Open vs closed top

[rkmayphd]

I have a 46gal fowlr. I run a Fluval 305 and have a powerhead. Combined, these two provide about 12x/hour water flow. All levels have tested fine (tested them at home and confirmed by good LFS). My live stock includes
2 false percs,
1 foxface
1 toby puffer
12 small hermits
All that being said, my question is this- Does it matter whether the top of the tank remains closed or open?
Thanks!

 

[jam1e]

well .. during feeding the fish might get too excited and jump out of the tank .. I've had my tank for about 8 months without a top and one of my chromis jumped out while I was at work one day .. I came home to a dried, curled up chip of a fish lying on the ground ... so sometimes they'll jump out even when they're not eating .. I don't think any of those fish you have there would even think about jumping out of the tank though .. if you got other fish like some damsels I would get a little more worried ..

 

[bluelagoon]

i don't have a lid on my tank.. helps so it doesn't get too hot. i have two ocellaris in mine, they have both been just fine so far.

 

[jam1e]

oh yeah .. that's another thing I forgot to mention .. lids store a lot of heat

 

[ophiura]

What is your pH?
There are three, maybe 4, primary things that lids do, IMO:
Cons:
Retain heat in the tank (resulting in high temps)
Limit gas exchange/circulation (resulting in low pH)
Pros:
Keeps salt creep from forming on lights
Keeps things from jumping out.
If the tank is running fine as is, then leave it be, IMO.
If you are having problems with any of the "cons" then reconsider. It is easy to use eggcrate to cover the top to prevent things jumping out. Avoiding the salt creep ends up being, IMO, one of the only real benefits to glass tops.

 

[hardcrab67]

I'm considering egg crate for a lid. It will keep ventalation going and protect the jumpers. The only problem I've experienced was when my velvet damsel turned aggressive( They grow quickly), he chased a six-lined wrasse and a kole tang out of the tank. Since I have removed the velvet, I haven't had any problems. 55gal reef w/ 2 pink bar anthias, 2 citrus gobies, sailfin tang(after I lost the kole),yellow-tailed damsel, and a scooter blenny.