Versa-top does not fit??

[WhiskeyD]

I bought a 55g tank last week and bought 2 24" versa-tops for it today. I got home and went to put them on the tank but they are too wide! Each opening on my tank is 23" wide while the versa-tops are 23 1/8" wide. Has anyone else had this problem? How wide is everyone else's 55g top openings? I'm thinking about shaving some of the plastic off the top of the tank to make them fit but I'm worried about the tanking being weaker.

 

[neilanh]

Welcome to AA!

You're supposed to trim the plastic to accomodate filters, heaters, etc. Trimming it to fit won't cause you any problems.

 

[WhiskeyD]

I know you can trim the plastic on the back of the versa-top or any other hood to fit a filter and heater but what about the plastic rim on the tank? That is whats not allowing the glass versa-top to fit. The only way to make the versa-top fit will be to trim the plastic rim on the tank or trim some of the plastic middle support (which I really don't want to do). It will be too much trouble to trim 1/8" of glass off each of the versa-tops. I still dont unterstand why the tops just dont drop in, no one else with a 55g has complained of them being too wide that i have seen. I checked the dimenisions of a regular 55g and they match my tank so i dont have an odd shaped 55g. The tank says it was manufactured in 2003, would its age have anything to do with the top not fitting?

 

[WhiskeyD]

I went to their website Aqueon » Products » Hinged Glass Tops and found a chart of their sizes. They have a model called versa-top 55 for 40g long and 55g old style frame. I dont believe i have an old style 55g because i have a center brace. Any ideas?

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Don't trim the plastic. You need to return the glass tops and buy a set that is for 55 gal tanks. I had that issue when we went to glass tops. There is a specific set for 55 gal tanks, you have to go with that or it won't fit.

 

[WhiskeyD]

It says on their website that the 24" model fits 55 gallon with divider. Did you buy 2x the 24" model Fishy? Thats the only one they sell on drfostersmith for 55 gallon divided and thats what i bought. Or did you buy the model 55 that is listed on Aqueon's site? I'm almost positive i have the right size glass tops, every where says 2x 24" for a 55 gallon.

 

[bs6749]

There are at least 2 different makes of glass tops and at least 2 different makes of tanks. What kind of tank do you have? If you have an Aqueon, or AGA (All-Glass Aquariums) brand tank "Versa Tops" should fit for sure. Marineland also makes glass tops and another company related to them makes tanks, though I forget who. I believe they sell their tanks to Petsmart. I think it might be Perfecto come to think of it. Anyway, the tanks have slightly different dimensions and that's why they aren't fitting.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Is your tank an All Glass?

If the first ones you bought didn't work out, get the other one. I suppose the "old style". I believe that's the one that I bought. It's been a few years so I don't recall exactly but I do know that when I bought the 2 seperate hoods it didn't work. I had to buy the 55 gal set.

 

[WhiskeyD]

Im not really sure what kind of tank it is. The sticker on the bottom says Built by T-ray and has a picture of an anchor. Heres a picture showing how the top is too long


bs6749 - Do you know where i can buy a marineland glass top? Every i have found only sells the Versa-tops.

Thanks for all the help everyone!

 

[bs6749]

I know that you can get them at Pet Supplies Plus, but I think this is a regional store. Where are you located?

Also, there IS a tool to cut glass, and cutting glass is pretty simple. However, you would only want to take 1/4" off of the lid and that amount is going to be trickier to snap off cleanly. The tool basically scores the glass once and weakens it along a line. Then you just snap the glass, simple as that.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I'm not sure of the tank manufacturer based on the T-Ray and anchor. Where did you purchase the tank?

 

[WhiskeyD]

I know that you can get them at Pet Supplies Plus, but I think this is a regional store. Where are you located?

Also, there IS a tool to cut glass, and cutting glass is pretty simple. However, you would only want to take 1/4" off of the lid and that amount is going to be trickier to snap off cleanly. The tool basically scores the glass once and weakens it along a line. Then you just snap the glass, simple as that.

Charlotte, NC We have Petsmart, Petco, and the local ones. I thought about cutting the glass but as you can see in the picture its only 1/8" too long. I dont want to cut them and break one, i doubt the store would take back broken glass with score marks on it I'm just going to return them and try to get the right ones.

 

[WhiskeyD]

I'm not sure of the tank manufacturer based on the T-Ray and anchor. Where did you purchase the tank?

I bought it off of craigslist so who knows. I hope its a good tank... Are certain brands of aquariums better than others?

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Honestly I don't know. I've only used All Glass but that's what my lfs sells. Measure the inside of the tank where the glass sits and go to the lfs and measure the lids that they have. That's the only way you're going to get an exact match unless you have a piece of glass cut for the tank.

 

[WhiskeyD]

I finally got a chance to go back to the fish store and what do you know, they have marineland perfecto glass tops right next to the versa-tops. I measured them and sure enough they are 1/8" shorter than the versa-tops. They even matched the price of the versa-tops which i got on sale at Petco.

Oh, and i also found out i have a Marineland tank