[Mapp]

This afternoon, I made a few trips around town preparing for a 20L build I'm planning. I have the tank, the substrate, a few tubes of silicone, the GS for the background, and I've gotten the weedguard and cut the pvc for the false bottom. (holy run-on sentance, batman!)
But for the life of me, I can not find any eggcrate. And the eggcrate I do find are plastic sheets. I've been to two home depots and a lowes today.
I think I might visit a lighting store sometime this week to look for it.
Is there anywhere else that might carry it? Can anyone think of substitutions?
Any input would be appreciated!
-Matt

 

[Steve25]

Light diffusers in hd or lowes carry them. Not sure why the wouldn't carry them. Look in the lighting isle near the lighting fixtures. Normally runs around $10 a sheet

 

[travisc]

I agree. Maybe it's vivarium building season. Either place usually carries them. However, I can totally feel your pain in regards to circumnavigating the area at different Lowe's/Home Depot's looking for something.

Kinda like the time we had 4 hurricanes in a month here and I was looking for generators and chain saws.

 

[Mapp]

I checked the lighting departments in all three stores, and that's how I found the other eggcrate. But that was all they had.

 

[oneshot]

I am putting a new drop-ceiling in the "soon to be frog room" and noticed that my HD, had the egg crate in the ceiling section. It may have been in the lighting section too, but if you only checked the lighting, you may want to check the ceiling section...

 

[Brotherly Monkey]

I checked the lighting departments in all three stores, and that's how I found the other eggcrate. But that was all they had.

what do you mean by other egg crate?

 

[Steve25]

Other eggcrate...What do you mean by that.. You mean light diffuser?

 

[Ed]

They typically also sell a silvered light diffuser as well as several other clearish solid panels meant to fit under the flourescent light fixtures (making an assumption this is what he meant). I've been to both the local Home Depot and Lowes and have had them both be sold out on occasion (although if you ask there is often another pallet stashed somewhere nearby and they should get it for you).

Ed

 

[dustin2012]

I don't have a hd by me, and when i checked lowes they said they don't carry it because it's not "industrial"? They carry the solid clear plastic light diffusers but not the crate at least at mine. Going to check a local store called Hepp hopefully tomorrow and hopefully they have some.

 

[Baltimore Bryan]

I have seen it sometimes with the lighting, but other times it wasn't there and instead they have different types of light diffusers (like the solid, clear plastic sheets with textured sides). I've even asked people and tried to describe it to the salespeople, but they had no idea what I was talking about... guess I didn't describe it well enough. Oddly enough, I have been able to find it every time at Home Depot in the section all the way on the side of the store with insulation and styrofoam. It was just tucked away in the isle without obvious marking- I walked past it a few times before without noticing. You should be able to find it, you just might need to look in some unexpected places.
Bryan

 

[mingeace]

Yeah thats a bit weird about not finding it at the HD. Although my HD also has it in two different areas and oddly enough the egg crate in the "ceiling" area is a few bucks cheaper even though its the same thing just made by a different company ha.

Also IF you do find some, make sure and look for the sheets that are busted or missing a few squares on the corners. I have got them half off and sometimes free when there "broken" simply because contractors dont like to use them if there busted and yet all we do with them is chop them up.

Good luck though looking and I hope ya find some.

 

[Mapp]

what do you mean by other egg crate?

I did a quick google image search for "light diffuser" and that's what was sold at both HDs and the lowes labeled as "eggcrate".
Sorry for any confusion that caused.

 

[Brotherly Monkey]

I don't have a hd by me, and when i checked lowes they said they don't carry it because it's not "industrial"? They carry the solid clear plastic light diffusers but not the crate at least at mine. Going to check a local store called Hepp hopefully tomorrow and hopefully they have some.

I've found them at most hardware stores, even my local Ace's

 

[Brotherly Monkey]

I did a quick google image search for "light diffuser" and that's what was sold at both HDs and the lowes labeled as "eggcrate".
Sorry for any confusion that caused.

No worries. I just wanted to make sure you weren't confused on what egg crate looked like, prior to being made into a false bottom (though it might seem stupid, people make all kinds of mistakes, that can seem obvious to others)

 

[Mapp]

I am putting a new drop-ceiling in the "soon to be frog room" and noticed that my HD, had the egg crate in the ceiling section. It may have been in the lighting section too, but if you only checked the lighting, you may want to check the ceiling section...

I'll maybe visit again tomorrow and see. Thanks for the suggestion!

They typically also sell a silvered light diffuser as well as several other clearish solid panels meant to fit under the flourescent light fixtures (making an assumption this is what he meant). I've been to both the local Home Depot and Lowes and have had them both be sold out on occasion (although if you ask there is often another pallet stashed somewhere nearby and they should get it for you).
Ed

Thanks for clearing that up for everyone, ed. Yes, that's what I meant. It was labeled "eggcrate", so sorry for any confusion that caused.

I have seen it sometimes with the lighting, but other times it wasn't there and instead they have different types of light diffusers (like the solid, clear plastic sheets with textured sides). I've even asked people and tried to describe it to the salespeople, but they had no idea what I was talking about... guess I didn't describe it well enough. Oddly enough, I have been able to find it every time at Home Depot in the section all the way on the side of the store with insulation and styrofoam. It was just tucked away in the isle without obvious marking- I walked past it a few times before without noticing. You should be able to find it, you just might need to look in some unexpected places.
Bryan

The saleswoman I spoke to at the first home depot had no idea what I was talking about, so she paged someone from lighting, and he directed me to the light diffusers. Same at lowes and the other HD. And I guess I'll have to look harder next time I go!

 

[Zorloc]

Ask to see the drop ceiling or pannel ceiling supply section usualy but not always by the doors and windows.

 

[Ed]

I've found them at most hardware stores, even my local Ace's

Unfortunately my local Ace doesn't have it. They are much closer and I like the people who run it.

Ed

 

[Brotherly Monkey]

Unfortunately my local Ace doesn't have it. They are much closer and I like the people who run it.

Ed

I'm pretty far out in the boonies, with my nearest lowe's being an extra 1 1/2 hours. So they do tend to be pretty well stocked

 

[frogface]

I found it in the insulation section of my local Lowe's. Dunno why, but it was there.

 

[Mapp]

Went back to lowe's today.
I looked in the ceiling section, and there it was!
Got a 2'x4' sheet for $11.