Turning Lock Lift idea for Securing Lids

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Deezus

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Jun 3, 2014
68
42
51
Connecticut
I'm trying to brain storm ideas on a clean way to secure my 2 big lids on my 480 gallon without adding a bunch of heavy weighing objects to hold the lid down. I found these turning lock lift hinge things they are kinda expensive though but would do the job. $32 a piece. Kind of expensive for me since i will need 8 of these.

I was wondering if anyone else has a similar idea some kind of a turning mechanism that will hinge the lid to the top of the tank?

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Hello; Can you give us more information? Maybe a picture of the lid or more of a description. Lid made of wood or?
 
Hello; From the picture the lids appear to be the two toned flat pieces. I am assuming the blue bit is not a part of the lids.

I think I follow how the hardware you first pictured could work. I assume that holes will be drilled thru the plastic lids and the hardware fitted so the tang will be rotated under the lip of the permanent flats on top of the tank. My suggestion will be based this being correct.

It seems to me that not a lot of strength is needed to hold the lids in place as weight of the lids will help. I would likely try to make the latches from some acrylic pieces or the plastic multi wall. The plastic could be shaped and glued to make a handle on top and a lever/tang on bottom. A hole drilled thru the lid as before with only a stainless bolt needed to mate them. The plastic could be rotated so the bottom tang catches under the tank bit. Another advantage of such being less metal around the water, more so if the tank is to be saltwater.

Some will depend on how the lights are to be placed. depending on the overhead clearance and how the lids will have to move to be removed, you could get away with only two latches on each lid panel. A small tab of plastic could be glued on the bottom of the lid at the back. If the lid can be placed on and off at an angle, this tab could slide under the tank top and catch the back. Then only two movable latches needeed at the front corners.
 
Take a look at the clear plastic single screw mirror clips. You can mount them to the top of the tank and leave them loose enough to engage the lids.

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I had glass lids on my tank that sat on top of the eurobrace and cross brace. I had holes on each side of the glass lids where there was an acrylic rod through with acrylic tabs on the top and bottom. The rod essentially just swiveled with tabs in opposite direction.

It was a good design, however, I could not lower my water level low enough so my Aro use to hit and eventually snapped at the 1.5"x2.5" acrylic that swiveled under the brace. Not good.

If your water level can be lowered under the tabs then this is a better approach,imo, then the metal. For me, I still have glass lids but using a different design with fluval suction cups and 2-3" rods swiveling on top.
 
I have a glass tank, im not too fond about drilling these in my plastic trim crossbrace. I might do just simple velcro straps
 
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