Open top tanks???

Is it ok to have no lid to your fish tank based on the following species;
Blue Pacific Tangs, Yellow Tangs, clowns, Royal gamma, and BTA's.

I'm sure there are fish that are definiate no no's to open top tanks! Its just that I'm debating doing a DIY stand to accomodate the lighting I want. I can always get glass fitted to size if not.

 

Be safer with Glass imo. Some may jump when startled or when they are playing close to the surface .. Just a safety mearsure really. Stops other things going in the tank to

 

Ive seen quite a few in the LFS's. Its the reef tanks there totally open but they did have the fish I mentioned above in them.

Yeah the more I think about it the more I realise its a bad idea! Especially as I have two little girls (3 and 2). Who might decide to share a toy or two with the fish lol...

 

Ive seen quite a few in the LFS's. Its the reef tanks there totally open but they did have the fish I mentioned above in them.

Yeah the more I think about it the more I realise its a bad idea! Especially as I have two little girls (3 and 2). Who might decide to share a toy or two with the fish lol...

hehe - I had an open top and was waiting for my glass top to arrive I ordered from the manafacturers site , For the time being I just cut a fish bag up and placed it over the top and cellotaped it down for a temp cover might be an idea , Or just get some acrylic plastic from a diy store and cut it neatly to size and slot it on the top if you know what I mean?. Perhaps as a suggestion it would be wise to get some kind of airstone in there to improve aeriation and that?

 

I have not even set up my sw tank yet, still gathering as much info as I can on EVERYTHING that you need to know including what equipment and so on.

Only when I'm fully confident with the knowledge I have, and the equipment to suit the tank habitants I have chosen will I set it up.

As for the airstone and aeriation thing, don't worry my fish will be high off oxygen lol.

For now I'm enjoying reading everyones posts and learning from there mistakes and experience!

 

Welcome to Fishlore. I moved your thread to the Saltwater area so our members with Saltwater tanks can better help you out.

 

Cheers Cobettacouple,
I'm done on this thread now, but I will try and make sure any new threads/posts I do will be put into the right area. I'm new to this and still finding my way round the site.

 

No problem. We just like to help members get the best responses. ;D

 

An good tank cover is light difuser "Egg Crate" You can get a large sheet of it at Home Depot for aroun $10. You just cut it to fit on the tank. It gives you the benefits of an open tank, but is a cover to keep fish in that want to jump.

 

No escapists that way

 

Eggcrate works well, also something along the lines of bird netting that you would use to cover fruit bushes and such. Right that into a frame with glue or silicone and set it on top.

 

I would also suggest eggcrate as a top for the tank. Glass tops are nice but I've read that you can have heat issues in the tank with higher powered lights due to the lack of water evaporating off.
I didnt want to risk this and have to buy a chiller so I went with an open top for my 55 gallon but will be buying egg crate to cover it whenever I remember to go to Homedepot and buy it.

From what ive read online (gotta love sites like this and liveaquaria) you should be ok open top with the fish you mentioned but the clowns might carpet surf by accident.
The major jumpers in Saltwater are dartfish, wrasses and anthias. I think there might be more but those are what I can remember off the top of my head.

 

My clowns rarely go up to the surface. I don't think you'd need to worry about them. But I would add most gobies also a being jumpers from what I've read.

Oh and flame angels are also. Which is why I put some plastic drain guard stuff to the back of my tank where there was a 5" opening or so. It cost me like $4 from Home Depot. Why does it seem like we use a lot of stuff from there for our hobby??

 

My clowns only go to the surface when food hits the water. But I still wouldnt take the chance with them. Always better to be safe than sorry right?
Ah true - forgot about gobies. Maybe because I don't have one yet? Haha

Good to know about flame angels cause I plan on getting one for my 55 in a few months. Definitely will need some eggcrate for it then.
Homedepot is like the aquarium keepers goldmine. Eggcrate, drain guard, pvc pipe for QT tanks, plexiglass for sump baffles, etc etc etc. Now if only I can drag my lazy butt to drive over for some eggcrate and pvc pipe, I'll be set

 

My wrasse and royal gramma have not had a problem in an open top tank yet. Going on....4-6 months.

 

How does this work of you? I considering going this way for a couple month while I devise a plan to create a lip for a hood to rest on. Thanks in advance.

 

Depends on what species you keep I would imagine. You’re Obviously also going to lose more water to evaporation, but otherwise I know plenty of members on here run without lids and have no issues

 

Just angels and corys for right now. I'll be getting twig cat soon. Will tetras jump? I'll get a lid eventually.

 

I don't use a lid...
I haven't had issues ... maybe a few more top offs...
Any questions more specific about it?

 

What do you have in there? The tank sits on my kitchen counter. Do you think that anything could get in? It's about 23" off the counter. What light do you use?

