Tank lids? Aren't they usually a bad idea?

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

Interesting discussion. I had thought conventional wisdom was glass/acrylic lides=bad, but that definitely isn't the indication from this thread. I do agree gas exchange should be able to be accomplished via a skimmer/sump for the most part (though I do wonder if the post from earlier about in-stand vs remote sumps making a difference is something that's important...mine is in the stand, so definitely confined). I can't argue with people's experience on cleaning the lid...although, I would be interested to see tank photos of tanks with SPS and glass lids and know PAR readings, etc. My own anecdotal experience is that fish can and do beat themselves to death at times on hard lids. I can't say how often that's an issue, but it definitely happened to my jawfish with my biocube.

After reading this thread, I still prefer my mesh lid, but have to admit that hard lids seem to be more viable as an option than I had thought.

 

[Max!]

I use a glass lid. I’d say all your concerns are valid but like everything there are pros and cons

 

[DothanReefer]

Few months and no issues with a glass top that I can see just yet, I think it looks sleek also

Where did you get this glass lid and the clips holding it in place?

 

[DothanReefer]

I use a mesh from May through November and a glass lid from December on. Too much heat loss on top of the the evaporation if I leave the mesh on year round.
My glass lid has 1/4" spacing on each side and 1/2" spacing front and back, I like these tabs I found on Amazon that clip to the lid vs the tank which eliminates the salt creep buildup.

Do you remember who made the tabs? and where did you get your lid? I just got my Waterbox and need a lid. Love yours here!

 

[DaddyFish]

I've used corrugated clear greenhouse panels in the past on large tanks. They work as good as glass imo

I'm new to R2R and late to this thread. But Thank You for this post!
Been paying for custom-cut glass and was about to do it again for a 54-corner that needs a tight fitting cover (can you say Snowflake Eel). Found the greenhouse panels you mentioned at local Home Depot for $37, awesome!

 

[DaddyFish]

Where did you get this glass lid and the clips holding it in place?

Found two sizes on Amazon, two different listings. Comments say to be sure you are getting the correct thickness for your glass or they will definitely drop every time.

 

[BillyD69]

Nothing looks better than a nice sleek rimless tank imo but just found it impractical in everyday life. Between evaporation and that annoying hard water line that forms I gladly switched back to a glass covered framed tank about a year ago. Evap dropped to 25% of what it was, no annoying water line and less salt creep in my experience. Trapped heat could be a problem if your house or tank is not climate controlled year round and that’s about the only significant problem a covered tank could cause in most applications. If par reduction is a problem your lights are probably not strong enough to begin with. If you can’t keep up with cleaning the lid, your tank is probably suffering from other neglect issues as well. Gas exchange? I have found literally nothing comparing gas levels above the water in a covered tank to levels In the outside room. Now I’m just thinking out loud here but would not a glass top actually improve system stability? Holds heat so temp takes longer to swing, less evaporation so salinity takes longer to swing. If gas exchange is actually effected it would take longer for co2 to “blow off” in the morning and 02 to last longer into the night resulting in more gradual changes in ph. Now if you are adding lime water etc. to top off water I can see why less evap wouldn’t be something you would want but in most applications I think glass tops are fine and who knows maybe actually contribute to increased stability.

 

[Kris 2020]

To those that go mesh lid or no lid... Do you see damage to the walls behind the tanks or any wood around the tank? We keep one in our office with out a lid and there's a huge picture above it (that admittedly is too close to the tank) that constantly has salt and water deposits on it and the wall. Our 180 gallon is in the living room and I would much rather clean the salt creep off of the glass lid than clean the wall.

Unrelated, does anyone have one close to a fire place? Have you seen any ill effects?

Have a topless 67g that is less than 2 inches from a 2 walls. I’ve never had a water or salt issue on the walls unless I splash them doing maintenance.

 

[Aardvark1134]

Definately acrylic lids and a canopy. I don't like topless/rimless tanks at all.

 

[blackstallion]

I have a tall wooden canopy with my Radions attached to and hanging from about 8" above the water; back of the canopy is open and exposed to fresh air. I currently use glass canopies. I do struggle to keep the temperature down in the tank. I'm considering opening all three of the lids front feeding panels which would expose approximately a third of the DTs water top to the air. What I'm concerned about is the extra evaporation and negative affect on the LEDs. Can anyone comment whether this is a valid concern?

 

[Pistondog]

I have a tall wooden canopy with my Radions attached to and hanging from about 8" above the water; back of the canopy is open and exposed to fresh air. I currently use glass canopies. I do struggle to keep the temperature down in the tank. I'm considering opening all three of the lids front feeding panels which would expose approximately a third of the DTs water top to the air. What I'm concerned about is the extra evaporation and negative affect on the LEDs. Can anyone comment whether this is a valid concern?

I use mesh with ap700 12" off water. I have to wipe the leds down every month or so from salt film. But the leds present a solid surface, so no salt or water damage.
The mesh is now allowing the fan to do its job, in an 89 degree ambient, which happens 10 days/year.
Ato handles the evaporation.