Help with large enclosure!

Hi everyone! I have a 120 gallon aquarium that was being used for saltwater fish. I’m getting out of that hobby so I drained the enclosure and clean it. I plan on putting my 4 foot Cali king in it. My only problem is a lid. The tank has two support bars and had three glass lids to keep the moray eel inside it. Obviously I can’t use those. Is there anyone who makes lid for a tank that size? Or is DIY the better way to go. Looking for suggestions and recommendations. Thanks!

EDIT: Dimensions are 72 1/2 long 18 1/2 wide. Forgot to add these lmao

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You could look online to see if there’s a screen top with those dimensions you could buy.

If not, you might try going to a home improvement store and seeing if they could cut a piece of PVC or plexiglass in the size you need. Then you could drill or burn ventilation holes in it.

Of course, if you have the tools and DYI skills, you can skip the home improvement store and just make something yourself. :person_shrugging:

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You could lay the tank on its side and use the plastic door track and make sliding doors for the opening. Use 1/4" Polycarbonate to make the two doors and drill a few small holes in them for air vents.

https://www.amazon.com/Plastic-Sliding-Panels-Outwater-Plastics/dp/B08SHV4V71

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I agree with @tommccarthy 's idea. The space will be a lot easier to access for cleaning, handling etc and if you use silicon to install your tracks then the tank can be used as a fish tank in the future.

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Back in the day using old fish aquariums for reptiles was pretty much standard unless you made your own enclosure. Boy how things have changed, now there are all kinds of enclosures for all kinds of reptiles plus all the equipment available today that makes keeping, even the most demanding of reptiles, so much easier. A simple trip to the hardware store will show you all kinds of materials that can be used to make a proper lid for the fish tank. I don’t know your skill level, what tools you have access to so getting into specifics might not be the best way to go here. If you don’t have the tools or ability to make your own lid I highly recommend doing a Google Search and see what you can purchase. I know everyone wants to save a dollar, especially in the times we live in now, but I also know what it feels like to look into a cage and realize that someone has escaped and now you have to locate them before it’s to late. When this happens no amount of money saved will be worth this feeling.

I have been keeping reptiles for most of my 58 years and the following advice is not only good for you but also for every animal you choose to keep. The PVC cages made today have brought our hobby to a whole other level from the old days when converted tanks were the normal thing to use. They maintain temp and humidity in ways that are impossible in a glass box. Maintaining temp was always one of the hardest things to do back then and countless animals died because of it. Thin glass sheets have little insulation value and when you top it off with a lid made out of window screen, maintaining temp and humidity just got very tough. For the same reason you wouldn’t use a glass fish tank for an ice chest , they don’t work to well for a reptile either. Since you are housing a CA Kingsnake humidity isn’t much of a factor you need to worry about, that’s good for you and the snake. You might be able to get away with using a UTH under the tank and if needed a ceramic element for the top of it. I highly recommend not using any type of light source in order to provide heat, no matter what color it is. I would be looking at a lid that didn’t leave the entire top of the tank open as this makes heating mighty rough. The idea of laying the tank down is a good idea just make sure the glass is supported evenly all the way around and keep the weight of the substrate and decorations as light as possible. You might be able to only have half of the lid that is screened and the rest can be a solid material. There are so many variables it’s pretty much impossible to say what material and how much of it will be needed to meet the needs of the resident. I’m a cabinetmaker by trade so if I can help with any thing specific just let me know and I will do my best to help you. If you decide to try a PVC enclosure one way to save a lot of money is to keep an eye out on Marketplace and Craigslist. Good luck with your project.

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