Glass Tank Covers

[dankolle]

I am having a hard time keeping my glass clean above my tank. It just gets covered with salt every few days. I have single ended metal halide bulbs about 12" from the top of the water line and no jumping fish. Should I just take the covers off to give my creatures more light?

 

[little_fish]

Ya, you shouldnt have a solid top anyways. It will severely restrict gas exchange, limit the light for your corals and will make your tank run really hot.

If you do find you need a lid of some sort make a mesh one, there are several DIY about it in the DIY forum.

 

[AmberSunrise]

Yep I agree with LF take the whole thing off. If you have fish that jump make screen top.

 

[dankolle]

I removed them...lets see how things go! Definatley a lot more light in there

 

[Lizardgi]

To combat jumping fish, I made a custom fit screen top using window screen trim and bird netting. Check out this thread for more info: https://www.livingreefs.com/mesh-lid-t33983.html

 

[beeguiles]

But aren't you supposed to have something between the water and the light so the light doesn't get wet?

 

[dankolle]

I have single ended bulbs so I have read they have a protective coating over them...but I could be wrong!

 

[little_fish]

MH shouldnt be right above the tank, they should be at least 8 inches up

 

[dankolle]

Yeah mine are 12"

 

[Sir Alex]

Even if you don't have super jumper fish doesn't mean they can't and won't jump. I spent $20 making a screen lid out of screen frame from lowe's and 1/4" netting from bulk reef supply. And it wasn't hard. The hardest part was cutting through the metal framing with a dull saw. :12: