Open Tank vs Lids

[Valentini89]

So I've never had an open top tank, the idea kinda scares me. Lol makes me afraid of fish jumping out because I know some can. What do you recommend for my next tank? I will either be using MH/T5s or LEDs over the tank, haven't decided as both options I've narrowed it down to cost the same.

[Ztous]

If you have an open lid eventually fish will jump.

[Floyd79]

Get a mesh lid to prevent jumpers. They are easy to make.

Lids can create gas exchange issues and temp control issues.

[ca1ore]

Right, make a screen top.

[Valentini89]

Right, make a screen top.

Make a frame, staple the screen on top, then attach another frame on top? Would that work?

[davocean]

Screen nets keep jumpers in and allow gas exchange as well as helping the tank stay cooler, which is important especially now during Summer for most of us, if you are in a warm area, it can make all the difference between needing a chiller or not.

[smatter]

I think they look like total $*!t and completely ruin the aesthetic of rimless tanks. I recently received one that I was owed as part of a deal from a high end lid maker. While it is nice and well made as far as lids go, I find it very distracting. The thing is clear and the whole thing glows under the lights. It was on the tank for about five minutes.

In thirty years I can only think of two fish that have jumped out of my tanks and both of them were because of rookie moves on my part.

[JTL]

^^ Totally agree.

[BPReefer]

My tank is currently lidless. Temp control is no problem even here in southern Arizona. With AC and a ceiling fan that stays on in the living room my tank never creeps up in temp even with outside temps in the 105+ range. My ATO works overtime though. Evaporation is tremendous in my area.

[GimpyFin]

Make a frame, staple the screen on top, then attach another frame on top? Would that work?


Unless you buy one of the fancy custom made ones, it's typically done with a window screen kit from Home Depot/Lowes, and then some 1/4" clear netting/mesh. Regular window screen should be avoided as it filters too much light.

[Mishri]

i think the air exchange benefits of being lidless is overstated.. I've always ran lids on all of my tanks.. and I'm always drawn to fish that are known to jump ;)

I do a lot of work in my house and I'm sure saw dust and other things(cat hair) I don't want in the tank would end up in there if I didn't keep it covered with glass lids.

[ca1ore]

I think they look like total $*!t and completely ruin the aesthetic of rimless tanks.

OP didn't say tank was rimless (though I agree with your general sentiment). Bowfront tanks are also difficult to make screens for.

[dorkymk3]

I have a rimless tank and had to get a lid made just to keep my toddler from getting his hands in the water.

[Rene Obergfell]

Rimless !

Looks great as rimless and no top... nets over the top lol messy. Kills what ya pay for in a rimless

[SalinFL]

I've had an IM 40 set up for two years. It came with a screen lid but, to be honest it still has the packing plastic on it.

[smatter]

i think the air exchange benefits of being lidless is overstated.. I've always ran lids on all of my tanks.. and I'm always drawn to fish that are known to jump ;)

I do a lot of work in my house and I'm sure saw dust and other things(cat hair) I don't want in the tank would end up in there if I didn't keep it covered with glass lids.

I agree with you on gas exchange and I like glass tops on rimmed tanks, it's the screen ones on rimless tanks that I don't care for. Maybe if they were black and didn't transmit light.

[thegrun]

Going without a net is virtually going to guarantee that you will lose fish to jumping. Nearly all fish have the ability to jump out of a tank and will on occasion. I personally have a hard time advocating not covering a tank; I agree a cover diminishes the ascetics of the tank, but for me responsible care for the animals we keep necessitates a screen.

[JTL]

Maybe I have been lucky but I have been in the hobby off and on since 1985 and I could count on one hand the number of fish suicides I have had and it was my own fault trying to keep known jumpers. Having said that if the fish you really love and want is on the jumper list, by all means get a lid. My new tank that is still sitting in the garage has very nice glass panels for the top....they will never get used.

[smatter]

It is an irrational fear but if one feels more comfortable covering by all means do.

[brett559]

I would think if you had a skimmer making all those bubbles, you'd have more than enough oxygen exchange.

I like the rimless look, but I have had fish jump. Some I've been able to scoop up and put back in, some I wasn't around. I have the BRS net/mesh top and I think it looks good.

Call me old fashioned, but I still like the look of a nice canopy that hides the water line, lights, etc.

I wonder if the move toward the more industrial look - i.e. no closed canopies, has been a concerted effort from the Kessil and EcoTech people. Showcase the lights rather than hide them...

[billdogg]

Going without a net is virtually going to guarantee that you will lose fish to jumping. Nearly all fish have the ability to jump out of a tank and will on occasion. I personally have a hard time advocating not covering a tank; I agree a cover diminishes the ascetics of the tank, but for me responsible care for the animals we keep necessitates a screen.


