20 Gallon Tank Need Help With Tank Cover

HI again, almost on week 4 of cycling my new fish tank. Still experiencing an algae bloom (I hope, to explain the somewhat cloudy water)

That being said its getting close to time to introduce my first fish, Zebra Danios. This is my first fish tank so I wanted something easy and hardy to care for while the tank cycles.

One problem, Zebra Danios like to jump, and the back of my tank is exposed!

I wanted to know what options I had as far as fixes without having to work out a whole new cover, as I rather like the lighting fixture I have.

The filter makes it impossible to apply another glass cover, mesh maybe? Or something extra cheap like stretching some saran wrap over it?

I don't want to have gone through all this work just to have my fish kill themselves jumping out while I'm not home.

Any suggestions as far as solutions would be appreciated.

 

HI again, almost on week 4 of cycling my new fish tank. Still experiencing an algae bloom (I hope, to explain the somewhat cloudy water)

That being said its getting close to time to introduce my first fish, Zebra Danios. This is my first fish tank so I wanted something easy and hardy to care for while the tank cycles.

One problem, Zebra Danios like to jump, and the back of my tank is exposed!

I wanted to know what options I had as far as fixes without having to work out a whole new cover, as I rather like the lighting fixture I have.

The filter makes it impossible to apply another glass cover, mesh maybe? Or something extra cheap like stretching some saran wrap over it?

I don't want to have gone through all this work just to have my fish kill themselves jumping out while I'm not home.

Any suggestions as far as solutions would be appreciated.

Can't that light sit ON the glass lid? There are plastic sleeves designed to be cut and fitted to those glass lids and can be cut around filters, wires and tubing.
Example-

Example 2


My lights sit on the glass.

 

Can't that light sit ON the glass lid? There are plastic sleeves designed to be cut and fitted to those glass lids and can be cut around filters, wires and tubing.
Example-View attachment 530456
Example 2
View attachment 530463
My lights sit on the glass.

Ah! My glass lid came with one of those! I didn't know what it was at first so I just set it aside! Thanks! I just have to figure out what to cut it with so I can fit it to the tank.

Also the light can sit on the glass, but I worry that's a little too close to the water? So I used the stand feature to stand it above the glass. Thanks for the help! I feel silly not realizing that's what that piece was for.

 

Ah! My glass lid came with one of those! I didn't know what it was at first so I just set it aside! Thanks! I just have to figure out what to cut it with so I can fit it to the tank.

Also the light can sit on the glass, but I worry that's a little too close to the water? So I used the stand feature to stand it above the glass. Thanks for the help! I feel silly not realizing that's what that piece was for.

Dremel works, or tin snips for straight cuts. Box cutters if it's the more flexible kind. If you have snails be sure to cut it close to curves and filters! You might be able to see, I cut mine so it extended into that notch in the side of the filter so they couldn't get through.

 

Dremel works, or tin snips for straight cuts. Box cutters if it's the more flexible kind. If you have snails be sure to cut it close to curves and filters! You might be able to see, I cut mine so it extended into that notch in the side of the filter so they couldn't get through.

Did you get the guard strip on? How are your water parameters testing now? What ammonia source are you using to cycle your tank?

 

Did you get the guard strip on? How are your water parameters testing now? What ammonia source are you using to cycle your tank?

I did yes! Again thank you, I haven't tested the parameters, I'm going to test them tomorrow so I'll tell you tomorrow what I'm looking for (That'll be the four week marker since the tank was set up.)

And I'm using the fish flake method to cycle the tank. Giving it a pinch every 12 hours. Last week when I checked I had ammonia and Nitrate readings, so I think I'm making progress, we'll see tomorrow.

 

Did you get the guard strip on? How are your water parameters testing now? What ammonia source are you using to cycle your tank?

Ok tested, it looks like Ammonia levels are around 3.0 pp now.

With nitrates around 20ppm

And Nitrite around 1ppm

I guess bacterial colonies are stkll colonizing the tank. Hopefully week 5 will show the ammonia levels lowering, should I keep feeding the tank fish flakes? Or since its above 2ppm should I pause?

 

Ok tested, it looks like Ammonia levels are around 3.0 pp now.

Curious how you checked your ammonia as the strips you are using do not check for that. Assume you have a separate test kit for that?

 

Curious how you checked your ammonia as the strips you are using do not check for that. Assume you have a separate test kit for that?

The first strip tests for Ammonia actually. API ammonia test strips:


The other one tests for everything else.

 

When your strips start to run out, I recommend looking into the API freshwater master test kit. They are usually $15-$17 online and good for 800 tests.

I have been using them for the past year.