DIY Open Front Viv thought... help?

[Zia]

I'm getting to the point where I have several reptiles, and I am really becoming very disenchanted with having to constantly pull tanks off the shelf to get in and clean/feed/all that good stuff. I've been looking at plans for DIY front open enclosures (cause exoterras are expensive!), and I ran across an idea today that I want to try... but I want to see if anyone here can point out any immediate issues with it.

The Petco by me is gearing up for their $1 per gallon sale, and I was thinking of picking up some tanks of different sizes, mostly 20gal longs for my various species. Then I had thought of picking up some of those Aqueon Versatops, the fish tank glass hoods with a plastic hinge.

My thought was to turn the 20 gal on to its side so the top becomes the front. Then silicone in part of the versatop as a substrate stop, leaving the part on the hinge free to swing down to open to create the door. Then instead of using the plastic attachment to complete the front of the enclosure, like you would if you were setting up a fishtank, using some metal or plastic or something to provide support for mesh that would be siliconed across the entire top part of the front for ventilation. The door locks would also be attached to this top piece, keeping the door closed when necessary. I'd be using UTH heaters for heat.

I hope that's not too vague. I feel like it's too... simple. And that if it was a good idea it would have been done already. Any input before I drop the cash on this?

[Stefan-A]

How much of the front of the enclosure would end up being mesh?

[Zia]

If the fit is like the ones I use on aquariums, it would be slightly less than 1/4th after modification. But I could also use additional glass/pexi on the sides to make the mesh area smaller if needed.

[guidofatherof5]

Any chance you can post a photo of this lid hinge thing? I've converted a number of aquariums with slid tops into front opening enclosures.