fishrule101

My filter haves been giving me a hard time. It aggates the water and creates more flow(good), but it makes the splash lens of my T-5s wet and creats salt creep all over it. I'm planning on buying a glass cover( came with one but one day I forgot It was on the floor and I steped on it). My question is: Will the glass cover affect the intenstey of my T-5s? I'm also planning on taking off the splash lens once I get the cover.

au01st

It will affect the light. It will also raise the temperature of the tank significantly. Temp in my tank dropped 4 degrees when I took the hood off and installed egg crate instead. Everything I've read said not to use closed hoods on reef tanks because of the heat factor.

How are your lights held above your tank, suspended from the ceiling? Maybe just try raising the lights up a bit.

Are you using a HOB filter on the tank? I know in my freshwater tanks I can raise the water level to the bottom of the filter and there is no splashing.

fishrule101

My lights are about 2in above my tank. I do have a HOB filter. Raising the water didn't work for me. I think I will have to buy a cover, because the salt creep builds up in a day or two and it will damage the light fixture and when I get corals mess them up.

au01st

Could you ditch the HOB filter for a canister style that outputs to a spray bar? For what you'll spend on corals, it would be worth a little extra on a better filter.

fishrule101

Canisters are too much money for me and don't they need holes to be drilled in the tank? I like the spray bar idea, but how will I get the water to to into the canister? They don't sell overflows any were near where I live.

sgould

Sounds like you may have canister filters confused with sumps/refugiums. Canisters are totally self contained...don't need an overflow, don't need to drill. You prime them by filling the intake tube with water, then their own internal pump keeps the water flowing from the tank and back again. You can get a decent one for around $100.

fishrule101

Problem solved!! I just made the filter up a bit so it looks like its going in side the tank. No more slpashing. I still like the idea of a canister. It will help by making my water crystal clear and more flow. But do I need one on a 28??

au01st

On a saltwater 28, a canister would be great, it would increase flow more than a HOB filter. Also, I think there's an attachment for Eheim canister filters that acts as a surface protein skimmer on the suction side of the canister. Output to a spray bar and you will have great water flow. You can get the Eheim spray bar for $20 or make your own out of PVC for cheaper.