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

laverda · Mar 27, 2019

ca1ore said:
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.

The milled polycarbonate lids from sources like Toplids really don’t take away much in looks on rimless tanks.

chefjpaul · Mar 27, 2019

I have an artfully acrylic lid, I hate having a lid, even if its an ok design. I just happen to like my fish more.

The aesthetics is more of an annoyance than the act of removing it.

siggy · Mar 28, 2019

skimjim said:
Be honest here! Are you protecting your fish from......bad water quality? Do a water change.

Are you saying The fish are trying to escape bad water????

laverda said:
Toplids is another option.

Traditional Glass lids? I have a rimless going up....Open for suggestions

siggy · Mar 28, 2019

chefjpaul said:
I have an artfully acrylic lid, I hate having a lid, even if its an ok design. I just happen to like my fish more.

I don have a lid now and I have to be careful of the fish I keep...I learned that the hard way..more than once. Shoot even the non jumpers Jump when I hand feed pellets

MaiReef · Mar 28, 2019

I haven't had a jumper since freshwater. I did however find my engineer goby in my overflow once. I have screen tops now, but with openings for my autofeeder, cords, and overflow. Reminds me I had them off for a bit because I had to fix my rock fall. Better put them back on.

Greybeard · Mar 28, 2019

Can we loose this question in the header every time I visit R2R?

Seriously... it's insulting. Either I agree that I am a poor caretaker of my reef, or I agree that I'm an idiot?

Please take this down... I've been looking at it for 3 days now.

Greg Gdowski · Mar 28, 2019

I have a canopy on mine.

SashimiTurtle · Mar 28, 2019

siggy said:
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.

My 36" came with a center support, but was not needed. I doubt you'll be able to get the nylon net right enough to bow the aluminum channel before the net pops...

siggy · Mar 28, 2019

Greybeard said:
Can we loose this question in the header every time I visit R2R? Seriously... it's insulting. Either I agree that I am a poor caretaker of my reef, or I agree that I'm an
idiot? Please take this down... I've been looking at it for 3 days now.

;Blackeye

Jesterrace · Mar 29, 2019

I have glass tops on my 90 gallon. I know they aren't the most popular choice, but they have worked well for my purposes and I do attempt to keep them clean. To this day they have kept a Diamond Watchman Goby from carpet surfing at least once (ended up in my over flow instead of the carpet) and my Blue Star Leopard Wrasse twice and keep in mind this is just what I have visually varified. I love wrasses so for me the idea of going lidless makes about as much sense as riding in a convertible with the top down and no seatbelt and expecting nothing bad to happen.

Sweetaz · Mar 29, 2019

I made one and I hate how it looks. It ruins the rimless tank aesthetic. I’m doing to roll the dice without it. If it doesn't work out I’m going back to traditional type of tank with a hood.

tdlawdo · Mar 29, 2019

The supports cast shadows! [emoji2959]

cmcimino · Mar 29, 2019

I lost two wrasse to jumping about a month ago. I have a rimless tank, with hanging lights so I really didn't want to put a canopy on the tank. Wanted something to keep the finish of my tank clean so I ordered a ClearView Lid. Hopefully it will ship in the next week or two.

BryanD · Apr 12, 2019

Guess I've been lucky, I've never had a salt water fish jump out of the tank (knocking furiously on wood!!!). I've never had a wrasse or a gobie, but a couple blennies (scooter, lawnmower), but they never jumped or acted like they'd want to.

Phycodurus · Apr 13, 2019

my 180G acrylic tank came with two lids and i’ve always used them. my five other tanks are also lidded.

grandma prefers to go topless ... we get her quickly back inside the house before the cops show up. ;Wideyed

Res_Ipsa · May 7, 2019

I just checked back in with this thread and saw my "no, I don't use a screen" vote. Fast forward to my favorite midas blenny jumping my tank last month and the logical next step....

MnFish1 · May 7, 2019

SO funny (not really) - I lost 3 fish in 3 weeks - first in 3 years. 2 harlequin tusks - and a blue throat trigger. Note that this was with a xxxxxx cover - that the fish were able to push up apparently. I bought a clear view lid. Will get it in a couple days

tdlawdo · Jul 8, 2019

Seminoles76 said:
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.

Lol..think that’s the only reason fish jump?