Are You Topless???

precisionmike

New member
Hello again all! Sorry Austin and I havent been around, but my business keeps me VERY busy in the summer months. We will be around now that we are going into the fall.
I was just wondering how many of you have a glass top on your tanks? We don't but wonder if we should. Thanks again to all, and we look forward to seeing you at the meetings. Mike and Austin.
 
No glass here.

Traps heat; needs frequent cleaning; blocks light; have to remove it eveytime I need to get in there (which is usually more than I like to).

Could help if you have fish that like to jump.
 
I have a glass top that I'm using on my 39 gal. I had a flasher wrasse jump on me about a month ago, I got a beautiful 4-line wrasse to replace it. Since I got the new wrasse I have been using the top. *knock on wood* I havent had another jumper as of yet, there is still areas they could jump but havent... The glass top also helps keep out the extra heat of the MH being on during the day, by 1-2 degrees, in my tank. It helps with evaporation too, seems to keep it to a minimum. The only downfall is the glass has to be cleaned every couple days, so it doesnt start filtering out the light. I have alot of bubbles popping at the surface from my fuge return so the glass gets alot of salt splatter built up after a couple days.
I hope I didn't just jinx myself about the jumpers, lol
Dan
 
I have noticed alot of people say they trap heat in. I find it actually seems to deflect the heat. The glass top I have doesn't completely cover the whole top. The back where all my piping comes into the tank is still open, and allows any heat to escape. With no top my tank temps will jump from 77.7, which its stays at all night, to 80-81 during mid-day. With the glass on the tank goes no higher than 79.2-79.3 during mid-day and still stays at 77.7 all night. It may also depend on your setup and wether you have a canopy or not.:confused:
I love the topless look, dont get me wrong, but I HATE the look of a dried up fish on your hard wood floor, that you just stepped on and smashed cause you didnt know it was there. Yeah its pretty gross lookin:p
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8135551#post8135551 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by WinkeyWoneye
It may also depend on your setup and wether you have a canopy or not.:confused:
Agreed.

My diy canopy is enclosed except for in the back; I have two computer fans blowing across the surface to aid in evaporation cooling. Without them (along with surface disruption), the 700W of lighting over my 65g would cause the temp to skyrocket!
 
Topless, one other very important factor is gas exchange. A topless tank allows for better gas exchange, weather that gas is oxygen, co2 or nitrogen, the gas will have a varying effect on your tank. A topless tank also allows for more evaporation. This is important if you are using kalk for make up. More evap, the more addation of kalk. This can help feed a higher ca, alk demand, it will drop less quickly. As TA says evap also helps in cooling.

If you are worried about jumping fish you can always put egg crate over your tank.
 
second Jaze's comments - topless, for sure, and agree with gas exchange problems. Add to that something little like 'reducing the amount of UV and PAr your lights give through the glass, I'd say topless is a must!

Try lining the outside top of your tank with the grids which you can by for dropped ceiling lights to prevent your fish from escaping, or, buy fish who are happy in your tank :)
 
second Jaze's comments - topless, for sure, and agree with gas exchange problems. Add to that something little like 'reducing the amount of UV and PAr your lights give through the glass, I'd say topless is a must!

Try lining the outside top of your tank with the grids which you can by for dropped ceiling lights to prevent your fish from escaping, or, buy fish who are happy in your tank :)
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8136002#post8136002 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Rainer Feyer

Try lining the outside top of your tank with the grids which you can by for dropped ceiling lights to prevent your fish from escaping, or, buy fish who are happy in your tank :)

Thats what I meant by egg crate, great minds think alike :D
 
here is the thing... a top also prevents floating particles from getting INTO your water also. If you have an unshielded lightsource, you also stand the chance of a splash destroying your bulbs, or salt spray/ creep from getting into your electrical stuff and cauzing a fire. My tank is open durringthe summer, and has a glas top that covers 75 % of it in the winter to conserve heat. My lights have a built in UV / splashguard , so It is safe for me to run my tank open. You should use extreme caution when running an open top tank.
 
I have mine topless !

interesting points both ways none the less though, but my vote is to keep em topless :D
 
Totally Topless! :cool: Use to have glass covers. NO more. With the added Evap i can dose kalk and add freshwater to the system. Better gas exchange. More oxygen.
 
If you are running a sump, it totaly de-bunks all your notions about cooling and evaporation.

Juts de fects der mang ;)
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8141446#post8141446 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dave ESPI
If you are running a sump, it totaly de-bunks all your notions about cooling and evaporation.

Juts de fects der mang ;)

How do you figure? Amount of evap. is due to surface area avaible, amount of air blowing across the water and water temp/air temp/humidity level. Surface area for water to freely evap is greatly increased when when there is no top on a tank. Two tanks to evaporate from, and most peoples tanks are bigger than their sumps, so how could it not increase it? Also air blowing across a bigger surface will also increase evap. rate. Isn't this just basic science?
 
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