brilliant idea needed - screen clips

[Srakha]

Hello everyone, I am looking for a brilliant idea for screen clips for this lid I made. It will have hinges connecting the two pieces, but I would like something to just keep it on.. doesn't need to be super strong, its for little lizards, I just don't want them to be able to sneak up under the rim on me. (Also I want to feel secure when I shut the lid that the lid is ACTUALLY shut.)

The commercially made clips will not work, I have tried both of them. The one seen in the pic WOULD have worked, had it not been for the fact that half the time when I tried unbending them for it to work, they snapped.

Any ideas? (please? )

 

[DaveDragon]

A couple of paver bricks will keep the screen on!

Is that a UVB bulb in the side of the tank? Glass doesn't allow much of the UVB to pass through. I'm thinking you took it off of the top to show the screen.

 

[Srakha]

A couple of paver bricks will keep the screen on!

Is that a UVB bulb in the side of the tank? Glass doesn't allow much of the UVB to pass through. I'm thinking you took it off of the top to show the screen.

Well I was trying to think of something a bit more .. elegant than that. I didn't go through the trouble to make nice screens to have them covered with ugly bricks Good idea though..

And yes, I took the bulb off to show the screens. There are no animals in the tank right now, and wont' be till I'm done with the screens.

 

[Wil]

What about these? Just rivet or screw them into the plastic trim of the tank.
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[Srakha]

Yeah I actually bought some of those.. however the drilling/screwing part into the trim worries me.. I am afraid I'd drill and hit the glass the trim is covering and shatter my tank..

 

[Wil]

You would have to test drill to see where the glass is, then instead of screwing them you could rivet them in will small rivets. If it were me I would try it on an old tank or maybe a 10 gallon to experiment with. When you get the depth down, put a stop on the bit.

 

[PinkPunisher]

You could always try some industrial strength velcro (?) The stuff that has one fluffy side and one rough side and when put together they stick.

You should be able to pick up at any hardware store in your area and you can just put it under the screen and on top of the frame of the tank. I think it might work

Spencer

 

[Srakha]

Wil: I was thinking the same thing.. Except I don't know anything about rivets. I may just stick with nylon bolts, and make the holes just slightly too small, so they wedge in good when I screw them down. I actually have a 29 gallon where I ACCIDENTLY melted the plastic rim on it (lol, heat lamps are fun).. So I can kinda see where the glass is. Its about 1/4 or so below the plastic trim, so I may be ok if I go slow.

You could always try some industrial strength velcro (?) The stuff that has one fluffy side and one rough side and when put together they stick.

You should be able to pick up at any hardware store in your area and you can just put it under the screen and on top of the frame of the tank. I think it might work

Spencer

Actually that would kinda defeat my purpose.. the reason I made the screen lids to fit down into the groove was to keep really flat escape-artist lizards from.. well.. escaping. I'm afraid the height of the velcro would be too much of a gap, plus the ledge they sit on isn't all that wide. Thank you though for your idea!

 

[DaveDragon]

Maybe you need to get some bigger lizards! :mrgreen:

 

[Srakha]

Maybe you need to get some bigger lizards! :mrgreen:

HAHA HAHAHA maybe you need some SMALLER ones

 

[DaveDragon]

Could you post some better pics?? It looks like it sits on top with no lip, but I can't tell.

What's wrong with a standard one piece top? Is that a 20G long? I think I've seen 2 piece tops for that.

 

[Srakha]

Could you post some better pics?? It looks like it sits on top with no lip, but I can't tell.

What's wrong with a standard one piece top? Is that a 20G long? I think I've seen 2 piece tops for that.

Don't have any better pics.. but it sits down in the groove where the aquarium glass lid would sit. It is very nearly flush with the top of the plastic trim. I did it that way so that it would be harder for the small lizards to hang up there on that little ledge under the normal lid and dash out as soon as I open to feed.

I have seen the hinged lids at the stores.. the ones hinged longways tend to have a fairly large gap where the hinges are.. which the lizards would escape out of. You would be surprised what they can slip their little bodies through. For example, I had a normal lid on it, and I didn't quite get it shut flush with the top.. and one escaped.

 

[DaveDragon]

Could you post some better pics?? It looks like it sits on top with no lip, but I can't tell.

What's wrong with a standard one piece top? Is that a 20G long? I think I've seen 2 piece tops for that.

Don't have any better pics.. but it sits down in the groove where the aquarium glass lid would sit. It is very nearly flush with the top of the plastic trim. I did it that way so that it would be harder for the small lizards to hang up there on that little ledge under the normal lid and dash out as soon as I open to feed.

I have seen the hinged lids at the stores.. the ones hinged longways tend to have a fairly large gap where the hinges are.. which the lizards would escape out of. You would be surprised what they can slip their little bodies through. For example, I had a normal lid on it, and I didn't quite get it shut flush with the top.. and one escaped.

I understand now. We've had a couple of little lizards and they did like to hang out under that lip.

Would it be possible to epoxy a strip of plastic around the outside edge of the tank and screw those clips into it (if they're long enough)? Then you wouldn't risk hitting the glass.

Or you could epoxy strips of steel (or nuts) under the inner lip of the aquarium top, drill & tap some holes and use a few machine screws to hold the top on. Nothing would be more secure than that. But a bit overkill.

 

[dicy]

isnt it posible to silicon sum strips ton to of the viv so the meshthing falls into it ? (man u guys realy need sliding fronts in ur vivs )

 

[Srakha]

I understand now. We've had a couple of little lizards and they did like to hang out under that lip.

Would it be possible to epoxy a strip of plastic around the outside edge of the tank and screw those clips into it (if they're long enough)? Then you wouldn't risk hitting the glass.

Or you could epoxy strips of steel (or nuts) under the inner lip of the aquarium top, drill & tap some holes and use a few machine screws to hold the top on. Nothing would be more secure than that. But a bit overkill.

Hmm. That is an idea too.. the epoxy plastic strip thing. The other idea.. well I'm trying to avoid drilling much through the screen frame.

HOWEVER.. my dad suggested using a hand-powered drill to make the holes, so that the risk of shattering glass even if you hit it will be next to nothing. He says he has bits that will go through the plastic quickly even with a hand drill.. I think I may do that and use the nylon bolts to hold the tabs on.

You guys are great for flushing out ideas