[Tattooedlife]

What are the pro's and con's of a open top tank? Besides the extra amount of evaporation.

[zhenya]

Originally Posted by Tattooedlife

What are the pro's and con's of a open top tank? Besides the extra amount of evaporation.

The only con's I could think of is that you probably won't be able to keep some species of fish that are notorious jumpers.Like some wrasses and firefish,for example. I have both of my tanks with open tops and like it a lot,extra evaporation is not a bad thing

[chet-tonja]

I used to have an open top and I didn't like the extra dust that seemed to accumulate on top of the water. You also have to worry about jumpers.

[Minh Nguyen]

Pro:
Lots of evaborration and decrease heat. I put a fan on it to increase evaboration. Reef tank can get very hot without some form of cooling.
More evaboration means mor Kalk addition to increase Ca and Alkalinity
Good air exchange.

Con:
Fidh can jump out of tank. Can't think of another one.

[dattack]

So long as you don't have pets or children, an open top makes life easier in terms of rearranging corals and looking down at the tank too.

The only problem is that if you are running MH's, your kids would need some sunglasses.

[Poseidon]

Pro: Evaporation, if you are using Kalk.

Con: Evaporation, if you are not using Kalk.

Con: Fishies taking a leap!!

Like the others thats all I can really come up with. But it is possible to use "egg crate" on the top to keep the fish in!

[miareefer]

There are numerous pro's and con's but without a doubt the best thing about not having a canopy on the top of the tank is the ease of working on the tank like rearranging rockwork and general maintenance like cleaning glass.over the years ive lost a lot of fish like the time i decided to buy a colony of decora gobies within 3 months all 6 had jumped and i recently lost a clarki clown that did the hurdle.Also something that must be taken into consideration is if you are going to suspend them of your ceiling you are more then likely going to have to reinforce your ceiling joists to accomadate the extra weight . My lights have two 250 watt ballasts fitted inside my hood and i had to get up into the roof and place a few extra joists to suit .
Hope this helps
Mia

[Tattooedlife]

Originally Posted by Poseidon

Pro: Evaporation, if you are using Kalk.

Con: Evaporation, if you are not using Kalk.

Con: Fishies taking a leap!!

Like the others thats all I can really come up with. But it is possible to use "egg crate" on the top to keep the fish in!

Where can I get egg crate? That would be my best bet. We have a cat, but it never gets around the tank. I have a Yellow Tang, Goldstripe Maroon, and a cardinal, don't realy expect for them to be doing any hurdle jumping. But you never know. So the egg crate sounds like a good way to go. I use Coral-Vital and Reef Calcium.

[Minh Nguyen]

Originally Posted by Tattooedlife

Where can I get egg crate? That would be my best bet. We have a cat, but it never gets around the tank. I have a Yellow Tang, Goldstripe Maroon, and a cardinal, don't realy expect for them to be doing any hurdle jumping. But you never know. So the egg crate sounds like a good way to go. I use Coral-Vital and Reef Calcium.

Certain species of fish are likely to jump. If you don't keep these fish, there is no need to cover your tank.
Minh

[zhenya]

Eggcrate can be found in any Home Depot or the elecrical supply houses.
Also,if you have Lowe's in the area they have those as well.
I have two cats in the house and one of them used to sleep on the glass top when I had one,after I removed it he decided to jump up there and fell half way into the tank and the only thing that saved his sorry butt is the big glass center brace You don't find him near the tank anymore

[Tattooedlife]

Originally Posted by zhenya

Eggcrate can be found in any Home Depot or the elecrical supply houses.
Also,if you have Lowe's in the area they have those as well.
I have two cats in the house and one of them used to sleep on the glass top when I had one,after I removed it he decided to jump up there and fell half way into the tank and the only thing that saved his sorry butt is the big glass center brace You don't find him near the tank anymore

Our cat is 17Lbs. so I hope he never gets to curious. That might be messy. What part of Lowes would I find the egg crate.

[zhenya]

Originally Posted by Tattooedlife

Our cat is 17Lbs. so I hope he never gets to curious. That might be messy. What part of Lowes would I find the egg crate.

Usually where they sell ceiling tiles or the fluorescent lighting that are used in suspended ceilings.
17lbs. cat..that is a small dog already My cats are 10 and 6 pounds respectively(male and a female).One is a mut and female is a Persian,I never saw a Persian cat this small,I probably got a runt.

[Poseidon]

Yup the egg crate is about 10 bux. and it is back near the ceiling tile. Make sure to look at your tank with and with out. Sometimes you can see a difference in the lighting, depending on WHAT lighting you have.

[Tattooedlife]

Ok I got my 260w Coralife pc's for my 55 yesterday. They have the acrylic cover over the lights. Is it ok to go with a open top on these. I've got the legs that set them up about 2 1/2 off of tank. If needed I will buy the glass top for my tank, but a open tank would make things alot easier.

[Poseidon]

yup you will be fine with that cover and an open top tank... Just be concerned with the fishies taking a leap!!!

[Tattooedlife]

Originally Posted by Poseidon

yup you will be fine with that cover and an open top tank... Just be concerned with the fishies taking a leap!!!

I wasn't for sure if the lights being exposed to the water would do any damage to them or not. The only fish I currently have is a Maroon Clown and A banji cardinal. Thanks.

[Poseidon]

just make sure to leace the Acrylic cover on and you will be fine.... Just clean it occasionally!!

[Tattooedlife]

Originally Posted by Poseidon

just make sure to leace the Acrylic cover on and you will be fine.... Just clean it occasionally!!

I've got it set up now. No cover just the lights with the legs on. Even took out the power heads and cleaned them, its nice not having a top, so much easier. And oh yeah I'm going to leace the Acrylic cover on, oops I mean leave it on.