Thinking about removing my glass lids

[Jl330]

For eggcrate

Would that cause my par to increase or cause any other issues?

 

[clsanchez77]

I didnt think any body ran glass lids on their reef tanks anymore. You should get an increase in PAR.

On the Eggcrate, the eggcrate itself will block out stray light and you might notice less glare on the glass, but you should not see any reduction in PAR as any light traveling downward would not be blocked, like a moisture laden glass lid. This is probably less of an issue with LEDs than it was with MH lighting.

You may also notice an increase in water evaporation and a decrease in water temperature.

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

eggcrates ok. Prob better than the glass with salt on it...
id use a lid or screen top if I had too. U can make one with bird netting and a window screen kit from the local hardware store. U just cut the sides to length and run the rubber piece with the tool to put the bird netting in. BAM! U can google DIY screen tops for aquariums.
-d

 

[Jl330]

eggcrates ok. Prob better than the glass with salt on it...
id use a lid or screen top if I had too. U can make one with bird netting and a window screen kit from the local hardware store. U just cut the sides to length and run the rubber piece with the tool to put the bird netting in. BAM! U can google DIY screen tops for aquariums.
-d

I like the eggcrate for easy trimming.

Mainly want a lid of some sort to keep jumpers from hitting the carpet.

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

go with the eggcrate! Or something similar. I'm like u. easier to take some dikes to the eggcrate! clip clip.
if uve got more than enough light or can turn em up another 5% or 10%...the light being shaded or less bright might not matter to u as much as others.
-d

 

[saintsreturn]

Egg crate will be a much better option for the reasons listed above. When you are ready, i recommend screen top lids versus egg crate. Easy to clean, harder to break, less likely to poke you and you can have a feed hole put into the design pretty easily.

I ran those for a while, but i have a canopy, so i just netted the canopy off in the back.

 

[Duffer]

i ditched my glass tops last week also. Was worried about par levels and sick of cleaning them. I went with screen frames (lowes) and white/clear mesh from Joanne fabric.

 

[Jl330]

Egg crate will be a much better option for the reasons listed above. When you are ready, i recommend screen top lids versus egg crate. Easy to clean, harder to break, less likely to poke you and you can have a feed hole put into the design pretty easily.

I ran those for a while, but i have a canopy, so i just netted the canopy off in the back.

I actually considered this too. I have a canopy. I just didn't know the best material for doing that.

 

[Act1n1c_L1fe]

i ditched my glass tops last week also. Was worried about par levels and sick of cleaning them. I went with screen frames (lowes) and white/clear mesh from Joanne fabric.

Ditched my glass top for my jbj45 because it was ugly and I hated cleaning it every two days. Got an innovative marine screen kit and did that. Going to swap the mesh out for black netting instead because the clear **** glares bad.

 

[saintsreturn]

I actually considered this too. I have a canopy. I just didn't know the best material for doing that.

I used black pvc gutter guard. Filled the gap perfect and doesnt take away the look. I think its two pages back on my build thread.

 

[shollis2814]

I have a glass lid because I have persistent cats.
When you talk about egg crate are you just talking about the Home Depot stuff? Doesn't it block a lot of light?

 

[ngoodermuth]

The screen tops are super easy to make. And, if you don't feel like hunting down the materials, BRS sells kits now with everything you need.

Looks nicer, and much more effective at keeping your smaller jumpers in... I've seen comments about little wrasses, gobies, and dartfish going right through eggcrate.

 

[shred5]

The screen tops are super easy to make. And, if you don't feel like hunting down the materials, BRS sells kits now with everything you need.

Looks nicer, and much more effective at keeping your smaller jumpers in... I've seen comments about little wrasses, gobies, and dartfish going right through eggcrate.

Agreed... far better option and looks better.

 

[EMeyer]

Glass is optically transparent. Nothing else - nothing - lets as much light through. PAR is reduced by <<5% under glass.

Glass is also great for reducing evaporation. If you have a sump and skimmer your water is almost certainly in equilibrium with the atmosphere, and additional gas exchange has no benefit by definition at that point.

I keep glass lids on all my tanks and cant imagine going back. The top off water alone is enough reason, it cut my evaporation in half.

 

[ngoodermuth]

My issues with glass are:
1. the need to clean it constantly
2. higher tank temp (we have to watch ours in the summer as it is because we don't have central A/C)
3. risk of spinal injury - mostly to my fairy wrasses, for when they inevitably try to become fish torpedos and shoot out of the water... netting gives them a much softer bounce back into the tank...