Aquarium top questions!

[Suzgrif]

I’m starting up a 20 long tank and I’m in a quandary. I thought I would get a mesh top with a square door in the middle, since I figured I would have to use a fan to cool the tank. Then I saw the ice probe and saw that someone had put it in thru the top of a hob filter, so I wouldn’t have to rely on the fan. Then how do you cut a hole in to a hob lid. so which lid do others use as a lid to meet the challenges of this. Any suggestion?

 

[minorhero]

Most people seem to use sponge filters and just cut a very small hole for the airline. If using a chiller I think a lot of people are drilling the tank and using bulkheads. I am in process of building a diy chiller running inline on my canister filter with tight fitting holes in my diy lid for lily pipes but I haven't succeed yet so reluctant to actually recommend it as a solution.