Reef nutrition

Custom Tank Cover / Lids - Wrasse ready - Recommendations and Lessons Learned

Here is my experience with Toplids
I emailed them questions. Tyler reached out and we set up a time for a phone call. We went over so many details the phone call lasted about an hour. You could tell this was not his first time and he wanted to make sure we planned for now and for the future.
1. My tank is 5ft long. When I reached out to other companies at that time they would not split the lid into two pieces. This meant I would have to remove the 5ft lid anytime I wanted to do any cleaning or maintenance. They will split the lids depending on tank length.
2. We went over what lights I planned on using, and where I wanted them placed in the tank.
3. We went over how many feed door cut outs I would like and their placement. I really like the designs of the doors since they sit flush with the lid. I have a clearview lid on my other tank and the feed door is a piece of acrylic that sites slight above the rest of the lid.
4. I had plans for an auto feeder. We talked about which one. I purchased and Avast (which I have yet to set up), and I told him where I wanted the cut out for this. There is a cut out for this feeder, but currently there is a flush piece of acrylic covering this cut out.
5. We discussed cord cutouts and where I wanted them placed for cords/equipment.
6. Finally, I asked about and ended up ordering some evaporation covers to go along with the lid. This added a lot to the cost, and are definitely a luxury not a necessity.

He then sent me an email with instructions about what measurements they would need since even standard tanks are not identical. Sometimes the amount of acrylic in the seems or placement of the overflows can vary by a little bit which cause problems with fit. Each lid is essentially a custom lid. There are no off the shelf lids.
I submitted the measurements, confirmed everything via email, and then waited (a little nervously) to see what would arrive. It took I think 4 weeks. The lids came packaged in a well padded box. They are very light weight, the sceen job was done very well. Even the feed doors have screens on them. There is no room for any fish to jump out unless it can squeeze through the cord cut out gaps, but that would be one tiny fish. The lids sits flush with the tank lid. I like being able to remove to just one side at a time if necessary.
So far the only time I had a fish jump out was an overly excited Labouti wrasse that jumped out when I opened the feed door. Thankfully, he was only stunned when he hit the floor and recovered quickly.

Overall, I have been very please with this lid. The lid is lighter than clear view lids. I think you need to be careful not to crack them, but at the same time they are easier to work with. There is no gap for any fish to jump out. I would definitely buy another lid unless there are newer cheaper options on the market.

The only cons:
1. price, they are not cheap.
2. Flexibility: these are all essentially custom jobs. All the cut outs are to size. For example, the kessil light cut out is specifically for the AP9X style light. There is no gap between the acrylic and the metal. If I elect to go with other lights in the future I might need to look into different mounting options.

Tyler was really good about brining up questions and anticipating needs that I had not thought about. Feel free to pm me, I will give you my number, and I can go over details. I think you are in Walnut Creek. You can always stop by and the lid. I live in Clayton.

If you have been in this hobby long enough you have already learned any fish can jump at an time, not just wrasses. To me it was a small price to pay for the amount of money I have invested in fish.

Gerry
Thanks so much, Gerry. This detail is extremely valuable information. From your description, it aligns with what they are stating on their website in terms of level detail they go into when planning the lid, which is great. I very much like that I can have cutouts that I might not need immediately, e.g. for the AVAST feeder.

Some of the negative reviews they got seem to be caused by an issue with the communication in the planning process, which I can see from your description is at higher risk of failure if both parties do not listen well - and I feel folks often struggle with the listening part.

I will PM you when I am back in the country as it would be great to see this live. Thanks so much again!
 
Lid lifter.
Love the simplicity of this Max. Thanks for sharing. And you have the same lid and Eurobrace as I have (just bigger). Where would I get this from?

I am unsure if this will work for me as a permanent solution, as I have an issue with adequately resting the lid on the tank's rear end due to the thick cables from the gyres and a few probes making this unstable. Still, it is much better as what I am currently doing and it could bridge the many weeks until I get lid ordered, made, and shipped.
 
Number on rule of wrasses -- get a lid. Make sure it's small enough openings that they can't wiggle up and through it. You'll be surprised. In my all wrasse tank and a 1/4 inch mesh some still fond a way. You have to remember that hurtling themselves "up" is a defense mechanism to being startled or chased. Jumping out of the ocean doesn't have ramifications like in a tank and "up" often works. That means they hurtle up at speed and can often wedge into the mesh and then they wiggle up top.

Mystery Wrasses are beautiful and do great at 2-3 inches with other tankmates. However, they do get aggressive once they've gotten larger and transitioned to super male (or even juvenile male.) What else is in your tank and what else do you plan for?
More bad news about this fish :) - will need to rethink this then, thank you for pointing this out Bruce. Below the current stock, and will add a Bellus pair in a few weeks as per separate thread. The wrasse was meant for future flatworm (not yet) eradication.

IMG_1777.jpeg
 
I do have a kraken reef lid- the owners were super professional and were nice enough to do half the lid when I switched from Neptune AFS to avast feeders-plus all the cord and feeder options were an easy add on.

The first one came with a small slide out portion for the Neptune AFS so it could be cleaned and no fish could escape.

