Anyone have a open top aquarium?

sChArF · 12-02-2002, 8:27 PM

Any one out there runing a open top planted tank?
like
http://www.tropica.com/article.asp?t...aristic&id=259
i would love to see more pics or tips you have.
this is the kind of setup i am seting up these dayz.

TonyMuffTana · 12-02-2002, 8:41 PM

I wouldn't recommend it. I had a 2" gap in the front and back of my tank. Once in a while I'd find a dried up shrimp somewhere in the house. If there's any chasing between fish there's a good chance they may try jumping out as well.

sChArF · 12-02-2002, 8:45 PM

It is mostly just for the plants. But you due have to chose your spices of fish right and make sure they are not stressed.
I am going with discus

Anton Wernher · 12-02-2002, 9:12 PM

sChArF,
I am starting the process of setting up an open top tank myself. I am planning on a 30 gallon acrylic tank. I am in the process of creating the stand and light supports (so that they do not have to be hung from the ceiling). I'll post pics once I get it up and running(but you will probably be done before myself..soo). My biggest problem is going to be locating a 36 inch acyrlic tank. Anyway don't know why I replied as I can not provide you with pics... but hey. Be sure to post pics of your setup once you get it going

TonyMuffTana · 12-02-2002, 9:26 PM

another thing to remember is water loss. I found that even with a small gap, there was enough evaporation that I needed to replace the water ever 4 days.

sChArF · 12-02-2002, 9:28 PM

Nice Anton Wernher,
Thanks for replying. Don’t forget to post your pics as well.
I really love the open top it really adds a 3rd type of effect.

my goal is to have flowering plants growing out of the water.

It will be a while before I get this setup. $$$ constraints. i am using my 130gal. i want to use 100% onyx sand in the bottom. But it will cost like $300. So I am kicking around the idea of getting like 8 bags for $200 and doing the rest with pea gravel from the hardware store.

And I am building a new stand for my tank. This weekend, if everything goes well.
I also have to bleach the H*** out of it. Due to a little Fish dieing issues i had in this tank. I throw everything at it

you can see pics of my tank befor It hit the fan here
http://arofanatics.com/members/scharf/

somefinnfishy · 12-02-2002, 10:32 PM

My work sells black sand in 20lb bags for $9.99.
10 bags would give you at least 3" in a standard 18x72 footprint

sChArF · 12-02-2002, 10:43 PM

What is your work?

aljen · 12-02-2002, 10:54 PM

Here's my desktop 18 gal Tall open canopy set up. I have 2x 13 watt and 1x38 watt compact flourescent bulbs over the planted tank. Yes, evaporation occurs more rapidly. Is it a problem? No. Just do regular water changes more frequently than you would with a covered top set up. How frequently depends on relative humidity, ambient temperature, surface agitation, among other factors.

http://alsace0.tripod.com/fishphotos/index.html

Note: This picture was taken Aug 2001. The tank has more plants today.

The Gipper · 12-03-2002, 8:27 AM

I have had a 58 gal with open top for the last two years. I am in the process of selling it and setting up a 120 gal the same way. Should have the 120 up and running by the end of this month. Just waiting on the carpenter to finish the custom stand.

I have been buying equipment and supplies piece-meal for the last 10 months for this tank as I had $$ available:

- 100% Onyx Sand for substrate
- Gas CO2, Tom Barr reactor(from when he was making and selling them earlier this year)
- Two 175w Metal Halide pendents with electronic ballasts for lighting from Champion Lighting
- A DIY wet-dry (as per Tom Barr's plans and suggestion) out of rubbermaid trash cans and containers, and using an Amiracle overflow prefilter. I had a wet-dry on a 125 gallon tank about 10 years ago and it worked great - no surface scum, no concern about adding additional fish to the tank. Back then it did cause me to run CO2 at a slightly higher level, but CO2 is cheap. With my new design I don't expect CO2 usage to be that much more significant with my wet-dry over the use of a canister.

I may add a 6 inch "rim" around the top, matching the oak stand, to cut down on the light spillage and glare into the room from the MH lighting, don't know about that yet.

From running open top on my 58, yes I lose about an inch of water per week in the winter when the heat is running. Plant tanks with CO2 and lighting are high maintenance anyway, so its not like alot of extra work to top off the tank. I notice no rise in humidity in the room, or mold on windows, etc, like reported in your link. The extra humidity (if there is any) would actually be a plus in the winter. Yes you do have to avoid jumping fish, that just goes with the territory and is not a big deal for me. The rim, if I go with it, though, would probably aid considerably on this.