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DEAD_BY_DAWN
05-06-2004, 06:20 AM
i use a 5 mill glass cover over my tank but i am conserned about gas exchange and reduced light any thoughts on this .

Jason McK
05-06-2004, 06:27 AM
Your concerns are correct. It is usually recommended that covers be removed. For the same reasons you have stated.

Beverly
05-06-2004, 01:18 PM
My lights are either directly on top of the glass covers or a few inches above. I keep my covers on to prevent splashing water and condensation from ruining my lights. There is a gap at the back of each tank where gas exchange and evaporation occurs. I make sure there is a lot of water surface movement from my powerheads, so there is plenty of gas exchange. I also clean the glass weekly in the sink with tapwater when I do my water changes.

Nemain
05-06-2004, 03:26 PM
I use eggcrate - stops a lot of splashing (suprisingly), it is open
(gas exchange), I dont have to clean it, and it is light ( I can lift it off myself!)

The only reason to have glass is if you NEED it to set your lights on.

Bob I
05-06-2004, 03:46 PM
I always use glass covers to stop splashing. There is no glass cover that fits so tight as to impair gas exchange. I have not found a real great light loss when I measured it. So for those reasons it is your choice. :mrgreen:

danny zubot
05-06-2004, 03:57 PM
Hey Bob, I'm curious as to the actual specs that you mesured with and with out glass. Could you run a test for me? I'd like to know the difference between: No glass, Glass, and Glass after two weeks of sediment build up.

Thanks!

DEAD_BY_DAWN
05-06-2004, 10:19 PM
i was considering egg crate,but from what,Beverly said about her useing glass,with no problems i guess i will still use it for the near future,i do clean it every 2-3 day to wash off the salf spray and there is a 3" gap in the back for gas exchange,but my lights need to sit on it,i would like to get/make a hood but i cant make anything ,well anything that would work and havent been able to find a hood to fit ,without it costing a ton.

StirCrazy
05-06-2004, 10:44 PM
Hey Bob, I'm curious as to the actual specs that you mesured with and with out glass. Could you run a test for me? I'd like to know the difference between: No glass, Glass, and Glass after two weeks of sediment build up.

Thanks!

I put a chunk of 3/16 glass between the bulb and the sensor to see how much glass reduced the light and it went from 426.4 to 421.3

so abosulty clean glas reduced the light 1.2% but that number would increase very fast as the glass gets dirty. if you find you are getting salt spray on it I would recomend cleaning it every second day if you have critters that depend on the light.

Steve

danny zubot
05-07-2004, 02:01 PM
Cool, My next question would be where to get one og those handy meters that you use for testing light intensity\spectrum etc.

sumpfinfishe
05-07-2004, 04:35 PM
DBD,
IMO I wouldn't run a tank without a top, they protect debris and stuff from magically falling into the tank and also for keeping the jumpers under water :biggrin:
I have been using a 1/2 sheet of acrylic over my tank now for almost 7 years and things are growing great. The trick is to keep it clean, which I give it a rinse in the shower about once a week. I have three 2" holes drilled for feeding, gas exchange and also for my return lines.

Did I mention that I'm only running NO's :mrgreen:

Aquattro
05-07-2004, 04:59 PM
To offer my opinion, I wouldn't think of adding any type of cover to my tank. My canopy will keep jumpers under water (as long as it's closed) and their is no way I'm sacrificing even 2% of my expensive lighting to being filtered by the glass. Temp is easier to manage and if you're adding kalk, you'll want significant evaporation to allow the addition of enough make up water to get the kalk in your system.
In the years I've had my tank, nothing has ever fallen in. Overall, I can't think of a good reason to have glass over a tank.

danny zubot
05-07-2004, 06:00 PM
My cat would love for me to take my glass off, he had some kind of hatred for my strwberry pseudochromis. My bird also loves to sit on the ledge of my tank and given the oportunity would make a nice lunch out of anything in there. Not to mention taking a crap in my tank. I have no choice in the wild kingdom but to protect my sea.

Aquattro
05-07-2004, 06:08 PM
Canopies do wonders for that!

Don E
05-07-2004, 11:30 PM
I use glass for the simple reason that I'm very worried about water and salt getting on my lights, and salt creeping down into the working end of the lamps.