glass cover on reef tank or not?

[frank10]

I'm in the early stages on my hood and I was wondering what the general consensus is on having a glass cover on the tank with lighting over the glass cover. This would protect the lights from humidity and reduce evaporation.

[nm354]

Don't use the glass. It will act like a thermos and trap the heat in. If you have a reef tank you are going to have to deal with evaporation no matter what.
What kind of lights are you using?

[areze]

not to mention that glass will be opaque with salt in about 3 seconds.

the evaporation is the main form of cooling for the tank, without it its like covering a pot of water to make it boil faster.

[frank10]

I have a used hood that has VHO flourescents on it. I plan on making a new hood with the existing lights and MH lights.

[areze]

you could seal the lights, thats no big deal, but Id keep that pane of glass atleast 10-12" off the water and allow for circulation under it, so the humidity can escape and the salt doesnt spray on the glass forcing you to have to clean it all the time.

plus, those dang glass tops are such a pane for getting into the tank for this or that.

[grimmjohn]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6372064#post6372064 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by frank10
I'm in the early stages on my hood and I was wondering what the general consensus is on having a glass cover on the tank with lighting over the glass cover. This would protect the lights from humidity and reduce evaporation.

Humidity hasn't been so much of an issue as salt spray, but glass is probably a not a good idea, you would evap from your sump anyway, plus the heat issue as has been mentioned...egg crate is a good option, it doesn't hurt the lighting, keeps your fish in, and you can still evap for cooling () : )

[frank10]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6372208#post6372208 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by areze
you could seal the lights, thats no big deal, but Id keep that pane of glass atleast 10-12" off the water and allow for circulation under it, so the humidity can escape and the salt doesnt spray on the glass forcing you to have to clean it all the time.

plus, those dang glass tops are such a pane for getting into the tank for this or that.

LOL

no glass cover for me then.

[stingers81]

eggcrate is a great idea....im going to try that on mine

[frank10]

I took a picture of the ballast from the existing hood.


Please click on the thumbnail for a larger image.

http://img492.imageshack.us/img492/9481/img53528wb.th.jpg (http://img492.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img53528wb.jpg)