Glass, plastic lid
- Thread starter Dmat21
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A solid lid reduces evaporation like you know, however it also limits gas exchange. This is not ideal for three reason- it reduces oxygenation, increases retention of carbon dioxide, and retains heat. This means the pH of your tank will be lower. If you lived in a warm area or had a tank that routinely had an elevated temperature in the summer, this would also pose a problem. There are ways to get around this (increasing gas exchange via other mechanisms, fans, etc.), but it is a common reason that many in the hobby do not use solid lids. Those that do usually increase their gas exchange through other mechanisms.
Hugh Mann
Valuable Member
I have a two piece glass lid cut 2" narrower to accommodate HoB equipment. Mesh around the gaps. I run two HoB filters on a 55 gallon and haven't yet had oxygen issues. Evaporation is minimal, the air in my area is so dry without a solid lid I was losing upwards of a gallon a day. Haven't yet invested in an ATO. I also needed a heavy, solid lid so my eel couldn't escape.
Basically your only issue will be temperature if you're in a hot climate and gas exchange. Both can be solved through various means.
Basically your only issue will be temperature if you're in a hot climate and gas exchange. Both can be solved through various means.
Calm Blue Ocean
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I have one tank with a glass lid and one with a mesh lid. The one with the glass lid has almost no evaporation. The mesh lid tank has crazy evaporation. What the glass lid tank evaporates in a week the mesh one could do in a day.
I've found it easier to keep the temperature steady in the mesh lid tank. The glass lid tank often fluctuates a little high with the lights on and can take a long time to come back down.
Speaking of lights, the glass lid is often covered with a considerable amount of condensation which appears to diffuse the lighting (I don't have a par meter so no idea how much). I keep a small squeegee to wipe it down regularly.
On a similar note, the glass lid obscures my view into the top of the tank much more than the mesh lid. I definitely need to open the lid to see down into the tank.
Cut outs for equipment can be harder with glass. Although most glass lids come with a plastic strip across the back to make cut outs easier, larger HOB filters or in tank skimmers will require cutting the glass itself. My lid cracked. But I'm not the handiest person.
On the positive side for glass lids, the are much less expensive and easier to come by if you have an odd shaped tank, like a corner or bowfront (a lot of the manufacturers of these tanks make matching glass lids). I know people have used heat guns to curve framing material to make diy mesh lids for those curved lines but it's still less trivial than putting a frame together for a rectangle.
I've found it easier to keep the temperature steady in the mesh lid tank. The glass lid tank often fluctuates a little high with the lights on and can take a long time to come back down.
Speaking of lights, the glass lid is often covered with a considerable amount of condensation which appears to diffuse the lighting (I don't have a par meter so no idea how much). I keep a small squeegee to wipe it down regularly.
On a similar note, the glass lid obscures my view into the top of the tank much more than the mesh lid. I definitely need to open the lid to see down into the tank.
Cut outs for equipment can be harder with glass. Although most glass lids come with a plastic strip across the back to make cut outs easier, larger HOB filters or in tank skimmers will require cutting the glass itself. My lid cracked. But I'm not the handiest person.
On the positive side for glass lids, the are much less expensive and easier to come by if you have an odd shaped tank, like a corner or bowfront (a lot of the manufacturers of these tanks make matching glass lids). I know people have used heat guns to curve framing material to make diy mesh lids for those curved lines but it's still less trivial than putting a frame together for a rectangle.
