Screened lids or open top

[Gtinnel]

I have some diy screened lids on my rimmed 125g tank. I'd really prefer to leave them off, but I'm not sure if any of my fish are known jumpers. In my tank I have a purple tang, tomini tang, melanurus wrasse, midas blenny, lawnmower blenny, mandarin, clownfish, and engineer goby. Based upon my fish would it be stupid to remove the screens?

 

[EricR]

Personally, I've heard too many stories of people who were sure their fish weren't jumpers ending up with "carpet surfers" to NOT keep a screen on the top.

This is an extreme scenario but my bicolor blenny went for a jump attempt about 30 minutes after my recent tank transfer.

Obviously, the stress from the tank transfer was a HUGE factor but, who knows what/when/how might startle a fish? One freak incident and who knows what ends up on the floor.

 

[WVNed]

I have heard my fish bounce off the bottom of mine.

 

[Gtinnel]

I've never seen any of my fish jump into mine, which I realize doesn't mean that they don't when I'm not near. The only fish I even see near the surface are the blennies.

 

[Tamberav]

I have some diy screened lids on my rimmed 125g tank. I'd really prefer to leave them off, but I'm not sure if any of my fish are known jumpers. In my tank I have a purple tang, tomini tang, melanurus wrasse, midas blenny, lawnmower blenny, mandarin, clownfish, and engineer goby. Based upon my fish would it be stupid to remove the screens?

All of these are jumpers

melanurus wrasse, midas blenny, lawnmower blenny, mandarin, and engineer goby

I used to have a midas blenny who would jump out the feeding door when I opened it because he was so excited to eat

 

[Gtinnel]

All of these are jumpers

melanurus wrasse, midas blenny, lawnmower blenny, mandarin, and engineer goby

I used to have a midas blenny who would jump out the feeding door when I opened it because he was so excited to eat

Well I guess based on that it's probably best to keep my lids. For those who have diy lids what size mesh do you use? What I'm currently using was bought at lowes and it blocks too much light. I probably will end up just buying a roll from BRS since everything I saw at lowes was way to fine of a mesh.

 

[Tamberav]

Well I guess based on that it's probably best to keep my lids. For those who have diy lids what size mesh do you use? What I'm currently using was bought at lowes and it blocks too much light. I probably will end up just buying a roll from BRS since everything I saw at lowes was way to fine of a mesh.

BRS stuff is great. The black BRS net will look more invisible then the clear... since the clear catches/reflects the reef lighting.

 

[EricR]

BRS sells 1/4" and 1/8" spacing so depends on if any of your fish are even TINY enough to fit through 1/4" to warrant 1/8",,, seems unlikely.

I'm using this 1/4" stuff from Amazon:

Clear Mesh Net

 

[Gtinnel]

BRS stuff is great. The black BRS net will look more invisible then the clear... since the clear catches/reflects the reef lighting.

Good point on the color. I would've normally gone for clear but it makes sense that the black would be less obvious.

 

[X-37B]

I have a brs sceen lid on my rimless 45 frag and dont like it. Their is no rim to sit it on and alot of salt gets built up on it due to surface agitation but feel I need it as the tanks only 12".
My 120 has no top. I do have eggcrate that I had on for a year but I have so much surface agitation now that salt gets built up on it so I dont use it.

 

[Gtinnel]

I have a brs sceen lid on my rimless 45 frag and dont like it. Their is no rim to sit it on and alot of salt gets built up on it due to surface agitation but feel I need it as the tanks only 12".
My 120 has no top. I do have eggcrate that I had on for a year but I have so much surface agitation now that salt gets built up on it so I dont use it.

A place to put lids is one of the few advantages of one of the cheap rimmed tanks.

 

[EricR]

Good point on the color. I would've normally gone for clear but it makes sense that the black would be less obvious.

Yeah,,, that's interesting. Never thought about reflection,,, just assumed that more light would pass "through" the clear.

It'd be fun to try black and see how the light looks inside the tank,,, but I'm too cheap to test it.

 

[Gtinnel]

Yeah,,, that's interesting. Never thought about reflection,,, just assumed that more light would pass "through" the clear.

It'd be fun to try black and see how the light looks inside the tank,,, but I'm too cheap to test it.

That was my though too, but it reflecting the light making it more obvious does make sense. I think it probably has more to do with how obvious the screen is and not how much light it blocks from entering the tank.

Ironically the screen blocking light is what made me ask about removing it. I was playing with my par meter and my lid is block a huge amount of my light. I really need to change the mesh out if nothing else.

 

[Idech]

For those who have diy lids what size mesh do you use?

Mine is 5/16.

 

[X-37B]

A place to put lids is one of the few advantages of one of the cheap rimmed tanks.

I prefer rimmed tanks. My large upgrade will be standard glass and rimmed.
Their is nothing cheap in this hobby, funny.

 

[Gtinnel]

I prefer rimmed tanks. My large upgrade will be standard glass and rimmed.
Their is nothing cheap in this hobby, funny.

I prefer the look of rimless. Maybe cheaper is a more accurate word.

 

[X-37B]

I prefer the looked of rimless. Maybe cheaper is a more accurate word.

Yea my 45 frag system is rimless and I had a 25 nano rimless. For me I just seem to get water everywhere and I like hiding the waterline or maybe Im just old, lol.
Thats why they make both.
My Halide/OR3 system is attatched to the rim. Many say it looks horrible but it works for me.
I also have an open stand on my 120 and 45. I just prefer the way it looks and works.

 

[Gtinnel]

Yea my 45 frag system is rimless and I had a 25 nano rimless. For me I just seem to get water everywhere and I like hiding the waterline or maybe Im just old, lol.
Thats why they make both.
My Halide/OR3 system is attatched to the rim. Many say it looks horrible but it works for me.
I also have an open stand on my 120 and 45. I just prefer the way it looks and works.

The only tanks I've ever owned are the basic marineland type of tank. For me it may be a grass is greener on the other side kind of thing. If I ever had a rimless tank it would maybe change my opinion of them.

 

[Vested]

I prefer the look of rimless. Maybe cheaper is a more accurate word.

Highly recommend u check out clearview lids, they arnt cheap but neither was your tank lol! I think on rimless especially its worth it to spend some extra money on a nice screened lid then u dont ruin the rimless look.

 

[Gtinnel]

Highly recommend u check out clearview lids, they arnt cheap but neither was your tank lol! I think on rimless especially its worth it to spend some extra money on a nice screened lid then u dont ruin the rimless look.

In my case my tank actually was cheap. It's everything else that has gone in and around it that has cost a lot. I honestly regret not getting a custom built tank in the 300g range.

For my tank those lids are overkill, I would look into them if I had a high end rimless tank.