^^^This^^^

Any and ALL fish can jump (or just slither out like my eel liked to) A simple, inexpensive, and very effective screen top prevents this from happening. The only tank I don't have a top on is my frag tank. If the frags can figure out how to jump I'll rethink that one. Otherwise, screen tops it is.

[brett559]

Going without a net is virtually going to guarantee that you will lose fish to jumping. Nearly all fish have the ability to jump out of a tank and will on occasion. I personally have a hard time advocating not covering a tank; I agree a cover diminishes the ascetics of the tank, but for me responsible care for the animals we keep necessitates a screen.

Agree. I've had fish jump that aren't known jumpers.

[smatter]

I would think if you had a skimmer making all those bubbles, you'd have more than enough oxygen exchange.

I like the rimless look, but I have had fish jump. Some I've been able to scoop up and put back in, some I wasn't around. I have the BRS net/mesh top and I think it looks good.

Call me old fashioned, but I still like the look of a nice canopy that hides the water line, lights, etc.

I wonder if the move toward the more industrial look - i.e. no closed canopies, has been a concerted effort from the Kessil and EcoTech people. Showcase the lights rather than hide them...

I'm with you on the old fashioned part. I like the lights in a canopy so they don't shine in my eyes and keeping the water line clean is a PITA.

[RiversideGator]

I have a glass top lid with up to a 2" gap in the back in some places. I have lost a Mystery Wrasee, Diamond Goby and a Flame Hawk to carpet surfing. I don't have a sump so I hang-on-the-tank equipment that minimizes that gap. It sucks to lose fish to carpet surfing!

[wildman926]

i think the air exchange benefits of being lidless is overstated.. I've always ran lids on all of my tanks.

I do a lot of work in my house and I'm sure saw dust and other things(cat hair) I don't want in the tank would end up in there if I didn't keep it covered with glass lids.

Going without a net is virtually going to guarantee that you will lose fish to jumping. Nearly all fish have the ability to jump out of a tank and will on occasion. I personally have a hard time advocating not covering a tank

x2 here. I have always ran glass lids for this very reason. The top is not TOTALLY sealed off, so there is gas exchange within the tank itself. A skimmer is definitely going to help with that.

What I clean off my glass lids, I definitely wouldn't want in my tank.

[35galSaltwater]

I had no lid for one or two years, 2 fish jumped, salt content went high because of evaporation. Finally I found a company that makes lids. If you want I can dig through my old emails, may still find the name. It wasn't very expensive I think.

[JTL]

I had no lid for one or two years, 2 fish jumped, salt content went high because of evaporation. Finally I found a company that makes lids. If you want I can dig through my old emails, may still find the name. It wasn't very expensive I think.

The evap should be controlled by an ATO.

[Dominat0r]

I would run lidless if I did not have 2 genius cats that want to go fishing....

[Sounds Fishy]

I have an open top with a cover made from those plastic grids they use on ceiling lights.People use them a lot raising frags too( very versatile material,easy to cut). I have 3 cut,that ,fits perfectly on of my aquarium . Very cheap too. It is much easier to maintain the correct temperature,if the top is open(compared to glass).Unfortunately,I had a cleaner wrasse jump out,as soon as I took the cover off one night,and I didn't notice,till the next day....

[ReefCowboy]

I have clows, tangs, chromis,hawkfish. Open top for 4 years, no jumpers.
I guess ive been playing with my chances. There are sweet acrylic lids now, plan on doing many anthias, and those jump like crazy

[mrdss]

There are ONLY there options here people.

1. Tank with Lids
2. Tank with no lid
3. GHETTO TANK LOOK

[sdbc]

Ditto to Sounds Fishy, egg crate, which can be painted. Same wrasse story too. I had a flasher wrasse that jumped while I had the lid off to clean the tank. Gone for 5 minutes to get the saltwater and he was out.

[Diana A]

I have an open top with a cover made from those plastic grids they use on ceiling lights.People use them a lot raising frags too( very versatile material,easy to cut). I have 3 cut,that ,fits perfectly on of my aquarium . Very cheap too. It is much easier to maintain the correct temperature,if the top is open(compared to glass).Unfortunately,I had a cleaner wrasse jump out,as soon as I took the cover off one night,and I didn't notice,till the next day....

Light grids cause shadows and light lose

[smatter]

Light grids cause shadows and light lose

I was surprised how much light and shimmer I lost from a very thin polycarbonate and clear mesh lid. Eggcrate is much worse. There's a reason it's called eggcrate diffuser.

[wildman926]

It is much easier to maintain the correct temperature,if the top is open(compared to glass).

Interesting.....I have the exact opposite. My home is a/c controlled, and I do not use a chiller or heaters, but my temps are stable.

[Sounds Fishy]

Interesting.....I have the exact opposite. My home is a/c controlled, and I do not use a chiller or heaters, but my temps are stable.

