Lighting/Glass top

5xevy

5xevy

Member #62,749
Jan 3, 2007
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Upstate, NY
I was just wondering...my LFS recommends me keeping the glass top off of the (reef) aquarium to get direct light. How much does this matter and is this what is normally done?

Thanks.
 
i always fee that a glass top reduces the ammount of oxygen transfer in a tank, you also have less evaporation with a glass lid..Oh, and it does effect the lights, as they are reduced as they go through the glass...

Just my opinion..

Niko
 
Thanks. I don't mind keeping the glass off, but I eventually want to get a firefish and a goby or two. I don't want to risk them jumping out. I was just wondering what others do.

Thanks again.
 
If you have, or going to have carpet surfers, then am afraid a cover is really the only option...Is there any like fine plastic mesh sheet stuff you could use? non-metalic of course?

the cover also depends on your lighting...If you have bih metal halides blasting down, it kinda rules out plastic or acrylic tops i think...

Niko
 
I have used the egg crate panels you get at Home Depot. The come in 2'x4' panels. The ones with the larger spaces work better and are easier to cut to fit.
 
Ditch the glass top. Surface agitation is a must and the glass top will become encrusted with salt residue. Further, the gas exchange will be greatly diminished with the top on. If you are worried about jumpers the egg crate idea sounds like a good one. What ever you use remember you will have to pull it off everytime you have to clean the glass or do other maintenance.
 
Tab64 said:
I have used the egg crate panels you get at Home Depot. The come in 2'x4' panels. The ones with the larger spaces work better and are easier to cut to fit.
Click to expand...

Actually, I went to Home Depot two days ago and asked for the egg crate panels (on the advice of a friend of mine)...customer service didn't know what I was talking about and I couldn't find them after wandering around a few minutes.

I'm not 100% sure what they look like but if it's what I'm picturing, aren't the spaces large enough for the fish to get through?

As far as maintenance- I don't pull my other tank's glass panels off too often. I mean I don't need to for water changes or to feed the fish. I only do it whenever I want to clean the actual glass or the very back of the tank.

I guess you're suggesting something like this:

http://www.plaskolite.com/c-lighting-panels.htm

?

And to answer someone's question, yes I have metal halides.
 
5xevy said:
Actually, I went to Home Depot two days ago and asked for the egg crate panels (on the advice of a friend of mine)...customer service didn't know what I was talking about and I couldn't find them after wandering around a few minutes.

I'm not 100% sure what they look like but if it's what I'm picturing, aren't the spaces large enough for the fish to get through?

As far as maintenance- I don't pull my other tank's glass panels off too often. I mean I don't need to for water changes or to feed the fish. I only do it whenever I want to clean the actual glass or the very back of the tank.

I guess you're suggesting something like this:

http://www.plaskolite.com/c-lighting-panels.htm

?

And to answer someone's question, yes I have metal halides.
Click to expand...

Yes it does not surprise me that they do not know by that name, most people who work there are not up on the common names of items. The item is found in the lighting department it is used for the long florescent lights that are placed in drop ceilings and they are the plastic panels that cover the fixture in the ceiling. If you can find the clear plastic sheets that are about 1/8" thick the egg crate are the ones that are maybe 3/8" thick with a checkerboard pattern and all the square are open like a honeycomb and the openings are maybe 3/8" square. They come in either a white plastic or a metallic plastic.
 
Last edited:
5xevy said:
Actually, I went to Home Depot two days ago and asked for the egg crate panels (on the advice of a friend of mine)...customer service didn't know what I was talking about and I couldn't find them after wandering around a few minutes.

I'm not 100% sure what they look like but if it's what I'm picturing, aren't the spaces large enough for the fish to get through?

As far as maintenance- I don't pull my other tank's glass panels off too often. I mean I don't need to for water changes or to feed the fish. I only do it whenever I want to clean the actual glass or the very back of the tank.

I guess you're suggesting something like this:

http://www.plaskolite.com/c-lighting-panels.htm

?

And to answer someone's question, yes I have metal halides.
Click to expand...

Regarding the egg crate panels, I work at Home Depot, the panels are in the Electrical Dept. with the flourecent light fixtures.
 
Tab64 said:
Yes it does not surprise me that they do not know by that name, most people who work there are not up on the common names of items. The item is found in the lighting department it is used for the long florescent lights that are placed in drop ceilings and they are the plastic panels that cover the fixture in the ceiling. If you can find the clear plastic sheets that are about 1/8" thick the egg crate are the ones that are maybe 3/8" thick with a checkerboard pattern and all the square are open like a honeycomb and the openings are maybe 3/8" square. They come in either a white plastic or a metallic plastic.
Click to expand...

Ahh, okay. I was also thinking of building something around the edges of the light.

chap said:
Regarding the egg crate panels, I work at Home Depot, the panels are in the Electrical Dept. with the flourecent light fixtures.
Click to expand...

Thank you. It's funny- they actually told me to go to Staples. :)
 
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