Why does your aquarium need a cover?
- Prevent water evaporation
- Prevent your fish / shrimp from escaping from your aquarium
Why DIY?
- Commercial aquariums can be expensive; a 10 gallon aquarium cover can cost about $20 in Amazon, making it expensive when building a fish room
- Custom made to fit your aquarium
- Allows you to cut out holes for power cord and airline tubing
Materials:
- 2′ x 8′ Sunlite PC Panel (home depot, $36)
- Acrylic Hinge 10 pk x 2 (Amazon, $8.79)
- Clear Acrylic Diamond Shape mini handle for pack of 20(Amazon, $12)
Total cost: $65 to make 8 for (4 x 20 gallon long and 3x 10 gallon), one average $8 per cover
Step by step instructions:
- Measure the dimension of your aquarium interior edges.
- Cut the Sunlite PC Panel to the size measured in step 1 with table saw. (You can use fine tooth hand saw but a table saw will make much cleaner cut.)
- Determine the width of the opening and make another cut across the panel.
- Remove the protective film and rinse off any debris or dust from cutting.
- Cut out a hole for the airline tubing or power cord with utility knife.
- Apply the the industrial grade double-sized tape to a clear plastic hinge.
- Attach the hinge to the edge of the panel.
- Repeat step 6 and 7 to attach another hinge to the panel.
- Apply the double-sized tape to the door knob.
- Affix the door knob to the door.
