Humidity friendly tank topper

Are there any tutorials on how to make a tank topper for an aquarium?

I'm thinking I'd just frame it in wood, use ply wood as the top, cut a hole for the lamp, make a door on top, and add some small air holes in the door.
Is it any more complicated than that?

Would stain or paint hurt?
Thanks.

Edit: This is kind of a budget tank topper. I know you can use plexi and make a nice one, but i don't have the cash for it. I don't mind it it's not the prettiest thing in the world, as long as it does it's job, thanks.

There is this: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...arium-Solution

Really thin lexan really doesn't cost any more than plywood, but it does depend on where you live.

I was under the impression that the prices were much different, thanks for mentioning it, I'll look into the prices.

It's for a large tank, so I need it to be sturdy, thanks for the link

how big are we talking?

I use 1/8" and 1/4" thick lexan on the competition robots that I build as armor to protect the high $$ electronics, it is surprisingly strong.

this might work for you I buy from them all the time: http://www.andymark.com/SearchResult...=polycarbonate

you could make it in sections (going off the design I linked to in my first post, having multiple doors... smaller pieces are much cheaper usually)

A 125 gallon tank, it's about 6 feet long, by 18 inches wide? 20 inches wide? Something like that.
Thanks for another link. You're right it's really not that pricey. I could make a wooden frame with cross boards made of 1 by 2 boards, and section it off into 2 foot sections, and use 3 sheets of that stuff an it would only cost about $30 (plus shipping on the plexi) to build it.


Fantastic link!

What sort of resistance to heat does that stuff have? It it going to cause problems with a 120 watt heat lamp?

Just looked at home depot's website and they have some plexi/lexan/acrylic items that are really affordable. Great! I didn't realie it was so cheap, I thought I would be paying like $100 for a sheet. When really, I can get 3 pieces that are smaller and put them together on a frame, and they cost less than $10 each!

Fab.

I wouldn't put the lamp directly on it, but if you cut out and screen a section for the lamp you should be fine

i have gotten it up to 115 (heat sink for the robot's central processor was mounted on a piece of perforated 1/4", and I know that it got at least that hot)

the way AP makes lamp cut outs for their PVC cages is easy and looks great (I would make a square cut out instead of a round one to make it easier but the same principal still applies:

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...ant/photo5.jpg

basically it is a sandwich

Top of enclosure

screen

PVC retaining ring (could be made from polycarb or wood)


screw it all together and you have a screen for you lamp that not only looks good but is 100% escape proof (at least as long as your BP doesn't know how to use a screwdriver lol)