The avast does not need it. They are also familiar with all the standard light fixtures so if you have cut outs for those-

That being said-I looked it up-for your tank def ain’t cheap but they look very nice and no fish is getting through the mesh.

Def worth getting a top-had a wrasse and a Bella goby jump before I had it in place..
 
More bad news about this fish :) - will need to rethink this then, thank you for pointing this out Bruce. Below the current stock, and will add a Bellus pair in a few weeks as per separate thread. The wrasse was meant for future flatworm (not yet) eradication.

View attachment 57889
If that’s your fish list, I would have no problem with the mystery wrasse amongst that group.
If you are fortunate enough to keep it to full size, I would tolerate any issues it may pose.
Of your list, the five bar mystery wrasse is the most unusual and IMHO, the coolest
Do it!
 
Love the simplicity of this Max. Thanks for sharing. And you have the same lid and Eurobrace as I have (just bigger). Where would I get this from?

I am unsure if this will work for me as a permanent solution, as I have an issue with adequately resting the lid on the tank's rear end due to the thick cables from the gyres and a few probes making this unstable. Still, it is much better as what I am currently doing and it could bridge the many weeks until I get lid ordered, made, and shipped.
It's just a straw from a kiddie cup and 2 pieces of acrylic.

I have a gyre cord sorely sticking out on the right side of the tank tank. Gap is about 3/8" I have several wrasse and total maybe 17 fish. So far no floor surfer.
 
I had a toplids custom two piece cover on my old 220. It was pricey. If I recall approx 450 back in 2020. It fit to spec and worked great. Had some manufacturing flaws that they addressed. I’m sure they have only gotten better over the years with their processes. I’d recommend them or kraken covers personally
 
Curious what you’re leaning towards? I just ordered a Clearview Classic lid for my 50 Gallon Low Boy. Unfortunately Kraken Reef doesn’t do classic. I didn’t get a quote from TopLids but last time I was shopping around, they were on the more expensive side so I decided not to inquire. ClearView has an option for custom lids and a 8-10 square foot lid came out to just under $300 after shipping. Still expensive for what it is IMO but cheaper than other ones. I could’ve saved some money with one of the DIY kits but from previous experience of changing switching the screen from 1/4 to 1/8” mesh on my Kraken Reef lid, DIY is not for me lol
 
If that’s your fish list, I would have no problem with the mystery wrasse amongst that group.
If you are fortunate enough to keep it to full size, I would tolerate any issues it may pose.
Of your list, the five bar mystery wrasse is the most unusual and IMHO, the coolest
Do it!

Mmmm could very well go after the firefish, or keep it hiding too much. IME they can be big bullies as they get older.
 
I ordered a custom lid last year from https://octoaquatics.com/product/octo-lids/

The kids looked nice and pricing was better than the other places I checked at the time. I have been using the lid for 10 months now and have no complaints about build quality. Two things I wish I did; split lid into two pieces for my 5 ft tank and put in a larger feeding cutout. Customer service throughout the process was great so I would recommend.
 
I ordered a custom lid last year from https://octoaquatics.com/product/octo-lids/

The kids looked nice and pricing was better than the other places I checked at the time. I have been using the lid for 10 months now and have no complaints about build quality. Two things I wish I did; split lid into two pieces for my 5 ft tank and put in a larger feeding cutout. Customer service throughout the process was great so I would recommend.
Not sure why I did not not mention them. I am a (very) frequent customers of Matt’s octoaquatics and generally like all of the stuff he is selling.
 
More bad news about this fish :) - will need to rethink this then, thank you for pointing this out Bruce. Below the current stock, and will add a Bellus pair in a few weeks as per separate thread. The wrasse was meant for future flatworm (not yet) eradication.

View attachment 57889
What app or website are you using to track your tank additions? I love the idea as I start a tank from scratch. Not to thread jack but I've been following along and wondering what lid to get for my S-850.
 
I have a custom Top Lids on order that should be shipping soon. I can upload a picture once I get it.

The initial quote was double my budget, after removing the add-ons it was $50 over my budget. I still bit on a couple of the add-on's; food regulator cup, it's shipping (see gripes) and the diamond polishing.

I think my gripes below are pretty minor and I've had worse experiences with other companies. Overall, I am satisfied with their customer service and communication.

