Tops or No Tops?

[fishytime]

I like topless

[danny zubot]

I voted topless. I had a glass top crack once due to heat from my halides. While this is not the norm, in my case the lights may have been too close to the glass, and it eventually gave way. All of the other reasons listed above are very valid.

[no_bs]

I go topless on the main, tops on the sump and frag tanks. After putting tops on thoes tanks, evaporation was almost cut in half. Wish there was one more option.

[ponokareefer]

I have a top, but it fits overtop of my lights, and is a fabric with a lot of really small holes that I have stapled to my "open" canopy. It keeps fish in, but still provides air flow. Aquarium Illusions makes the "open" canopy, you just have to find the fabric to staple to it.

[Leah]

Originally Posted by fishytime

I like topless

Is that not what tank maintenance is for, Doug.

I would be as well but I have so many tanks running it was suggested to me to cover up.

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

My main tank (210g mixed reef) is the only topless tank in my place. Once I added glass hinged tops on the other tanks (6 others), evaporation dropped to 20-25%. I used to top up my fw planted every 2 or 3 days, now once a week at the most. My fowlr & ex-seahorse tank is hooked up to a auto-topoff & now the same amount of water will last 3 times longer.

Light is diminished alot with glass tops, especially if you don't clean them constantly.

Thats why my main reef is left topless.