Glass Top

[lt34]

I have a Glass Top on my tank and if it is closed, the tank increases to 82 degrees, open stays between 78 to 80. I have two Clown, Two Wrasses, and Two Firefish so I'm worried they would jump out. Someone mention using an eggcrate. One, what is an eggcrate (in the medical field it is a foam matress) and if it is vented, wouldn't the saltwater get on the lights? Thanks for any input.

Barry

[a2fire2i]

Barry,
I am using egg create on my tank, and just a little bit of salt creep gets on the light. However, the lights i have, have the acrylic cover on them, so it never really gets on the lights per say.

You can find the white and silver at home depot or lowes. Also, depending on the size you need, I may have some left over that will work. Let me know the demensions you are looking for.


http://mlinimpexp.wordpress.com/files/2006/03/plastic_eggcrate.gif

[myakkareef]

Barry, I would worry about the wrasses most. I run my tank open top and have lost a few fish to carpet surfing. Egg Crate is like cxorey showed, it is the lighting grid material. You can get it at H.D. The black is pretty nice looking. There are also people using a clear flexible material, looks like egg crate but it is thin and is a screening material. But with this you need to build a frame of some sort.
Do you have a canopy on your tank? If you do then you can make up some side walls to prevent jumpers and you will not need any top at all.
But I would advise removing the glass tops due to heat and the interference with lighting...
Let us know if you need more help, I am sure some one here can give you a hand.
I will be gone all next week, be back on Mondaythe following week.

[Agu]

I personally dislike eggcrate as a tank top.

The glare of the light reflecting off the eggcrate is ugly and obnoxious.

Small fish (like firefish) can go right through eggcrate.


Do you have a sump on this tank ? Or other methods of air exchange besides having an open top ?

[lookout888]

I have a canopy and screened in the whole back so nothing can jump out. Nothing has escaped (except for jumping on my glass brace in the center and frying). The egg creates also block some light, especially if you are going to have some light loving corals. You could probably build a canopy for not that much.

You could even use screen and a wood frame (that would fit on the lip of your tank). Have the screen go over the lights (sort of like the fancy beds). That way you don’t block the light, keep fish in, and air can still get trough. (I would not lay the screen on the lights but use something to keep it off so it does not melt.


Mike

[lt34]

Agu,

I have the wet/dry megaflow with the bioballs under the tank. My tank is a reef ready AGA. With the glass closed it stays at 82, is that to high?

[Agu]

With the fish you have I'd leave the glass tops on the tank, 82 isn't too hot at all.

With the sump you're getting enough gas exchange. It's not like you're sealing off the tank from oxygen. BTW, if you need additional cooling a fan aimed into the stand will take care of that.

I know this goes against common theory but jumping fish can get pretty expensive. I ran a covered 180 for several years after losing too many fish to jumping.


Disclaimer, I was consistant about cleaning the top glass. If you won't do thar regularly don't have glass tops.

[lt34]

Thanks, is all the bubbling from the protein skimmer also adding to oxygenation? Still trying to learn the right level. I got the Coralife superskimmer 125g.

[Agu]

There's a question if the skimmer oxygenates the tank. I think it does because there's an air/water interface, but not everybody agrees.

Eric Borneman wrote a series of articles about tanks need to breathe,

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/eb/index.php

[lt34]

Nice article. Can't wait to read the next one. Thanks

[myakkareef]

I never have run the glass tops even whne I had a canopy. I have a thing against maintenance items abd I think the tops would need cleaned almost daily. But then again I did just have a loss due to a jumper. I believe that if you have a canopy there are other ways to protect against jumpers. If you are open top with pendant lighting it is very difficult to find something that blends in. This has merit though.
http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=888670&highlight=plastic+mesh

I did not read the link, but I do not see how a skimmer does "not" oxygenate the water, I mean it is pulling so much air in unless every bubble makes it out the riser.
JMHO

[ladyfsu]

This is an interesting thread to me. I'm having the same issues exactly.

We converted our 55 to reef back in March. Everything was fine for 2 months until I got an easy to use digital thermometer (dang...ignorance was so much easier). My tank was at 84!!! There is a ceiling fan above the tank, so if i turn it on and take off the glass lids, it stays between 77-79.

However...I am not an avid glass top cleaner. I have a firefish, a clown that never leaves his anemone, and a jawfish. I've had them for 6 months and firefish doesn't jump. Today I am getting 4 new fish (wOOOt! let's see what gets killed :( :( ). I'm worried my firefish will become a jumper like 2 others I had long ago.

SO...we had the same filter as you except instead of bioballs...thread type stuff. We removed that yesterday and today we are also adding a refugium, light AND a fan underneath. I'm hoping the fan will bring the temperature down in the tank.

I'll tell you how it works. I'm no where close to going out and spending so much $$ on a chiller...so if this doesn't work...I'll sadly take my chances on the firefish.

[myakkareef]

Laine fans work real well, just keep an eye on them because they tend to suck up the salt mist and need cleaning every now and again....If you don't they will start to bog down and cause excessive load...

[lt34]

I think we will look at getting a Canopy and screen across the back and install exhaust fans on the ends to pull the air across the top. Then I won't have to worry about the tops.

[stevemc]

If you use a canopy, you will be happier with an enclosed canopy, with just a fan pushing air in, and an exhaust hole on the other end for exhaust. These can be screened. If you have too big of an opening or the whole back is open, it wont cool well. That is why pendants or open back canopies heat up the tank. Unless you have a fan blowing across well, they heat up the water. Oh yes, you must insulate the top too, or it will be a heat sink, and heat up. I use Celotex 1/2" foam with foil covering. Glue on with liquid nails, and seal the joints with aluminum foil duct tape- the shiny kind. Do the whole top inside. This reflects light back, and also doesnt allow heat to stay in the top, it all gets pushed out. Good luck. It34 I work at Sarasota Fire Dept Sta -3 out at St Armands 20 + years now. I met one of your rookies down in the Keys last week- Chris who has 1 1/2 years on. Steve.