Aquarium lid = Yes or No?

[mitch91175]

Glass tops aren't as evil as some people make them out to be... but you've got salt creep and mineral deposits that need to be cleaned regularly, and it does reduce the gas exchange. If you've got a skimmer, it won't matter... plenty of gas exchange in a skimmer. Glass isn't my choice, but it's not a bad way to go.

Screen tops are great.. keep the fish in, don't need more than a freshwater rinse every once in a while, allow for full gas exchange... but they look like crap. There are a couple of vendors selling some real nice looking screen tops, (artfully acrylic, for one), but they're EXPENSIVE. The DIY kits, I just don't like the look. You're running a canopy, or even a rimmed tank, where the screen top is either covered, or at least sitting in a molded in track... looks like it belongs, fine. Rimless tank? Just looks bad.

My tank is wide, fat, and low. Thick beveled and polished glass edges, rimless... I don't want a top. Any top. Certainly not an ugly one

Open top means researching the fishes you select carefully. Wrasses are a no no... as are most long, thin fishes. Dartfish, dottybacks, basslets... all are a fairly major risk. Even if you do carefully select your fishes, you can still have one jump. I lost an Ocellaris clown... not a fish commonly known for jumping. It can happen with ANY fish. A very peaceful environment, with as little aggression between fishes as you can manage, helps. Oh, I loose a snail once in a while, too... ends up on the outside glass, all dried up.

IMHO, if your tank has the 'open' look, an open top is worth it... It's a hobby. If you're not going to be happy with the look of your tank, why bother?

Really I think tops are a must regardless of fish selection. Ever turn on lights and fish freak out? Tangs will jump too. Fish can and will chase each other and when out of real estate they will jump out of water.

 

[Forsaken77]

I use a glass top that has hinged doors. I find that too much stuff makes it into my tank without the top on because it's located by the back door, like dust and dog hair. My Ph also INCREASED when I put the hood on because the house is sealed up with the ac on and it makes the Ph drop. If anything, sometimes I'll just leave the hinges open.

If you go topless, your evaporation rate increases dramatically, though your tank isn't too large where you'd lose 2+ gallons per day.

It's not that one way is right or wrong. It's what fits your needs.

 

[Greybeard]

Really I think tops are a must regardless of fish selection. Ever turn on lights and fish freak out? Tangs will jump too. Fish can and will chase each other and when out of real estate they will jump out of water.

Yes, most any fish _can_ jump... ok, maybe not a frogfish... but it's not like I'm picking up fish jerky off the floor every day. I've had this 60" x 30" x 18" open top tank for over a year now. Scopus Tang, Orange spot rabbitfish, Smith's blenny, Spotbreast Angel, Bi-Color Goatfish, school of PJ Cardinals... lost one of my clowns, and probably a half dozen snails. In a year. I don't consider that an unacceptable loss rate.

If you go topless, your evaporation rate increases dramatically, though your tank isn't too large where you'd lose 2+ gallons per day.

That can be a good thing! My system looses 2.5 gallons a day. Helps keep the house from being so dry, and lets me dose a fairly high amount of Kalkwasser.

 

[Bill_Moorman]

While some may scoff, I use egg crate for my 40b. I spray painted it black and can cut sections out for equipment.

It does defuse the light, but everything is thriving so I suppose it’s okay!

This was taken this morning just an hour after lights came on, so the full intensity is brighter than what you see.

 

[Greybeard]

While some may scoff, I use egg crate for my 40b. I spray painted it black and can cut sections out for equipment.

My old 60 cube, I cut a 4" strip of black eggcrate, trimmed it to fit around my return and my light mount, and attached it with some black screw clamps Printed Reefing Solutions made for me. Used a rectangular DIY screen on clear plastic rimless clips for the remainder of the tank. Worked great! Nothing wrong with eggcrate. Will it block some light? Sure, so will window screen, or glass... You just upsize the light a bit to make up for it. Simple, inexpensive, and reliable solution.

 

[NU2REEFIN]

I have a custom lid from Toplids and love it!!!!!

 

[Arcticfirefighter]

While some may scoff, I use egg crate for my 40b. I spray painted it black and can cut sections out for equipment.

It does defuse the light, but everything is thriving so I suppose it’s okay!

This was taken this morning just an hour after lights came on, so the full intensity is brighter than what you see.

That's exactly what I ended up doing. Now I just need to upgrade my lights. [emoji3]

 

[Heckel]

everybody's talking about glass screen or open but also forgetting a fourth an that is doing open with a hood
in my opinion i would either do a hood or a clean custom screen

 

[Ivan j]

You might be able to bend the screen frame because it’s just aluminum

 

[ParsedOut]

You might be able to bend the screen frame because it’s just aluminum

That's exactly what I did with an old 72 gallon bowfront. Just carefully bent the aluminum frame around the front. Worked great. Only concern about the diffuser is the hole size. A small clown could easily fit through, not to mention a small goby or wrasse.

 

[divewsharks]

If you have access to a router or jigsaw, you can easily make a lid out of lexan or acrylic yourself. Just make a template using cardboard. Cut the outer to shape from the template and then cut out a portion of the middle and you can add screen to that section.

Another benefit of a screen top, is that it’s a much softer impact should a fish jump. I’ve had a wrasse slam itself against a glass top on my qt tank and damage it’s spine.
My wrasses (and even clownfish in a diff tank) get very excited at the feeding time. They will splash the top going for food, no aggression, just feeding time.

 

[garethwood]

Ive got egg crate on mine. It was open top till i lost my wrasse.. my fault i knew he was a flight risk.
I put this egg crate on as a temp fix.... well over a yr ago. it does diffuse the leds abit but i just adjusted the light to suit

 

[Jesse Sides]

I go topless!!

Same, plus a wave maker to export gases And it looks supremely cool

 

[Todd A.]

I found the egg-crate 2' x 4' light fixture covers provide the best of both worlds and are cheap and easy to find (stocked at most home improvement big-box stores). They provide a rigid secure top that can be cut and configured to almost any shape and size. You can get them in black, white or chrome. And with 1/2" squares, fish can't get out but the mesh is large enough not to restrict gas exchange or lighting significantly.

 

[divewsharks]

I found the egg-crate 2' x 4' light fixture covers provide the best of both worlds and are cheap and easy to find (stocked at most home improvement big-box stores). They provide a rigid secure top that can be cut and configured to almost any shape and size. You can get them in black, white or chrome. And with 1/2" squares, fish can't get out but the mesh is large enough not to restrict gas exchange or lighting significantly.

Would depend on the fish. I've had C. Laboutei wrasse go through a 1/2" space in mesh. Fish like dartfish and eels could make it through as well.

 

[schlitz]

I have been thinking about going to mesh so I can get an eel but I have a stupid question. What do you do for feedings and/or cleaning? Do you lift the whole screen up?

 

[divewsharks]

I have been thinking about going to mesh so I can get an eel but I have a stupid question. What do you do for feedings and/or cleaning? Do you lift the whole screen up?

For feeding, I have a feed door. It is a small hinged door/flap that is built in.
For cleaning, I just take the cover/screen off and lay on a towel on the floor or stand it up to the side.

 

[schlitz]

Where did you buy your cover? If it is DIY, would you mind posting a picture?

 

[divewsharks]

Mine came from Octo Aquatics - a sponsor on R2R.
You could also go with Artfully Acrylic, also a sponsor here.