------



## erlese (Jun 11, 2008)

Venutus1 said:


> Thank you again, David, I appreciate your business.
> 
> I would use 2 bulbs for plant growth. That would be 50 watts total. (I assume you have a 18 x 18 x 18h or 24h)
> 
> ...


Thank you for taking a Great amount of time and detail explaining the glass top and the interaction with the light.

This is Great!!! I'm getting my Glass top cut to fit the 18 x 18x 24 I'm having holes drilled ( to fit the mistking nozzle ( premium) tomorrow I order another 25w light from Todd.
and fan to keep temp cool.

Thanks for the info!!! This is by far the best thread!! Useful to those who buy Zoo meds or exos ( which most end up buying anyway!!)


----------



## Cfilyaw96 (9 mo ago)

PantMan said:


> Here you go:
> 
> Front of tank
> 
> ...


What fans are these?


----------

