Be honest here! Are you protecting your fish from......

[ca1ore]

The ONLY semi-good reason to not have a screen top is if you run a trimless tank (really does ruin the aesthetic). I don’t use a top on my frag tank - none of them have jumped yet. At the risk of being provocative, it’s idiotic to not have a screen top with a standard trimmed tank. You will lose fish, guaranteed. If you have a cat, or perhaps a dog, they’ll clean up the evidence leaving you to wonder what happened to Freddie the fish. Screens are dead easy to make, and dirt cheap. I near my fish hitting the screen all the time. Occasionally hard enough to actually dislodge them.

The only time in the last 20 years that I did not use a screen was when the light canopy sat directly on the top trim. Sides effectively re-route any jumpers.

 

[Nimitz87]

I use screens and STILL have lost two fish to jumping during a water change and not seeing after the fact...so now I do a head count after working on the tank.

 

[blkhawk10]

I don't use a lid at all anymore and only have for a short period of time...I've found that the only 2 fish in the 12 years I've owned tanks that have jumped were ones getting bullied by other fish. I keep a peaceful reef and try to choose fish that will have their own territory and not have to battle with other types of fish that have similar interests in the same territory. Granted I only have a 57 gallon and 29 gallon so it might be different in a bigger tank.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Ive always had covers - ALWAYS WILL. For me, jumpers, condensation recovery, protection of lights and equipment and preventing anything foreign from falling into the tank- even a moth

 

[eggplantparrot]

I lost my first ever saltwater fish because i had no screen... Lesson learned after that. I thought i could do without for bettas but i just lost 2 to jumping

 

[OllieNZ]

Rather timely topic for me, I have a relatively tight fitting glass lid (about an 1/8th gap all round) on my tank and still managed to lose my newly introduced yellow head jawfish over night

 

[SashimiTurtle]

Fish jump. It's instinct. They do not comprehend that outside of the great invisible walls there is no water. I bet we look like some pretty strange fish.

All my tanks are covered with the Red Sea DIY kits. They are simple to build and do not take away from the look of a rimless tank.

 

[PicassoDan]

I use a full canopy- no need for a screen top, and easy access. It does seem that there is a trend toward no-canopy, which looks nice, except for the screen top...

 

[Richard Hercher]

I use a glass top and consider it BAD. My evaporation is low, no need for top off beyond the weekly water change, and I’ve never had fish jump out. But my pH is always low, likely poor gas exchange. If I had a skimmer I could use a CO2 scrubber but I’m stuck with a canister filter until I can put in my basement sump/fuge

 

[tdlawdo]

I hate the rim of these DIY screen tops but maybe a necessary evil.. already lost a lawnmower blenny then stepped on him accidentally.

 

[jd371]

I covered mine but there were some gaps where I used some egg crate. Lost my Red Margin Wrasse to one of those gaps, jumped right through it. Got rid of the egg crate and used clear acrylic fastened with nylon bolts to the screen to secure those gaps so nothing is getting out anymore.
I watch TV next to where my tank is, once and a while I can hear the tell tale sign of a splash from a fish breaking the surface, glad my tank is covered.

 

[ReefWithCare]

There shall be no escape from this tank [emoji48]

100% covered and close loop system. If I need to add a wavemaker later on - it will be an MP10 so I can still have 100% coverage [emoji108].

 

[declanisadog]

I think the wording on the poll is unfair.

 

[PicassoDan]

I think the wording on the poll is unfair.

Agreed.
Choice D. No, I don't use one because I have a canopy.

 

[CherBear811]

I use the 1/8th inch mesh from BRS, and I watched a firefish bounce off of it several times, which is a vast improvement to the larger 1/4 inch mesh that allowed a blue spot jawfish and 2 other small fish to wiggle through and die. Screen tops are the best, allows for gas exchange, and keeps the babies safely in the tank.

 

[Seminoles76]

The ONLY semi-good reason to not have a screen top is if you run a trimless tank (really does ruin the aesthetic). I don’t use a top on my frag tank - none of them have jumped yet. At the risk of being provocative, it’s idiotic to not have a screen top with a standard trimmed tank. You will lose fish, guaranteed. If you have a cat, or perhaps a dog, they’ll clean up the evidence leaving you to wonder what happened to Freddie the fish. Screens are dead easy to make, and dirt cheap. I near my fish hitting the screen all the time. Occasionally hard enough to actually dislodge them.

The only time in the last 20 years that I did not use a screen was when the light canopy sat directly on the top trim. Sides effectively re-route any jumpers.

What is idiotic is that some aquascape there tanks with one rock, or a Tonga branch, and then say what a beautiful minimal aquascape, providing no refuge or hiding spots within the tank. They then toss in aggressive fish with peaceful fish......and then feed once every couple of days because nitrates are at 5..... Hmmmmmm, I wonder why the fish jumped out? He must be one of those fishes that you see jumping all the time when your diving!!!! Ahaaa moment....I’ll just trap them in there with a lid....that seems like a pretty responsible thing to do.

After reading this thread I am amazed I’ve never had a fish jump. I’ll keep feeding heavy, exporting heavy, providing ample areas of refuge, and keeping peaceful fish with peaceful fish, and my guess is that my 12 year no-fish jumping record will stay intact.

I have two young boys who have friends over all the time. My fish get startled with the best of them.....usually on a daily basis. Surprisingly, when they get startled, they all dart to their little nooks and crannies they call home and don’t instinctively jump out of the tank.

 

[siggy]

I was acutually shopping for lids today....In one Corner we have Octo-Aquatics and in the other we have Artfully-Acrylic

All my tanks are covered with the Red Sea DIY kits. They are simple to build and do not take away from the look of a rimless tank.

There is an option
Anyone using on a 4 foot tank? I seen one bowed inward, Ill check out the website see if there is supports.

lost a lawnmower blenny then stepped on him accidentally.

 

[JR55]

I have an Artfully Acrylic lid and always do a head count before the lid goes back on after maintenance.

 

[ZoWhat]

Be honest here! Are you protecting your fish from......

bad water quality?

Do a water change



.

 

[laverda]

I was acutually shopping for lids today....In one Corner we have Octo-Aquatics and in the other we have Artfully-Acrylic
There is an option
Anyone using on a 4 foot tank? I seen one bowed inward, Ill check out the website see if there is supports.

Toplids is another option.