Rimless tanks, Pros/Cons?

[Chavito]

Got a 57 gallon rimless. Love how it looks. Only drawback I can think of are jumping fish.

 

[Whisperer]

Pros: Looks great
Cons: Most fish jump so figuring out a cover is paramount.
The amount of evaporation is crazy.

Rimmed tanks evaporation is less...realy?

 

[LinkinReef]

I've had a couple rimless, and they look great but I agree splashing is an issue even just cleaning glass, snails do escape.
You can still do a screen cover to keep from having jumpers, and if you fit it inside the perimeter w/ clear clips(the same ones that hold glass lids) you can still pretty much achieve the rimless look.
I'm back to euro now myself, and prefer that.

Do you have any links to achieve that screen top on a rimless? I have screens on my rimmed tank but i want to go rimless and this might help a lot. :hmm5:

 

[SecretiveFish]

FWIW, the rimless tank had the most evaporation in the house by far. I am guessing it had to do with the shape of the tank because it was shaped such that it had a lot of surface area, with the sump being uncovered, and with the way the returns shot water along the glass edge agitating the surface aerating some of the water. My rimmed tanks have dimensions such that there is less surface area hence less evaporation. Rimmed tanks are easier to put a lid on which helps cut down evaporation too.

 

[davocean]

Do you have any links to achieve that screen top on a rimless? I have screens on my rimmed tank but i want to go rimless and this might help a lot. :hmm5:

Yeah, if you look on the sides you'll see the clear clips, I used the ones that came w/ my Solana that would have been used for the glass top.
If you fit inside perimeter, the vinyl frame appears to be an extension of the black silicone, and you don't really notice the the net top.

 

[SaltieG]

I love my 57 rimless.Its much sharper looking then my other rimmed tanks, but I have to say there is A LOT of evaporation. Maybe im losing my mind and it has nothing to do with whether there is a rim or not but I go through some serious water. They are more difficult to keep clean also. It doesn't take long before you see the water lines as water evaporates and then you get dried up salt on the glass at the very top where there is no water and that looks grungy if not wiped off regularly. Atleast with a rimmed tank you can hide that. Like I said though, when all cleaned up they are much more asthetically pleasing.

 

[muffe]

Go with a canopy and then the choice is moot.

 

[NatureNerd]

Rimless tanks are beautiful but consider closely the location in your house. If you don't want the light spraying out into the room where your tank is located, then a canopy would be best and hence a rimmed tank.

As far as jumpers go, there are several solutions for both rimmed and rimless. The clips really aren't bad looking on a rimless tank but one could argue it sort of defeats the whole clean look.

 

[excitedforfish]

I owned a 57 g illuminata rimless tank and sold it. WAY TOO MUCH WORK!!

Jumping fish, escaping snails, insane evaporation. I even bought the tank glass top for it too but it ended up looking gross from the salt evaporation. Beautiful looking tank, but be prepared for the work. Also, the sheer thought of all that water being held together ONLY by silicone scared the heck out of me.

I downsized to a 29g biocube. I will definitely miss the space, but not the work.

 

[bunzaroo]

I personally love the look of a rimless tank. This is my 45X27X20. As others have mentioned there are PROS and Cons. But to me, the PROS outweigh the cons:

PROS - Sleek look, Open top makes it easier to work in the tank. I go though about 7 gallons per week of Top-off, less than my 72 bowfront with full canopy. Of course the LEDS help temp is always a steady 77-78. My tank was designed to have the water line 2 inches from the top of the glass, so when I do use the cleaner it really doesn't create a mess outside the tank, unless you go really fast. I have not noticed any salt creep on my setup...

Cons - To me the biggest con is the innability to keep fish that are considered jumpers, wrasses, etc.. without putting a mesh cover. That would deafeat the purpose of the look if you ask me. I have had a couple of ceriths crawl to the top of the glass, no biggie to me...