Lid or no Lid

[rockfanmidsouth]

Morning everyone

Have a 72g bowfront tank with a ceiling mounted T5 light kit. I took the glass lid off the tank because I found that the coral seemed to open up and do a bit better without the light being blocked by the glass. Also the glass would get alot of build up prior to each weekly water change.. Well, I lost a sand sifter the very first day I brought him home. He jumped right out. I decided ok, no more of those and no pretty fire fish gobies or anything that resembles them because they are jumpers also. I thought I was safe. I bought a red side fairy wrasse about a week or so ago and after hiding for a day or two he came out and joined the rest of my group. He was doing FINE - eating well and getting along with the others. I didn't see him at feeding time yesterday, nor this morning. I am looking EVERYWHERE, mumbling, crawling around peeking behind the tank, flashlighting the rocks to see if he is holed up hiding - Hubby comes in and I explain that he is missing and I say "I don't think they are jumpers" He sighes and says "Yeah apparently they are hon"... I look over and there he is - a good 3 or 4 feet from the tank, crispy....... WHAT TO DO????????????? :headwally: The glass lid seems to interfere with the light so I really don't want to go back to that. Is there a light weight, stiff screen that I could customize to fit it? I tried using window screen and the weight of the condensation would cause it to sag and eventually droop into the water. I am so sad over the wrasse, he was really cool.... :headwallblue: any ideas would be appreciated.. Thanks

 

[jabo]

Double and triple check you temp, salinity, etc. I have had a rimless cube for a while now and only a few jumpers. I did come home a while back and found my wrasse in the lab puppies mouth. Must have caught it in time because I put him back in the tank and he is still with us.

 

[OneReef]

Some people use bird netting stapled onto a wood frame the shape of you tank rim. Some people use egg crate, otherwise known as light diffuser that you can get at Lowes. Glass lids block light, build up heat in the water, and get dirty as you have stated.

 

[rockfanmidsouth]

Thanks Jabo- just had everything tested at Memfish everything all was perfect -The temp sits at 78.1 ( I have read different reviews on the best temp, what do you keep your tank set on?) All my other fish are doing great - I know my blue side was chasing him some when I first added him, but I thought they had worked it out. Maybe he felt threatened and took a header?

 

[coondog]

I have owned 72 gallon bow front for around 9 years. It is set up now with green bird wrasse and dusky wrasse for time being until I can get my larger tank set up. I use a light diffuser grid from local hardware stores cut with a pair of wire cutters to fit. Works great. You can occasionally see them hit it when I feed but it doesnt move. Its the kind that has white squares they run around $10 and you only need one for your tank.

 

[rockfanmidsouth]

Some people use bird netting stapled onto a wood frame the shape of you tank rim. Some people use egg crate, otherwise known as light diffuser that you can get at Lowes. Glass lids block light, build up heat in the water, and get dirty as you have stated.

Thanks Jay - I am headed out to Lowes in a bit to see what I can find - If I had a square or rectangle tank it would be a bit easier - lol Framing one for a bowfront is a bit challenging. Just added it to the hubbys honey-do list. LOL -

 

[rockfanmidsouth]

I have owned 72 gallon bow front for around 9 years. It is set up now with green bird wrasse and dusky wrasse for time being until I can get my larger tank set up. I use a light diffuser grid from local hardware stores cut with a pair of wire cutters to fit. Works great. You can occasionally see them hit it when I feed but it doesnt move. Its the kind that has white squares they run around $10 and you only need one for your tank.

Awesome! thanks. Ya'll are so much help I don't want to lose anyone else. Maybe I will try the sand sifter again after I get the grid in place -

 

[coondog]

You can find them in the acoustical ceiling tile section there.

 

[catfish]

Look at brs. They have the eggcrate cheaper thn my lowed does.

 

[Breadman03]

Double and triple check you temp, salinity, etc. I have had a rimless cube for a while now and only a few jumpers. I did come home a while back and found my wrasse in the lab puppies mouth. Must have caught it in time because I put him back in the tank and he is still with us.

Maybe he told the other fish what is on the other side of the glass.

 

[dzones]

Here is something you might want to try. You will not lose as much light as even the white eggcrate from lowes. pretty cheap as well:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2123926&highlight=mesh

 

[rockfanmidsouth]

Cool thanks - we got side tracked by the nice weather and hopped on the bike - I will get to lowes or home depot after the bloody Marys ;-)

 

[rockfanmidsouth]

Got a sheet of the white egg crate, Hubby cut it to fit and its MAGNIFICENT! Lights getting in and no fish are getting out! lol - Thanks for the tips

 

[sea witch1]

great topic.

 

[sea witch1]

Great topic! I have wondered for quite a while if my glass lids block the light from getting to coral. Never thought about the heat aspect.

 

[mgrmax]

In my former life I was a contractor and used to install difusers. Wire cutters work great. Sometimes there will be a bit of an edge left on the row you are cutting. We used a utility knife to knock it off. Just dont cut them on the living room carpet, the little plastic pieces sometimes go flying!