 

What do you have in there? The tank sits on my kitchen counter. Do you think that anything could get in? It's about 23" off the counter. What light do you use?

Other than a cat or cooking oil I wouldn't be too worried about things getting in.

I have all kinds of stuff in this tank:
2 killI fish-
1 c pleco -xs RCS -
9 cardinals. 1 sprklers- 2 badis
1 mystery 1 cray. 3 goby-1Vamp shrimp 2 nerites.- 10 kuhlI loachs- 18 rasboras
3 sterbaI cories - 4 ghost shrimp -5 sidthmunkI loach -1 african dwarf frog -10 amano shrimp- 2 assassin snails. 3 tetras. 9 dwarf cories- 6 honey gouramies.

I use a current plus pro light..

I haven't kept Angel's before... so idk if they are jumpers ?

 

No thay aren't jumpers. thanks!

 

I ran open top with bettas, tetra, and Cory as well as N. Similis. It really depends on how much you wanna risk it

 

Well my plants are suffering with my current light. It will take a while to DIY a rI'm and get the hood. I just want to get the light now.

 

Well my plants are suffering with my current light. It will take a while to DIY a rI'm and get the hood. I just want to get the light now.

I use glass clip on the one tank I have, they slide on the glass lid and rest on the rI'm of the tank

 

Can I get a link and pics please! This might be what I'm looking for!

 

I’m currently at work but I bought mine from Home Depot, this website sells them but they’re a little pricey

UNS Rimless Tank Glass Lids

 

Have a look on amazon for aquarium lid supports, lots of different kinds

 

I’m currently at work but I bought mine from Home Depot, this website sells them but they’re a little pricey

UNS Rimless Tank Glass Lids

Thanks soooooooooo much. My tank is a 36 bow so maybe I could find some that don't come with a lid.

Have a look on amazon for aquarium lid supports, lots of different kinds

Ok, thanks coradee!

 

All of my tanks are open top. My floating plants weren't doing well with tops that came with my tanks so I just removed them. I have various tetras, corys and plecos. So far none have tried to escape.

 

All of my tanks are open top. My floating plants weren't doing well with tops that came with my tanks so I just removed them. I have various tetras, corys and plecos. So far none have tried to escape.

Thanks mattgirl

Do you think that it would be ok to only have supports on three sides? it is a bowfront so I don't think that I could do clips on the front.

 

Thanks mattgirl

Do you think that it would be ok to only have supports on three sides? it is a bowfront so I don't think that I could do clips on the front.

I really can't say. I've never had a bowfront nor ever even seen one in real life so don't know how they are supported.

 

Thanks mattgirl

Do you think that it would be ok to only have supports on three sides? it is a bowfront so I don't think that I could do clips on the front.

I’d try to do 2 on each side. 2 towards the front and 2 towards Th e back

 

I really can't say. I've never had a bowfront nor ever even seen one in real life so don't know how they are supported.

Thanks. That was really a question to everybody but thanks for answering.

I’d try to do 2 on each side. 2 towards the front and 2 towards Th e back

But it is a bowfront so I don't think that I could but clips on the front.


Here is this, looks good. What does the mm pertain to?

 

To those of you with open top tanks, do floating plants help water evaporation?

 

To those of you with open top tanks, do floating plants help water evaporation?

Yes, but they also allow for less oxygen to break at the surface

 

Ok so I calculated it. About $85 to re do everything and get a better light.

 

To those of you with open top tanks, do floating plants help water evaporation?

Not for me. I normally have to replace a gallon or more between water changes in my 55. I do a water change each week. I am sure I will have to replace even more than that once summer gets here though. Probably a couple of times a week. This is the first year all my tanks have been open top. I suspect the tanks will stay cooler than they usually do once it gets hot so that is another plus to no top. Heat should be able to escape easier but of course will add to the amount of evaporation.

 

Ok so I calculated it. About $85 to re do everything and get a better light.

That doesn't sound too bad, especially if that includes the lid itself.

Yes, but they also allow for less oxygen to break at the surface

I have air stones and such so that probably wouldn't be an issue, right? What kind of floaters do you have? And how much do they cover the surface?

Not for me. I normally have to replace a gallon or more between water changes in my 55. I do a water change each week. I am sure I will have to replace even more than that once summer gets here though. Probably a couple of times a week. This is the first year all my tanks have been open top. I suspect the tanks will stay cooler than they usually do once it gets hot so that is another plus to no top. Heat should be able to escape easier but of course will add to the amount of evaporation.

What kind of floaters do you have? And how much do they cover the surface?

I don't want to steal the thread, just curious about how topless tanks work...

 

That doesn't sound too bad, especially if that includes the lid itself.

yeah, not bad. Not cheap but not bad. That is including my gift card though.