Do you have a glass top on your tank?

[ntvflgirl]

Why or why not? I've been keeping the glass on my tank, and just found out not many do that. Something about the nitrates being released into the air....someone clear this up for me please...and I will definately be looking forward to your answer, Broomer

 

[slick]

Well I don't have them on mine for a few reasons. First and most important. HEAT My lights put out a lot of light and if I keep mine on the temp would get to hot. Second they are a pain in the butt to work around if you have to get into the tank.

 

[ntvflgirl]

Excuse me for being a dip, but what holds up your lights? Mine are less than nothing right now, but "Santa" is bringing me new ones
p.s. I don't have a hood either...yet.

 

[ntvflgirl]

So, nothing about "gas exchange"...nothing chemical...nothing EXCITING??!!! Darn.

 

[majakarot]

glass lids are usually open enough in the back to allow gas exchange, but if they were relatively air-tight you would build up toxic gasses- i use glass lids, but i only have 160watts of flourescent lighting so heat isn't an issue

 

[tangtang]

Hope an acrylic lid is ok... I am trying to keep my cats out of the tank! <smile>

 

[ekclark]

If you do get a glass canopy--do not just put any old glass on it. I was at the store buying playground sand and had the bright idea to have some glass cut to fit over my tank. I was so impressed with how much money I saved, but I did end up paying for it. A week later I slid it off to move some rock around and it broke under its own weight in my bare hands. It was an bloody trip to the hospital and my hands were useless for a week or two. Spend the money and get the properly treated glass. I still have scars if you'd like to see them

 

[ntvflgirl]

My goodness. I hope this doesn't sound insensitive, because I feel so bad for you, but did you get any glass in the tank?

 

[ekclark]

Yeah, some fell in, but i fished it a few days later. There was blood in the water, which may have helped my cycle Everything is out of their now.

 

[ekclark]

I meant out of there. Sorry, I was an english major.

 

[ntvflgirl]

You have that problem, too...lol? (with correct english, I mean.)

 

[iechy]

We all learn that lesson pretty quickly in this hobby don't we. Try to save a few bucks here and pay twice as much down the road. That really sucks(the glass, not he english) OK, well maybe both

 

[oceanjumper]

W/o cover:
- more light
- better gas/heat exchange
- looks better (IMO)
With cover
- very small risk fish jumping out
- less evaporation
- safer in case kids (or cats) are tempted to stick their fingers in the tank
- keeps dust out
I opted for no cover.

 

[robn70]

No glass on mine either. Better heat exchange without it and one less thing to clean all the time. May ceiling grid egg crate to keep jumpers in. not that anyone has jumped yet.

 

[lectrik]

are you talking about versa tops glass covers?
my tank is 48 inches and i have a versa top I put my custom sealife pc lights over it. If i were to take the versa top away and have it with no cover just the canopy how can I fix my lights so they they may not fall into the tank by accident?

 

[jim672]

I don't know what a versa top is. But.....I took my glass top off a year or so ago because I wanted the better gas exchange and, as someone else mentioned, it was something else to clean. I still wanted my lights protected from splashing so I built three-sides of a ( l___l ) rectangle out of 2"x4''s and stained it to match my stand. That keeps my lights about 5" above the water level. The lights cover pretty much all of the tank top so, except for the open back, I don't have to worry about "stuff" in the water that I don't want there.
Jim

 

[robn70]

My lights are also mounted on the underside of my hood about 4 - 5 inches above the water. Have a 3x96watt pc retro kit. Do get alittle salt creep on them that i have to remove when cleaning algae off of glass. Still better than having to remove top to wash it evey week.