Cover for nano tank

[Steve-O-]

Man i can't stop making posts hehe, well here is today's thing i have my 10g nano open topped due to i have my MH 150 over it hanging. Ok lol now here is the thing why i need a cover.
I had a black and white damsel (( i didn't know they jumped )) when i woke up in the morning and looked in the tank he was gone." hmmm" i said "where the hell is he". I scanned the rocks and sand he wasn't anywhere to be found, then i looked around the tank still not there.
So i was like "oh well" i went to grab my cheap sal meter and guess who was dead inside lol talk about shot of a lifetime my god.........

So should i get some acylic and make a top with holes in the middle?? or is it back to cover small tanks since i can't have a hood due to my lights.

BTW sorry about my messy writing hehe not to good at it.

[macky]

I cover my 10 nano with a piece of 1/8" glass. I had it custom cut with edges smoothed for less than $10.

[TheMikey]

The only issues with covering the tops of tanks completely, especially as small as a nano, is that proper gas exchange in order to replenish oxygen that your inhabitants use. You can hop over and see Alfredshouse's tragedy due to a lack of oxygen... made me think twice about covering my tank, that's for sure. You should also think about the temperature rise in keeping a covered tank as small as 10g as well as a 150W MH. Your water is going to get HOT. Forget about jumpers, you'll be boiling your inhabitants alive :(

[Steve-O-]

ya i thought of that its why i didn't want to cover it. I think im just gonna make a bigger lip around the tank i hope that will stop some deaths.

[mike31154]

There are alternatives to covering with glass. I've seen posts showing covers made of eggrate as well as other types of mesh material. This will allow gas exchange and minimize heat issues at the cost of a slight loss of light effectivity, but even glass will diminish the amount of light getting into your tank. This is where your smaller tank may actually be a blessing in that light loss should not be a huge issue with your 150MH.

No absolute guarantee against jumpers with eggcrate either though. I've also read posts about smaller specimens somehow finding an opening through the eggcrate/mesh to go carpet surfing. Your damsel managed to hit a pretty small target as well, it seems. My tank is open and I'll keep it that way. I used to lay some acrylic pieces along the edge, but it became a chore to keep them clean and with insufficient bracing, the thin acrylic would warp and bow. So far I've had one casualty due to carpet surfing, a lawnmower blenny.

[MCC]

what you just experienced was sheer bad luck...just make sure you don't get firefish, even though i read many times people still can keep them with open top..

not many fish jump at all.... and if they did jump it might be a reason to it....

I wouldn't bother covering up your tank due to one small dumb damsel... risking your tank over boiling!

[Steve-O-]

what you just experienced was sheer bad luck...just make sure you don't get firefish, even though i read many times people still can keep them with open top..

not many fish jump at all.... and if they did jump it might be a reason to it....

I wouldn't bother covering up your tank due to one small dumb damsel... risking your tank over boiling!

HAHAH ya but you should of seen his jump it was amazing from the tank into a tiny ass hole in the sal meter hahahaha i mean 4 bucks down the drain not a big deal i was thinking of the future. I remember the last day before i took my 75g down my 6line wrasse jumped i found him dead behind the tank. My clown goby vanished and my fire fish did a jump onto the carpet thanks for all the info guys