small monitor or good beginner monitor?

[Skiploder]

So even with a custom lid thats not vented like a screen top, it wouldn't hold the humidity in good enough? Thanks for letting me know. I read somewhere the sub needs to be around a foot deep for an ackie. Sounds like alot of stuff lol.

If the screen was replaced with something solid or blocked off, it could make it easier to achieve the proper humidity range.

You then still have to contend with temp gradient issues, lack of proper substrate depth and the other limitations imposed by a glass tank.

Also, a good ackie substrate like decomposed granite has a density of 167 pounds per cubic foot. Aquariums are designed for retaining water, which has a density of 62 pounds per cubic foot.

BTW: a 55 gallon is less than 2' wide - more like 12". That's too narrow for a 2' long animal. A standard 90 gallon is too narrow.

A 120 gallon tank (the 4' variety) is 2' wide. Anything less is too narrow and therefore unsuitable for an adult ackie.