Likes:
  • they do 2 piece lids
  • the feeding door comes in bigger sizes, sits flush, shouldn't fall out when moving the lid
  • Tyler was very thorough and covered current equipment cutouts, future plans, all the their offerings
  • responded to my direct messages in a timely matter (emails and texts)
  • handled a couple design changes during the drawing phase in stride (additional cutout, moved cutout locations)
  • gladly added extra dimensions on the drawing when I asked for them
  • they send weekly production updates on Friday that seem to be real progress reports
  • I was happy to see Top Lids write if "you'd like to check in for an update, or see pictures of your lid once we cut, feel free to reply here so I can get for you!"
    • I initially going to contact another company when I noticed the site said not to contact them about completion date or it would delay your lid (they have since changed the site)
Gripes:
  • It's been almost 3 months since I placed the order and paid for it (4/9/24)
    • technically this is the 8th week since the drawing was approved, so it is within the 6-8 week timeframe
  • the site says all cutouts are free, but they charged me extra for a custom probe cutout
  • the drawing took a month to get done
    • they first drawing they submitted for approval was missing the probe cutout that I paid extra for
    • then I didn't hear from them for 2 weeks until I messaged Tyler
      • note: they got the drawing to me that day, aside from this it took about three days to get a revised drawing
    • I would explain all corrections on the form and some would get missed or have the wrong dimensions
  • it cost $19 to ship their food regulator cup, which was 48% of the cup's price. Figured I'd buy a second one to reduce the shipping cost per item. I messaged this week and it's too close to shipping and I would have to pay additional shipping charge. Not sure what the deal is here, maybe they don't have them ready to go and manufacturing one would take too long.

By the way, Top Lids will do a blank cutout for a future unknown auto feeder then you can get a new cutout that fits when you decide on which auto feeder to get.
 
I have a custom Top Lids on order that should be shipping soon. I can upload a picture once I get it.

The initial quote was double my budget, after removing the add-ons it was $50 over my budget. I still bit on a couple of the add-on's; food regulator cup, it's shipping (see gripes) and the diamond polishing.

I think my gripes below are pretty minor and I've had worse experiences with other companies. Overall, I am satisfied with their customer service and communication.

Likes:
  • they do 2 piece lids
  • the feeding door comes in bigger sizes, sits flush, shouldn't fall out when moving the lid
  • Tyler was very thorough and covered current equipment cutouts, future plans, all the their offerings
  • responded to my direct messages in a timely matter (emails and texts)
  • handled a couple design changes during the drawing phase in stride (additional cutout, moved cutout locations)
  • gladly added extra dimensions on the drawing when I asked for them
  • they send weekly production updates on Friday that seem to be real progress reports
  • I was happy to see Top Lids write if "you'd like to check in for an update, or see pictures of your lid once we cut, feel free to reply here so I can get for you!"
    • I initially going to contact another company when I noticed the site said not to contact them about completion date or it would delay your lid (they have since changed the site)
Gripes:
  • It's been almost 3 months since I placed the order and paid for it (4/9/24)
    • technically this is the 8th week since the drawing was approved, so it is within the 6-8 week timeframe
  • the site says all cutouts are free, but they charged me extra for a custom probe cutout
  • the drawing took a month to get done
    • they first drawing they submitted for approval was missing the probe cutout that I paid extra for
    • then I didn't hear from them for 2 weeks until I messaged Tyler
      • note: they got the drawing to me that day, aside from this it took about three days to get a revised drawing
    • I would explain all corrections on the form and some would get missed or have the wrong dimensions
  • it cost $19 to ship their food regulator cup, which was 48% of the cup's price. Figured I'd buy a second one to reduce the shipping cost per item. I messaged this week and it's too close to shipping and I would have to pay additional shipping charge. Not sure what the deal is here, maybe they don't have them ready to go and manufacturing one would take too long.

By the way, Top Lids will do a blank cutout for a future unknown auto feeder then you can get a new cutout that fits when you decide on which auto feeder to get.
Oh wow, 6-8 weeks sounds like a long lead time no? I ordered my new one from ClearView and it says 35 day lead time which I thought was a long time as is. I did place it almost a week ago though and they haven’t sent me a drawing or any communication other than automated confirmation email so I wonder how long before production they do that. I believe you’re talking about Octolids? I also looked at them but honestly it sounded like they were angry when they wrote up their website lol. Haven’t looked at it recently to confirm it’s been updated but that definitely steered me off and most likely many other people so I’m not surprised they changed it
 
Oh wow, 6-8 weeks sounds like a long lead time no? I ordered my new one from ClearView and it says 35 day lead time which I thought was a long time as is. I did place it almost a week ago though and they haven’t sent me a drawing or any communication other than automated confirmation email so I wonder how long before production they do that. I believe you’re talking about Octolids? I also looked at them but honestly it sounded like they were angry when they wrote up their website lol. Haven’t looked at it recently to confirm it’s been updated but that definitely steered me off and most likely many other people so I’m not surprised they changed it
I went back to check out the progress reports and this is actually week 7 of production, so the drawing process took 5 weeks.
Ya, 6-8 weeks seems long to me, so I went through their updates to see what was going on:
Week 1 - approved drawing​
Week 2 - cut lid and quality check​
Week 3 - in queue for polishing​
Week 4 - started polishing (30%)​
Week 5 - still polishing (90%)​
Week 6 - finished polishing and quality check​
Week 7 - put in screen, stress test, final QA​

Before this I thought it would be two, maybe three days of work. Throw a sheet of polycarbonate on a routing table, debur it, then put in some screen. The polishing took 3 extra week. Without that it would be around 5 weeks, which is inline with ClearView.

It sounds like Octo Lids does great work and they have a ton of good reviews, but ya, they sound a bit angry, haha. I couldn't look past the no asking how it's going.

Hope your get the CAD soon and the lid is great. Let us know how it comes out
 
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