Glass Top VS Egg Crate Top

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Spazz67

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Sep 1, 2008
Messages
93
Location
Kentucky
Which is better for a SW system? We're thinking of replacing our glass top with an egg crate top is this a good idea or bad? Also among the items we brought, there were copper based ich meds, dried live rock and dead coral (not very much of each) that may or may not have been treated with this. Toss or keep.
 
As far as the tops the eggcrate is better as it allows for good gas exchange at the surface which helps your PH to be where it needs to be and remain stable. Also aeration of your tank is done at the surface through surface aggitation. If you have a glass cover there it hinders the aeration process.
As far as the copper meds and rock. If the rock has been exposed to the copper medicine I would toss it. If it has and you put it in your main then it will leach out and kill your inverts and possibly your corals. If you do keep the copper medicine always only use it in a QT. NEVER in your main tank.
 
Melosu58 got it all, but I would opt for hyposalinty in QT and dump the copper altogher. It's very hard to be keep the levels in the right range and not kill the fish.
 
So will the egg crate block out any of the light? Seems to me it would..
 
yes egg crate that you buy at the store is sold as a diffuser AFAIK, so thats its purpose. I'm not into SW so I'm not sure whats the best setup
 
Ok, we've decided to go with egg crate on the front of the hood and leave the glass under the lighting. We'll post a picture when we finish it.
 
there are two sides to egggcrate, one side is thicker than the other. the thicker side is placedup towards the light, it will help by focusing the light into the tank. the lost of light is marginal at best this was written about a few years ago in fama and is agood idea for most setups but mh. keeps fish in and heat down
 
why is it not good for MH? i have mh and eggcrate...but didnt know it may not be a good idea
 
Egg crate is a good idea. It allows proper lighting through and keeps fish in the tank.
 
there are two sides to egggcrate, one side is thicker than the other. the thicker side is placedup towards the light, it will help by focusing the light into the tank. the lost of light is marginal at best this was written about a few years ago in fama and is agood idea for most setups but mh. keeps fish in and heat down

I understand and thanks... I was asking because of this quote that said it was a good idea for all by "mh".
 
It's probably referring to the heat possibly melting the egg crate. If you have the MHs up high enough, I doubt you'll have issues. If you can't get them higher, try running a fan across the tank.
 
this may be a stupid question but when people say eggcrate what exactly do they mean im kinda at a lose to what exactly they mean
 
type "plastic egg crate pics" in google and you will see some pics of it, its just plastic with square holes in it
 
It's the platic grating used on flourescent lights in commercial buildings. You can pick it up in Home Depot, Lowes, etc.
 
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