I have a built in the wall aquarium (260gallons total)with a fish room.With the open top there is a concern about humidity in that room in the summer,and I run a dehumidifier in the room with a few fans around the aquarium surface.I don't have central A/C,but have a portable A/C ,that vents hot air outside.I also have a small chiller,for when it is 90 to 100 outside.I have no problem with this set up,staying at 78 degrees,except for the cost of hydro.In my own experience,I am having an easier time keeping my temperature at a good temperature,with it set up like this,in the summer,than if I kept glass tops on it(it use to be a challenge staying below 84 ,during the summer with the glass tops on the aquarium).
I agree with the downside to egg rate,it does diffuse light and creates shadows,however since I only have two fish and 2 inverts,no coral,I don't mind.
The upside to glass tops is ,if your cat jumps onto your aquarium,it will likely not crash through.The same cannot be said for eggcrate

[artieg]

I highly recommend this company, which makes custom acrylic and mesh tops for open top tanks. http://artfullyacrylic.3dcartstores.com/ClearView-Lids_c_52.html

I tried the home depot route with screen material, and that was pointless. My tank is 6 feet long, so the long run bowed too much in the middle, and fish still escaped.

This top is basically a one-inch acrylic frame with the light-passing mesh in the middle. It sits on top and slightly underneath the top of the tank, so you still get all the aesthetics of an open tank. Without that occasional unpleasant crunch under your feet...

[35galSaltwater]

Here is the one they sell on amazon.com:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002AS8HU/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Alexraptor]

I tend to keep my tanks without any kind of top and haven't had any jumpers whatsoever for nearly a decade. My personal take is that except for maybe the notorious jumpers, fish will not jump out of the tank if they are happy there.
In fact since I got into this hobby the ONLY times I have had jumpers can be attributed to a stressor of some kind.

[JonCubb]

Right now I'm open top, but I plan to do a lid. I've had a jumper that I didn't find in time, it sucked. All I have for fish now is a couple clowns that seem to have interest in jumping so for now I still run open top, for the time being.

[Diana A]

Here is the one they sell on amazon.com:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002AS8HU/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Glass tops disadvantages: Gas exchange, heat issues, and light penetration.

[jmm]

First open top was euro-braced. A wrasse jumped out.

A high-walled canopy surrounded the second open top. A wrasse jumped out when canopy was open for feeding. I put him back in and he was okay.

Third open top was an Innovative Marine 40 gallon with a net top. The net top completely ruined the look of open top. It had a black frame that looked like it was part of the tank. Removed the net top and a clown fish jumped out (at night). I hate this tank. The water level is so close to the top that it splashes whenever you try to clean the glass with either a hand-held scraper or magnetic scrubber. So I keep only anemones and coral with no fish.

Next open top I designed myself and had built by Planet. I specified the overflow several inches below the top. For looks I had it built with 3/4 inch starfire glass. The water level is not close to the top and it looks great. I probably give up 20 gallons of room but the high sides mean most fish probably can't jump that high, I can clean the glass without spilling water, and there is room to "park" the magnetic cleaner in the back above the water line so it doesn't grow coralline algae and get rough. And the mag cleaner doesn't show in the tank.
I like it.

[wildman926]

Glass tops disadvantages: Gas exchange, heat issues, and light penetration.

Gas exchange - Glass tops do not fully seal the top, so gas exchange does occur. When you have a sump, it adds more gas exchange. Even more so when you run a skimmer.

heat issues - another non issue, as heat from the lights is directed away from the tank via the glass. It is easier to keep a stable temp with glass tops

light penetration - There is only a 7-12% loss, so another non issue.

These myths keep getting perpetuated.

From what I clean off of my glass tops, I would not want that in my tank.

[Brieninsac]

You can get an open top tank and add an acrylic screen top, which rests below the glass edge. Really doesn't distract from the look.

[Alexraptor]

Gas exchange - Glass tops do not fully seal the top, so gas exchange does occur. When you have a sump, it adds more gas exchange. Even more so when you run a skimmer.

heat issues - another non issue, as heat from the lights is directed away from the tank via the glass. It is easier to keep a stable temp with glass tops

light penetration - There is only a 7-12% loss, so another non issue.

These myths keep getting perpetuated.

From what I clean off of my glass tops, I would not want that in my tank.

Way to much generalization going on there.

While I am not well versed enough in the subject to determine if oxygen exchange is a valid concern, I do know that light penetration and heat issues is anything but a non issue, also not everyone runs a skimmer based system.

Maybe Light Penetration isn't a big deal if you have a high powered MH or LED system, but I know from personal experience that for T5HO systems there can quite literally be a "visible" difference between having a cover glass and not having one.

Likewise, for people who live in warmer climates or even during summer months, heat buildup is absolutely a problem. A lid/cover glass impedes the tanks ability to rid itself of excess heat by way of evaporation, which a lot of us rely on to keep our temperatures from soaring.

So please, stop generalizing.

[jeffmerrill]

I use glass tops,with prior tanks I have lost fish from jumping but you can be successful with or without, it comes down to personal taste.