[PeanutbuttER]

Alright, so I've decided to try something different. I've been laying glass on top of the screen top in my exo terra. However, I'm thinking that the mesh is deflecting/blocking light and I want to see what it would be like without one of the screens on there.

I've read about people who have removed the screening and siliconed a glass sheet in its place. My question is: Is there any specific method to going about this to make it secure enough? The last thing I want is a sheet of glass to come toppling down into the viv.

Has anyone done this? Any tips before I jump in and go for it? Would it be secure enough?

 

[CVB]

Bonds between glass and silicone are astonishingly strong. I'm not familiar with the shape of ExoTerra vents, but if the glass can be made to butt up against the existing top glass or frame, and then you use a silicone that bonds well to both glass and plastic if on frame (black RTV silicone for instance) or glass to glass (any standard 100% silicone) you should be fine. If it has a complete frame over the top and you cut the glass to fit exactly, it will probably sit there perfectly fine with no sealant at all, should you want to remove it later. If removing the top screen takes it down to glass edge, you want the silicone there just to prevent chipping and make a clean, tight, fruit-fly-proof joint. Those who have ExoTerra's should weigh in with direct experience after me, but figured I'd just give general advice and bump it.

 

[Tony]

I modified a number of Exo Terras before we started building custom tanks. Clean the frame and glass thoroughly with denatured alcohol and use an RTV silicone (CRL RTV-408 is what I prefer).

 

[PeanutbuttER]

Oh, so the normal GE Silicone wouldn't work?

 

[Tony]

RTV forms a much stronger bond with plastic, I wouldn't trust normal silicone to hold up over time.

 

[PeanutbuttER]

That's good to know. Maybe I'll hold off until I can get some RTV in then.

 

[Frank H]

 

[PeanutbuttER]

Thanks for all the input everybody. I've got another Exo that is set up almost exactly like that Frank, but it doesn't have a vent on the front of the top. Did you do anything to that vent other than silicon like noseeum or something onto it?

I've been trying to find a way to just silicone a pane of glass to the back half of the existing lid because I like that I can slide the glass on the front screen to adjust how much ventilation I get. Plus, if we go out of town for a weekend I can slide it all the way forward and seal things up and then slide it back when we get home.

 

[Frank H]

Yep I just siliconed the screen to the front, and I use a piece of lexan to cover it up to keep the viv moist when desired.

 

[BR5]

I have two tanks that I've done this with. On the first one I removed the screen from the existing top and replaced it with glass. It's 1-1/2 years old and is still going strong. One the second one I decided I wanted more venting so I only removed the rear screen and siliconed glass over 2/3rds of the front screen.
Brian

 

[PeanutbuttER]

I have two tanks that I've done this with. On the first one I removed the screen from the existing top and replaced it with glass. It's 1-1/2 years old and is still going strong. One the second one I decided I wanted more venting so I only removed the rear screen and siliconed glass over 2/3rds of the front screen.
Brian

That's exactly what I am talking about. Do you have any pictures? Did you do rtv silicone?

 

[fieldnstream]

When leaving part of the screen intact, would it make sense to leave the screen on the front to keep the glass clear since there is a vent below the doors, or does leaving ventilation on the back create a cross-flow?

 

[BR5]

Sorry I don't have any pictures, but unless I turned to top over all you would see is an exo terra that looked like it had custom glass. I basically pulled the screens, applied a liberal amount of silicon from Lowes on the screen side and put the glass in place on top of it.
Hope this helps
Brian