Tank Covering: What, How, When and Why?

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Today let's talk about covering our aquariums to keep our fishy friends from becoming fish jerky on the floor!

If you've ever lost fish to jumping then you know how disheartening and frustrating it can be. Sometimes even with a covered tank you'll have a fishy escape artist to find a way out and down on to the floor! So....let's discuss it!

1. Is your tank covered? If not please tell us your reasoning.

2. How do you have your tank covered and are you happy with the solution you're using?

3. What do you dislike about having to keep your tank covered?

 

[Crabs McJones]

My tank was not covered. I wish now that I had gotten a cover for it. Lost 3 or 4 fish from jumping.

 

[Indytraveler83]

I keep my tank covered with a combo of a canopy and nylon screen. I cover my system because I like to keep a tank full of known jumpers (wrasse and dartfish).

Even then I recently had a salon wrasse that somehow wriggled through and ended up on the floor :(

I personally would use glass tops to cover the system if possible, but it quickly gets dirty and blocks the lighting for corals.

 

[sp1187]

I bought a DIY cover from BRS over a year ago. never assembled it.

30+ fish that have spent time in my tank, zero losses to jumpers.

if I do a pred tank, with morays, I will cover that one. morays like to explore.
or are they trying to evolve in to land animals? who's to say.
:cool:

 

[blasterman]

I use plate glass on all my tanks. No fish jumps and greatly reduces evap.

Since I'm using LEDs already turned down I could care less about a trivial percent of light loss.

 

[Crabs McJones]

I use plate glass on all my tanks. No fish jumps and greatly reduces evap.

Since I'm using LEDs already turned down I could care less about a trivial percent of light loss.

do you experience lower ph and higher temps with this setup?

 

[WVNed]

But the cat loves the crispy fish.

 

[NashobaTek]

My tank stays covered all the time with glass tops because I have a 35 yr old male and a 65 yr old female living in the same house who show zero respect for anything or anyone other than themselves. The female has poisoned the new puppy and constantly puts carpet fresh down right against the aquarium.

I have made her pay for the invertebrates she's killed and the vet bill for the puppy. But, she still does it and doesn't care. Never apologized for any of it.

She's even admitted that she thinks I am lying about keeping powders and sprays away from the tank.:eek::mad:

 

[LeftyReefer]

I just assembled a Red Sea DIY cover kit for my tank. Got the frame all done, just need to add the netting now.
I'm going without the netting for a few days to make sure I'm happy with the current config before cutting and adding the netting.

 

[dragon99]

I have both. My main tank stays covered because it has wrasses. Those little buggers are tricky and even covered I've lost a couple to jumping at just the wrong place/time.

My nano though isn't covered. It only has couple fish (blenny and clown). I did have a clown jump out a couple years back, but that was my fault for walking around the tank in the middle of the night (picked him up and all is well).

 

[Mandrew559]

Window frame kit home depot, clear brs mesh. Looks like a million bucks

 

[ca1ore]

1. Is your tank covered? If not please tell us your reasoning.

Frag tank is not covered and so far I have not had one jump. All tanks with fish are covered 24/7.

2. How do you have your tank covered and are you happy with the solution you're using?

DiY screens with 1/4" black netting that I bought in bulk years ago.

3. What do you dislike about having to keep your tank covered?

Nothing.

 

[Mike Kearns]

I have a cover on all my tanks. DIY window screen kit from HD or Lowes and clear netting. 2 reasons: I don't want to loose any fish to jumping, and I have very curious cats.

 

[sfin52]

Glass tops stop the jumpers and to slow evaporation. Tank never goes above 80

 

[snowhite]

I have two 24x28x12 frag tanks and I have to admit that the amount of evaporation I get from them was "shocking" at first compared to my other tanks.
Still contemplating putting plexi covers on them to help with it, but working on the tanks would be a lot more difficult having to remove the lids.
So have to mess with lids going on and off, or just feed them RO water. Unfortunately with this setup and a slab foundation home having constant RO to the tanks are not a possibility. Likely moving to ATO so I only have to deal with it once a week or so.

 

[Spdjnky]

I hate screen tops so here is my solution to the fish jumping if they can jump over I lose

 

[rob s.]

I built a screen cover with regular nylon screen some frame and some glazer tabs. Cost about 15 dollars and fits my waterbox perfectly. The glazing tabs allow the cover to fit just inside the glass and lets it sit there out of view unless your rite up on the tank. It doesn't effect the lighting at all. Easy to build and well worth the 15 bucks

 

[154162]

I keep the lid on my Fluval Evo 13.5, I do that to keep the fish IN and the cat paws, dust, kids fingers and toys OUT haha
It helps with evap, but it doesn’t help with heat that for sure...
If I would do it all again I think I would get a netted screen!

 

[DivingTheWorld]

No cover, never had one on this tank. I have a rimless which just looks bad with any type of cover on it. I love the rimless look, zero light interference and the ability to just stick my hands in the tank whenever I want. I purposely had my tank designed with 2" above the water line to help with both splashing and jumpers. I lost a couple fish the first year or so I had the tank set up, but I haven't lost any due to jumping in years now (knock on wood!).

 

[Sea_forest]

Mine is covered 24/7, made out of home depot screen kit with amazon bought plastic screen (white). Have a bunch of wrasses and have seen them jump, lucky to have a cover.