mjw011689
Active Member
I’ve found it hard to maintain good ph with glass lids on. They don’t allow for gas exchange, which will hold down your pH. Coupled with being in a basement, which might not have any outside air coming in (any windows to the outside down there?) you may find issues getting proper gas exchange to keep your ph up. Not alway, but it’s something to keep in mind.Why are you against the glass lid? Just requires cleaning every time I do a WC, and it helps a TON with evaporation from my tank due to being in a colder climate basement. That's the main reason I have it, apart from it being my cheapest option lol. It does make it tough because I only have about 2-2.5 inches of clearance between lid and glass for HOB things to go. Not even sure if the Aquamaxx refugium would fit, might require some engineering
I have considered a HOB overflow but I'm hoping I can upgrade to a 80-120 gallon tank in the next year and don't know if all the expense is worth it for that. This hobby has completely won me over, I love it much more than I thought I would when I first got into it. I do have space for a sump, but wasn't keen to the price of all that for just a "temporary" 40 G
also, not sure if the lighting is as good with the glass on there. Might be fine, never tried it.
Are you fighting any particular problems that are making you consider adding a fuge or skimmer? If you’re planning to upgrade soon and there’s no real issue, I’d find it hard to justify paying for something that might not be that useful for your goals.
