Could I cover my tank with glass to reduce evaporation?

leokan

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I have a sump and my cabinet has an open back so they still get in touch with air. Could I cover my tank with glass to reduce evaporation?
I see my snail climbing up the the surface, does that mean oxygen is low?
 

smol_reef

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I believe some snails will go above the waterline at times. I know my nerites tend to chill right at the surface of the water. Don't know about the effects on oxygen, but covering it with glass could also reduce the amount of light that penetrates into your tank
 

JGT

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Yes, you should have some type of covering to prevent your fish from carpet surfing. Glass will give you that plus help a bit with evap.
 

Patientman

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Covering the tank with glass would add to a heat build up. I would be more inclined to cover the sump if you feel the need to cover anything. I have a clear mesh (BRS) homemade screen covering the tank … open sump on a 310g total volume system … loose about 2-3 gallons average per day so will be adding a auto top off soon! :)
 
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leokan

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Thanks all, another reason I want to cover it is to prevent jailbreak. Not that worry about temperature build up as it is winter and I am using a heater.
 

Silent

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I liked having a glass top on my tank to reduce evaporation but unfortunately it also reduces light transmission. Took it off and now have no top but I have had a few carpet surfers though.
 

littlebeard

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I have found that glass is more work than topping off the aquarium. It constantly needs to be cleaned and requires way more work than dumping a little water in each day. If you get an Automatic top off, you can drastically reduce this work as well.

In the few times I have used glass, it always tends to be a pain. There is nearly always some sort of salt water creep on it, and requires more effort to remove put it in a sink or tub and clean... then dry....

Screen kit for me was the way to go. (prevents carpet surfers) I got mine from BRS, but after looking at it, I found that I could buy all the parts minus the screen at the nearby large hardware store. (the screen may have been there, and I didn't look long enough)
 
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leokan

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If not glass, what may be an alternative to prevent jailbreak? Isn't sheets reduce more light that just a clear glass?
 

Ravsta

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Glass cover on my IndoReef aquarium. No issues at all.

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LegendaryCG

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Your fish can be seriously injured by glass. My dartfish just today who never jumps jumped 3 times super fast and high and probably would be dead if I didn’t have a screen lid.
 

cmoore806

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the ocean isn't covered by glass. While you do get evaporation you also get important gas exchange. You'll suffocate this process. There are good mesh cover kits you can make your own or you can pay a lot for a custom mesh lid to keep fish jumping.
 

Auquanut

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I have a sump and my cabinet has an open back so they still get in touch with air. Could I cover my tank with glass to reduce evaporation?
I see my snail climbing up the the surface, does that mean oxygen is low?


It all depends on what you're trying to achieve by reducing evaporation, and the contributing factors. It's kind of a give and take. If you're trying to reduce the humidity in the room, there are certain options. If you're hoping to reduce the amount of topping off you're having to do, there are different options.

Putting a glass top on the display will reduce evaporation to some extent, but there will be some regardless, and there will be evaporation from the sump. Topping off with RO is inevitable. Depending on the ambient temperature of the room and the heat producers you have associated with the tank (lights, pumps, wave makers, etc...), the tendency of glass covers to hold in heat could theoretically drive temp higher than you would like. Especially in the warmer months. This has happened to me. Additionally, you can probably expect substantially more salt creep around the rim of the tank using glass tops than using mesh tops (just speaking from experience).

It's important to note that if you do go with glass lids, you will want to clean them often and well. Glass will reduce the amount of light allowed into the tank to a certain extent, and the deposits that form on the glass will reduce the amount of available light and increase any heat issues. If not diligently cleaned, those deposits get tougher to remove. Again, the voice of experience.

Then there's gas exchange. In my COMPLETELY uneducated opinion, you can't have too much gas exchange. I'm sure there are others who will disagree. I personally tend to equate the amount of evaporation from the tanks to a certain extent with the amount of aeration to the tanks. Of course, the benefits of gas exchange depend in large part on the quality of the air in the room. I have 5 tanks (fresh and salt) in my man cave/family room, and try to keep the room very well ventilated. Ventilation also helps reduce the humidity in the room, but increases the amount of evaporation. Go Figure.:confused: My 125 reef evaporates between .75 and 1.25 gallons per day with a mesh top and an open back in the cabinet for the sump. I'm okay with that. Water's cheap, and I have an ATO (best investment I ever made) that keeps my levels where I want them without having to top off manually every day.

I guess this has become a plug against the use of glass tops. That wasn't my intent. Again, it comes down to what you're trying to achieve and the associated considerations. I do have to admit that after reading over the novel I've written just now, I have to say that I personally would advise the use of mesh over glass. Strictly from personal experience.
 

blasterman

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All my tanks are covered with glass to reduce evap. I dont have an RO unit nor the water pressure to have one. Water top offs cost money. Auto top offs cost money and add complexity.

Open top rimless tanks look cool and putting glass on them kinda defeats their look. Still, reducing my evap by 80-90% is a significant advantage and I dont have any rimless tanks. If you have a canopy I dont get why you don't use glass. Guess you get water for free.

Only downside is the water drops and glass itself diffuses light and reduces PAR a bit. I just turn my lights up a hair to compensate. Salt doesnt build up on the underside because its always wet. Just on the top, and only if you are sloppy and get it wet. Since my tanks are framed I add a 1/4" of black sticky rubber window sealer you can buy in rolls on top of my frame. This gives a very tight seal and there is zero salt creep. I get the glass cut in sections to make it easy to work on a part of the tank without removing all of it.

Gas exchange does not apply. I probably have half a square foot of open area due to pumps and other gear. This easily allows the area under the glass to stay equal with ambient room gas levels.
 

NabberNate

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I'm wondering the same thing. My evaporation is about a 1 to 1-1/2 gallon a day with a 150 open top and a 75 gallon open sump. This is a new tank and I don't have my lights going yet but I struggle to get the temperature up in range. After lights once I see the temperature rise I'll consider an acryclic cover for my sump and buy a cheap plastic drawer pull from HD. Make sense?
 
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Silent

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Sounds like a top would work well for you in keeping the temp up and the evaporation down as long as you keep the top clean there should not be any issues.
 

Cell

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My 40 gallon with sump and 25 gallon AIO tank in the basement get covered in the winter with polycarbonate sheets. No issues with O2 exchange.
 
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