Cover over aquarium? Yes / No

[sdergar]

Just wondering about a glass cover over the display aquarium. I know on my freshwater it really helps with water evaporation. I heard a couple of people talking at the LFS and they said that a glass cover will cut down on the amount of light getting through to the tank. Does the open help with gas exchange? Do you want or need some evaporation? Not sure if the salesman was just a little too lazy to order one for the lady or if it was true.

Thanks...Steve

 

[Krypt]

A glass cover on your DT will reduce your gas exchange and in turn, cause a drop in PH. Evaporation is normal for all tanks, but in SW it is especially important to keep an eye on because as the water evaporates, the salt is left behind. Too much evaporation and the salinity level in the tank will go up. Many people (myself included) top off with fresh water daily to replace the water lost through evaporation. As for the reduction in light, yes, it can reduce the amount of light entering the tank. Glass gets dirty and can develop a film on it, so unless you clean it everyday, you'll get some light loss.

Edit: Many people use DIY covers made of plastic porous material like lighting grid or plastic mesh. This is especially useful if you want to keep adequate ventilation and keep any jumpers from carpet surfing.

 

[melosu58]

NO, As mentioned above it promotes poor gas exchange at the surface thus causing low PH. It also traps heat in your tank from lighting being transfered in to heat as it goes through the glass.

 

[WhiteDevil]

Topless is ALWAYS the way to go.

 

[mr_X]

some build a frame and staple bridal veil to it and use that as a cover, to allow for gas exchange, and prevent the above mentioned "carpet surfing".

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

All depends on how you define "cover my tank". If you're talking glass across the entire top, with no openings - then no, for the reasons already given.

If you're talking about a glass top with an opening along the back (like most 2-part tops are made), then it's OK in my opinion. It definitely reduces the amount of evaporation and doesn't really interfere with gas exchange. You will end up with salt crystals on the underside which will slightly reduce the amount of lighting getting through to your corals. But depending on what type of corals you have, and what type of lighting you have, it may not make a big difference. Depending on the size of the opening in the back though, you may need to cover that area with netting/eggcrate if you have any aggressive jumpers.

 

[Hinds04]

How does the presence of a sump equate into this? Could you completely cover if you have a sump for gas exchange?

 

[WhiteDevil]

I dont think it matters much.


I use egg crate for light fixtures to give me the insurance that carpet surfing or tile diving wont happen.

I dont have a salt but I have a planted open top injected Co2 tank and maintain the levels I need per my gh/kh and ph with an open top. egg crate is the way to go to keep the fish from thinking they can walk like us.

 

[Hinds04]

Another problem the glass takes care of is salt creep into the light fixtures

 

[mdaniel2882]

Take a look at bulkreefsupply.com. They now carry the clear screen that has been a point of discussion in this forum before 1/4 and 1/2 inch sizes. They have instructions on how to install it as well.

 

[SnowZz]

you can purchase bridal veil at your local wal mart for about $4 a square foot.

 

[thincat]

I made the fame and used the 1/4" netting. In about a year the netting started to crumble due to the heat from my lights. If I were to net it again I would us the 1/2" which would make feeding the tank allot easier.

 

[mdaniel2882]

you can purchase bridal veil at your local wal mart for about $4 a square foot.

Doesn't that stuff block a significant amount of light. sort of expensive too. It would be about $28 to cover a 5' 120.

 

[pat8you]

For the netting go to your local hardware store gardening section. They have netting for keeping animals out of your garden. It is dirt cheap and has UV inhibitors in it to keep from crumbling like thincat was talking about. It is about a 1/4" grid and it doesn't block hardly any light.

If you have a sump and a skimmer that is running all the time i wouldn't worry to much about gas exchange. Between the turbulence of flowing down to the sump and your skimmer pumping a ton of air through the water you should be fine. Glass lids will how ever trap heat in the tank as well as get dirty and block light. The only advantage i see to putting on glass tops is if you don't have a gaurd of some kind over your lights to keep the salt creep out as others have mentioned. Although wiping them down occasionally fixes this problem as well.

 

[Andrewz00]

i would imagine that unless your glass top is completely sealed... that gas exchange wouldnt be effected... (affected? effected? i dont know)

as far as the top reducing the amount of light entering the tank... i HIGHLY doubt that it has THAT MUCH of an effect... cleaning it EVERY DAY is a bit excessive. i wipe mine down maybe once a week during pwc and actually remove it and clean it MAYBE once a month? with no ill effects...

 

[SAAVE853]

I agree that the glass top sealed off is prob not a good idea! But I agree that for certain type of animals you must cover to prevent floor surfing!

IMO some of the best covering i have seen is like the screen room screen which usually has some sort of UV inhibitors. I just don't feel safe myself using the aluminum frame but you could make the frame out of acrylic or something else.

 

[Greenmaster]

This is the link to the top I made for my tank.
Cover

 

[austinsdad]

And I've got plenty of the polypropylene netting available if someone needs some. Framed my top with pvc quarter round, pvc glue, and stainless steel screws.

Check out this thread...
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f60/jumper-lid-the-answer-113094-2.html

 

[kingman8610]

On the topic of covering, I have a 10g with 1/3 sand and rest water with .6 lb of LR and 3 hermits and 1 astrea Starfish, and WF and my lighting is an old lamp (dont laugh) that I really use for heat, as it gets really really hot, and like 1/4 or a lil more of my water evaporates in about 2 weeks give or take... should I have a cover? and is it ok for me to replace water with filtered tap? thanks -Brett

 

[SAAVE853]

NO on the filtered tap!! It will make you tank grow horrible algae! Best advice is to find an LFS that sells RO water and replace with that if not just head over to walmart and buy the gal of distilled water.