What would you use to make a DWC lid to go on top of an aquarium?

[hush]

Hello microgrowers! I thought about putting this in the hydro forum, but since it's going in a micro cab, and you guys are the most innovative bunch of people on the planet, I figured I'd getter better responses here.

What would you use to make a lid to go on top of an aquarium, to use it as a DWC tub? I immediately thought I'd use some kind of opaque black acrylic, but I can't cut that shit myself, as I've discovered in the past, so I would have to pay someone else to cut it for me. That made me wonder what else I could use?

Foamboard, like from the arts and crafts store?
Styrofoam sheeting, from the hardware store?
Wood? (which I could totally cut myself)


What else could I use?

If anyone is interested, I will be using a standard 15 gallon aquarium, which is 24" x 12" x 12", and it will have 6 plant sites. I will be using an actual HOB filter (hang-on-back) seeded with established aquarium bacteria, and an airstone for additional aeration. I will be blacking out the back glass, and the 2 side panes, leaving the front glass alone, to view the roots.

An aquarium just seems like the right thing to use since it is cubic in its dimensions, utilizing space efficiently.

 

[hazydreams]

I would probably use a thick sheet of plexi and cover it with panda film. that would take care of light proof. The plexi can be cut with a hole saw of proper size for the net pots.

 

[hush]

I thought plexi couldn't be cut with hole saws? That's awesome if it can be. Because I think I can use one of those scoring blades to make the straight cuts. Thanks!

 

[hazydreams]

the plexi usually comes with a film on top of it. leave it on and cut through it. it minimizes the chipping. With a good hole saw going slow there should be near zero chipping this way.

 

[hush]

Awesome. I'm guessing I need to use a fine tooth hole saw, right?

 

[greygary]

I'd go to the local casa de pot and pick up a sheet of 2 inch thick Styrofoam sheet, you will probably have to buy at least a 2x4ft sheet of it, but it's like $5 or so. It has a reflective coated side and a white side. You can wrap it in panda poly if it makes you feel better but I'd use it as is.

eta: if you want you can use a hole saw, but a can the size of your netpots and an exacto knife will also work.

 

[MrCopyZ]

i would go with thick plastic... whatever you can get paint it white. Remember its gotta hold the weight of your plants!

 

[hush]

Well I made an impulse buy today at Home Depot and went with corrugated plastic. It's already white so I figured I'd give that a shot. Also, one change that has occurred in my plans, is I will no longer be using a 15 gallon aquarium... instead I will be use four 2.5g aquariums. One plant per aquarium. So yeah, I'm going to try out the corrugated plastic and see how that goes. I think it will hold the weight of one plant.

Has anyone used corrugated plastic before?

 

[qscftffboy]

Hope inputs not to late

Hope inputs not to late

You could always use plexiglass... as long as your only trying to make straight cuts all you have to do is cut it deep with a razor and bend it till it snaps... can get pretty big sheets... paint it if you rough it up with sandpaper.... water resistant heat resistant
Good luck man

 

[Pseudo]

imho 4 tanks is way more work, keep it simple, corrogated plastic is not a great choice, go to a sign place and get a scrap of expanded pvc, easy to cut, opaque, cheap, comes in dif thicknesses, id go with about 1/4" or so, good luck

 

[majortom9]

corrugated plastic

corrugated plastic

Well I made an impulse buy today at Home Depot and went with corrugated plastic. It's already white so I figured I'd give that a shot. Also, one change that has occurred in my plans, is I will no longer be using a 15 gallon aquarium... instead I will be use four 2.5g aquariums. One plant per aquarium. So yeah, I'm going to try out the corrugated plastic and see how that goes. I think it will hold the weight of one plant.

Has anyone used corrugated plastic before?

In what section of Lowes did you find corrugated plastic? Me needs a sheet

 

[MrCopyZ]

I didn't realize that the aquariums were gonna be that small...

Sounds like alotta work... Why didn't you go with plastic tubs?

 

[hush]

Because I am using a small cabinet, and plastic tubs take up too much space, with their handles, and their tapered dimensions.

I could have used one single aquarium, but since this will be for mother plants, I don't want roots get tangled up with other plants. So yeah I'm going with 2.5g mini aquariums. They aren't really that small, lol. 2 gallons is a lot of volume of water in a res for a single plant. So that doesn't worry me at all.

Plus I've been keeping nano aquariums, including nano reef aquariums, for decades. I know what I'm doing when it comes to maintaining water parameters in small volumes.

I just set one of these up last night. The corrugated plastic works okay... It's a lot sturdier than I expected it to be. But because of the corrugation, water and microbes will be able to get inside the plastic over time. So what I'm going to do tonight is "seal" the lid in foil tape. Of course, I could also just treat the lid like it's disposable... The sheet of corrugated plastic was dirt cheap, and easy to cut. But nah, I'll seal it with tape. I'm also going to be sealing three sides of each aquarium with tape, leaving one side transparent for viewing the roots.

 

[hush]

Major tom, i found it over by the plexiglass.

 

[Hydro-Soil]

If it's just a mum's tank...

I would definitely go with a single res. Cannabis is much more tolerant to nutrient differences during veg and 8/16 lucas, with adequate lighting, will work with all but the most sensitive of mums.

As for the roots? Don't worry about it, especially if you're going to be doing bonsai mums. You're going to be pulling them up and trimming the root mass every 2-3 weeks anyway. Helps keep em short and bushy as all get out.

Stay Safe!