# Glass Top?Acrylic top?screen Top?



## booboo (Jan 22, 2005)

This is one topic i have seen so much of but every time it is so different. I have done many previous searches and could not find a straight forward answer. I was wondering what you prefer or others and pros and cons .This will hopefully help all newbies and advanced herpers.

1. Glass top

2. Acrylic Top

3.Mesh/screen top

4.Saryan Rap makeshift (spelling)

5. Other (please state here if it is a special type of Glass or plexi etc)


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## Spar (Mar 27, 2004)

booboo said:


> This is one topic i have seen so much of but every time it is so different. I have done many previous searches and could not find a straight forward answer. I was wondering what you prefer or others and pros and cons .This will hopefully help all newbies and advanced herpers.
> 
> 1. Glass top
> 
> ...


1) by far the best - holds in moisture/humidity better, doesnt bend (allowing for less chance of escapies); more expensive than the alternatives, but still very affordable.

2) good, but will bend over time, especially if you have a light near it. I have an acrylic sheet as a top for my fish tank and I have to turn it upside down every few weeks to allow for it to bend back to normal. For frogs, wouldnt risk it since they could escape easy at certain points. It does hold in moisture though to an extent.

3) good if you need ventilation. obviously not good for holding in humidty. some people have the screen mesh only for the portion the light spans over, and then glass/other for the remainder.

4) good for froglet tanks since it ensures no possible escapee spots, and hold in humidty as good as glass. you can poke holes easy, etc. i wouldnt use for adults since it is a pain to take it off and put it back on every day, and adults are unlikely to escape through the escapable areas that all-glass tops and the others would provide.


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## farmchica22 (Sep 6, 2004)

I am currently using a mesh top with Saran Wrap covering the top of it. This helps keep the humidity in but if I desire to air out the tank a little all I need do is lift up a corner or part of the front section of Saran Wrap. I had tried an all glass top, but didn't like it too much. I kept having escape fruit fly problems (but maybe I didn't have it set up right or something) . 

Hope this helps a little :wink: 

-Jen


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## mydumname (Dec 24, 2004)

I originally had an all glass lid, but now that I fit four horizontal 10's on a rack, I put a very small screen in the front to try and keep some moisture off of the front (my front would be considered the side of a normally setup 10).


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## booboo (Jan 22, 2005)

Makeing this a little more in depth

How about Uv UVB UVA

(yes i know there is another post about it)

What special glasses plexis and material is on the market


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## mnchartier (May 9, 2005)

I have just completed a 72 gal bow front and I used Acrylic for the top and have bowing within two weeks. 

Has anyone tried Lexan instead of glass or acrylic?

Matt


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## Guest (May 11, 2005)

I, in a way, use all 3. I have the back 8 or so inches glass, then the middle is covered by my light fixture which has an acrylic shield, and the front 3 inches is screen which prevents any fogging on the glass. My humidity is 60 at the lowest. The first couple hours after a misting brings it up to about 75. 

And Matt, I think I have tried lexan and it doesnt warp any less than plain acrylic or plexi glass does.

-David


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## mnchartier (May 9, 2005)

David,

What are the demensions of your viv, I like the idea of using all three materials just wondering how the screen would work on my tank. I have not installed the misting system yet so I am hand spraying. Right now I have four plastic wall caddies (I'm a telcom tech) used for phone jacks, that have the screen attached to with a faceplate on them. They just pop in and out of the tank so I do all my misting and feeding through those so I do not have to take the tops off. The humidity is fine, and there is really no fogging on the glass just a little condinsation.


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## Guest (May 11, 2005)

i think its best to use whatever gets you to the proper humidity. i like all screen tops personally. i have acrylic laying around, so that i can add a piece when neccesary to keep humidity up. it doesnt warp nearly as bad when its weight is supported by the screen lid.

on my paludarium i have an all screen lid, but i have a wooden canopy over it. with a large water section (30-40 gallons) my humidity stays over 75% all the time.

BTW, i dont like the standard aquarium screens. i use the kits at HD and build my own. this way i can use the mosquito (small) grade screen. i havent had FF trouble, except the occasoinal D. mel cruising around.


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## reptileink (May 1, 2005)

I actually use eggcrate for my top. VERY inexpensive. I added Saran wrap to the front and rear sections not covered by the light strips. I plan on housing azures, so I am not too concerned about escapes, seeing as I don't have many accessible high points in the tank. I haven't gotten a humidity meter yet, so I don't have numbers to post, but it seems the plants stay moist, and there is condensation in parts of the tank(on the glass) Should there be more??


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## phyllomedusa (May 17, 2004)

i personally like the standard screen tops for aquariums and then place a piece of plexi on top(and then i can slide the plexi back almost 1/3 of the way if i need to). I dont seem to have too many FF's climbing out but you're not a frogger unless there is at least a few of them walking around loose!  



Sean


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## bbrock (May 20, 2004)

For UV transparency you have a choice between specialty acrylic (OP-4 or Solacryl), quartz glass, or screen. I'm not sure Donald Trump can even afford quartz glass and screening blocks a lot of the already weak UV source so the acrylic is the best option IMO. But then of course you have to design the top to deal with the flexibility of acrylic. I don't recommend acrylic tops to beginners because what fits perfectly at the start can result in crispy critters on the floor if the top isn't constructed carefully.

I'm also surprised to hear glass tops described as more expensive than acrylic. I've found having a piece or two of glass cut quite a bit cheaper than either acrylic or buying the parts needed to make a nice screen top.


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## phyllomedusa (May 17, 2004)

Ahh brent,
Now your talking about UV which i personally dont see dart frogs needing(i know this is an old argument). I grow alot of higher light plants without any UV bulbs and really do not see the need for them. They are relatively costly and really you only get 3 months of usable UV out of them. 


Sean


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