glass top for 55g ok ?

[Mghslowell]

ok i have had my 55g reef tank for about 4 years and it has a 4 section glass hood . i have my 265watt jbj pc about 4 inches over it on legs.


is it better to have the glass top on or off?

 

[Biggen]

Take the top off. This will improve gas exchange from the tank and will also keep temps down as well.

 

[Guest]

Just make sure that while the glass is off you watch your light fixture.. Salt creep can do some damage if you don't keep up with it..

 

[melosu58]

I agree keep them off for reasons stated above

 

[Mghslowell]

the bj lighting has a protective plastic cover that keeps teh elements away from the lights itself which it seems is loosiing its intensity time to change em

 

[AMANIQU77]

I used to have an open top 55G reef.

Then, people in the forum suggested to get glass tops on so that (a) no bad stuff lands in the tank's surface, (b) help keep the temps from jumping too high, (c) helps prevent too fast evaporation which causes fluctuations in SG prior and after a top off, and (d) it prevents salt creap from going places (like fan inlet of my CUSA Orbi 4x65w fixture).

So far, my temps stay between 78F at night and 80F when the daylights plus actinics are on. It's been a couple of months since I purchased the "flippable" glass tops. The corals are doing really well. Top offs have been much less than before. And salt creap has been reduced greatly.

I have powerheads all over the place in the tank. 400GPH Aquaclear with quickfilter attachment pointing towards the surface which aids in surface agitation, 175 GPH Aquaclear with oscilating wave maker, and 270 GPH Aquaclear pointing towards LR rock-work to prevent settling of detrius and keep dead spots from happening.

I think I have a good amount of water movement which increases the possibility of gas exchange.

Wouldn't glass tops be OK as long as you have ample water circulation and movement?

 

[melosu58]

IMO,No. Just see too many people with them and PH problems.

 

[mrcrazypants05]

What if someone had an open sump and then a glass top on the main? Sorry if this is a hijack, but right now i've got eggcrate on my tank and i think i should be fine. Im not going to be stocking any real big carpet surfers. Not sure if the sixline wrasses are big jumpers...

 

[DragonForce]

What if someone had an open sump and then a glass top on the main? Sorry if this is a hijack, but right now i've got eggcrate on my tank and i think i should be fine. Im not going to be stocking any real big carpet surfers. Not sure if the sixline wrasses are big jumpers...

This is a very interesting point. My first reaction would be to say that it would be fine since the sump is open. I think I would be a little bothered that my lights would not be penetrating as much.

 

[mrcrazypants05]

well my eggcrate diffuses it some anyway... I likely will keep the eggcrate on it.

 

[AMANIQU77]

IMO,No. Just see too many people with them and PH problems.

Please elaborate.

 

[jasno999]

I think if you have a sump that is open then use a glass top on the main tank. This way you reduce evaporation. If you have both your evaporation rate per day is goign to be extreame.

People say glass tops reduce lighting into the tank. I agree but I don't knwo if anybody sientificlly knows to what degree lighting is affected.

So if you are only doing corals that are low to med-high intensity then use the glass top- if you have a open sump. If oyu are doign somehitng that is high intensity and needs all the light it can get or you don;'t have a sump then keep the top open.

Just my 2 cents you can take it or leave it I am nto the expert.

 

[AMANIQU77]

How about if you have low to med intensity requirements (shrooms, polyps, etc) and you don't have a sump?

When you said "if you have both your evaporation rate per day is going to be extreme", did you mean if both sump and tank doesn't have glass top that the evaporation will be extreme? I am only looking at what you said in the context that glass tops prevent evaporations. So for evaporation to become extreme, you probably meant "if there's no glass top period", perhaps?

Melosu, what do you mean by too many people with glass tops ended up with pH problems. In what way?

Sorry, I am still learning the pros and cons and, so far, I don't see the cons in my water parameters. As a matter of fact, my SG, kH, and temp has been very stable with the glass top.

 

[lando]

I suggest going topless for all of the reasons listed above. Evaporation is a bit more of an issue, but no big deal. I top off 2-3gals every other day on my 72gal reef. Evaporation is not really a bad thing. Bottom line...its a personal decision. "If it an't broke, don't fix it."

 

[melosu58]

The reason I was saying to go topless is for two reasons. 1) Poor gas exchange causes lower PH. Many times people will come on this site and have low PH and when you finally get down to it , they have glass tops which as I said allows for poor gas exchange,thus lowering your PH. 2) Heating problems. Not only will glass tops keep in the water from evaporation but will also keep in the heat. There is more water surface in your main then in your sump. These are brief reasons why I suggest no tops.

 

[davebailey46]

I do use a glass top mind you I do have a custom open sump. I havent seen any temp problems or PH issues so far. 6 months and counting...I do keep an eye on it and if any signs of trouble off they come...
The only reason I did it was to slow down my evaporation issues...

 

[melosu58]

Well then I say as Lando said. If it ain`t broke dont fix it. Have a good day

 

[AMANIQU77]

OK, well, does the "If it ain't broke don't fix it" apply on a glass top guy like me to?

I've had the glass top for give or take 8 months now. My pH is stable at 8.1, SG stable at 1.026, Calcium stable at 420, kH stable at 352, Nitrates at 0ppms, Phosphates at 0.

 

[AMANIQU77]

And here's some more.

Glass top:

The one I have is the left one (not round edges), I don't use the plastic extender so there is about 2 inches or so of opening. I have more than 1000 gph of circulation in total.

 

[AMANIQU77]

Oh, and in terms of heating problems, I used the heater provided in the 55G Topfin kit. I also have a 29G Topfin kit with a smaller heater.

So I removed the heater supplied in the 55G topfin kit. I replaced it with the heater from my 29G Topfin kit. Much smaller. My temp is always between 78F to 80F. I have thermometers on each side of my 4-ft tank.

I am happy to say that I have a successful reef starter setup with PC lighting, cheap HOB filters, and an All-Glass glass top. I learned something in this hobby and that is to K.I.S.S. so that you don't have to deal with so much fluctuations.

I actually used to have much more problems with my water with the top open, for some reason. But when I placed the glass on, increased my powerheads, bought more testers and monitored my water over the course of a few months, I actually learned that my water has been very stable. The heat is much more stable as well. I actually have a feeling based on experience that the glass top does not cause a green house effect.

Good luck to you all. Don't worry about my setup. I must just be a lucky one who has a less-than-$700 setup (total equipment and tank) with a glass top.

Lights = $260
Topfin Tank kit = $225
Prizm Skimmer = $60
Extra Whisper HOB = $30
Three powerheads = $70
Powercenter Timer = $20
All Glass Top = $30

I'm just lucky I guess. Don't try the glass top at home!