Lid or no lid

[AUSXMD]

So I'm filling my Waterbox 230 today (slow going process). Anyway it did not come with a lid or screen top. They do sell them on their site. The Kraken lid is very nice but 700 bucks for my size tank. I see lots of reefers that don't use a lid. I'm curious what you experts think?

Thanks so much!
Scott

 

[ShakeyGizzard]

no lid is fine until that $150 fish jumps out

 

[ScubaSkeets]

If you have any fish that has even the slightest possibility in jumping, yes, you need a lid. I bought a Red Sea brand mesh lid when I needed one but of I had to do it all over, I would DIY it with screening if the had clear/white and window screen framing from Lowes

 

[Reef By Steele Verified Sponsor]

I bought two really expensive acrylic lids for my first two, then did Red Sea DIY on two others. I feel they are a must. But if you have access doors you have to remember to close them after feeding. The above comment about $150 fish, our $350 rhombis wrasse jumped out the one night I forgot to close the feeding slot. Dead on the mesh next morning.

 

[SkinnyMcGinny]

Lids also help with evaporation, which can be significant, I lose about a gallon a day. But at the same time, evaporation helps with cooling, and if you are trying to keep tank cool... So, I have lids, but I take my lids off when it gets hot. Re: losing fish, when My lids are off, I've never lost one, and I do keep some "jumpers", but my tank has about a 4-5 inch lip around the edge, and I've heard when fish jump out the usually go up the side of the tank to launch, and if the they do that on mine, "bonk", they are rejected.

 

[Reef By Steele Verified Sponsor]

Lids also help with evaporation, which can be significant, I lose about a gallon a day. But at the same time, evaporation helps with cooling, and if you are trying to keep tank cool... So, I have lids, but I take my lids off when it gets hot. Re: losing fish, when My lids are off, I've never lost one, and I do keep some "jumpers", but my tank has about a 4-5 inch lip around the edge, and I've heard when fish jump out the usually go up the side of the tank to launch, and if the they do that on mine, "bonk", they are rejected.

My Rhombis jumped out of the feeding door on the front of an S1000 which has a 3” rim. Glad you have been fortunate not to have any jump. We added the lids as we have lost several fish. The wrasse being the worst.

 

[X-37B]

So I'm filling my Waterbox 230 today (slow going process). Anyway it did not come with a lid or screen top. They do sell them on their site. The Kraken lid is very nice but 700 bucks for my size tank. I see lots of reefers that don't use a lid. I'm curious what you experts think?

Thanks so much!
Scott

Take a look at clearview lids. They are the original ones. I just had one made with custom cutouts for my 60x24 and it was under $300.

 

[d2mini]

Lid, bro.
You'd be surprised what fish jump out. And even certain snails will take a walkabout without one. Ask my dogs and cats.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I currently have 3 lidless tanks, have had countless lidless tanks over the years. Sure, there is the occasional jumper, usually with a newer fish, but its actually pretty rare that an established fish will jump IME.

With that said, I can't keep some fish like chalk bass or jawfish cause they jump no matter what, I even put a lid on for the jawfish and he still jumped.

 

[jimk60]

I go lidless myself and haven't had many jumpers oner the years. Id go with one of the diy mesh screens from brs or Amazon. Better for gas exchange than a closed lid but not much help for evaporation

 

[AUSXMD]

Take a look at clearview lids. They are the original ones. I just had one made with custom cutouts for my 60x24 and it was under $300.

I will check put Clearview. Appreciate it!

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

My fish jumped out of my tank and it landed in a Tupperware container on top of the tank, it had just enough water in it to cover his gills, I went to feed the fish and discovered it. Lucky fish.

 

[cookies reef]

Morning guys so i have a red sea reefer 350, i currently have a sheet of perspex
Over the tank and am looking into ordering a proper lid, we suffer from bad condensation so im going to try and mate it as air tight as possible, are there any implications on keeping the lid sealed?

 

[Ziggy17]

A lid will pay itself off quite quickly. My exquisite fire fish decided to jump along with a cleaner wrasse. Bought a lid the next day and no issues since.

 

[slingfox]

I had two fish jump out during the first month of adding livestock. After shopping around I went with a custom lid from Octo Aquatics. The lid turned out great.

Given how much I spent for the tank setup overall (RedSea 525 G2+) I wanted a nice looking lid so for me it was well worth the price. If I could do it again I would get a lid built which consists of two pieces (one of left side of tank and one for right side). That provides more flexibility for tank maintenance.

 

[Mikeltee]

DIY. Don't waste $700. That's insane! Mesh is best IMO. Anything else messes with the light.

 

[Ziggy17]

Morning guys so i have a red sea reefer 350, i currently have a sheet of perspex
Over the tank and am looking into ordering a proper lid, we suffer from bad condensation so im going to try and mate it as air tight as possible, are there any implications on keeping the lid sealed?

Yep. It needs to breath the same way your lungs do. If it’s sealed then the CO2 will be recirculated into the tank through the water agitation, which will result in little to no oxygen in the water. You will have low PH, and dead livestock. That’s why mesh is used in the middle of the tank.
If you’re experiencing higher then normal evaporation, perhaps lessen the surface agitation in your DT.