open top tank?

[aquajeep]

just curious how many people run tanks with no lid.mine is completely closed on top with an open sump. i hear open top is good for more oxygen?? a friend even goes as far as running a air hose for his skimmer out side threw his window.

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

All my tanks are open top, but I'm tempted to cut glass tops for them to cut down on evaporation. The problem is that the glass will get dirty or speckled with salt spray and require more maintenance.

Anthony

[BlueAbyss]

I actually have a partially open top, though I shouldn't since I have a Purple Firefish (and they are known to be jumpers when stressed or scared). I like being able to see sort of from above, like a tidepool sort of.

[ElGuappo]

I didnt vote, because i couldnt vote for both. i normally have glass tops, but in the summer i get rid of them for a few monthes to help with the heat.

[Leah]

I have mine open and yes the evaporation is crazy, but I think it is better in the long run

[banditpowdercoat]

Both my SW tanks are open.

[md14]

Had an open top, but after losing my mystery wrasse I now have tops.

However the tops do have hundreds of small holes :)

[christyf5]

I have an enclosed canopy on my tank, no glass top though. I'm not really sure what that is classed as so I didn't vote. I've still had fish jump out of the tiniest of holes (firefish can be very determined) and inevitably they find the eurobracing as well. Mostly I think they just ricochet off various hood parts back into the tank if they're interested in jumping. Although I found my royal gramma in the overflow the other day and there was no way he fit in between the overflow teeth, he's a rather portly looking fish :razz:

[Atomikk]

There shouldn't be any options here. All reef aquariums need to be open top. You need to enable your tank to 'breathe'. By not allowing your tank to breathe, you enable the buildup of carbon dioxide in the water, making it more acid. This lowers your pH.. and hell breaks loose! :)

Now I know some people have sumps that are open top.. but that is not enough. The surface area of this is very small and will not do much in balancing your pH and oxygen levels.

[xtreme]

I use a mesh top. Helps prevent any fish from jumping yet still allows the tank to breathe.

[leducreef]

didnt vote i use eggcrate

[mark]

no glass but closed canopy (didn't want the light spilling out or glare)

[Danny]

It will depend on what fish you keep. If you keep wrasses or other known jumpers, you will at least want egg cr..

[Aquattro]

Now I know some people have sumps that are open top.. but that is not enough.

Hmm, my sump is bigger than my tank. And my skimmer injects air into the water. I think I'm ok :)
Seriously, I'd like to see an O2 content comparison between a tank with glass lids and without. I doubt you'd see a difference at all. As long as you have good flow, surface agitation and a sump that overflows from the main display, O2 would be my last concern. CO2 off gasses very readily, and temperature would play a bigger role in O2 content than glass lids.
The reason to not have glass is to maximize the light entering a reef tank.

[FaRico]

I have an open top on mine, but have found my dogs running around with 4 different clownfish in their mouth from jumpers hitting the floor within the past 6 weeks. Thinking of going to closed top.

[Mrfish55]

Both, open top on the reef and covered top on the FOWLR

[whiteangelbw]

There shouldn't be any options here. All reef aquariums need to be open top. You need to enable your tank to 'breathe'. By not allowing your tank to breathe, you enable the buildup of carbon dioxide in the water, making it more acid. This lowers your pH.. and hell breaks loose! :)

Now I know some people have sumps that are open top.. but that is not enough. The surface area of this is very small and will not do much in balancing your pH and oxygen levels.


Ok, then why do all the all in one tanks have covers and I haven't heard anything bad about these (re: being covered). I am new to reefing and am thinking about covering mine, so I am just wondering.

[intarsiabox]

I had egg crate on top of my 20g and didn't like how the tank looked with it on under the metal halide, the tank is noticable brighter with it off and it didn't have a checker board reflection. A couple of months ago I put a glass lid that covers about 80% of the top just some room at the back for my HOB skimmer and filter. I have observed no difference in coral growth or colors and much less evaporation. I am also running T5HO's now to prevent over heating. I do have to clean the glass every week however to prevent build-up on the glass. So I think it is more of a maintenance issue and fish protection but a top could also trap heat if using MH IMO as evaporation is a major tank cooling factor.

[aquajeep]

awsome response! well i like the mesh idea.im gona do a half mesh at the back as my halides are bringing up the temp in the summer and they need the glass so they dont get splashed. ill have to do the same for my moms tank as she has temp problems in the summer and found out the hard way that jaw fish jump.kitty liked the fishy treat though.lol:twised:

[whiteangelbw]

Thanks for your input, glad to hear from someone who is doing it. I will be going the glass way. :biggrin:

[gasmonkey]

ditto to the mesh top, ive got an open plastic grid top to keep fish from jumping out