Lid/Canopy for Aquarium

[F355GTB]

Hi everyone, I was wondering what is most commonly used for the top of the aquarium, one of those glass, hinged lids or egg crate? I have a MH & PC pendant for the aquarium I am in the process of setting up and want to know if egg crate will cast any shadows or not allow enough light through to the tank. Thanks for any input!

John

 

[Scooterman]

One day I'm going to have to take a photo of my top!
I got eggcrate from HD and I sat in a chair over a basket & cut out the centers of each square, leaving room for light to shine through & still enough to keep fish inside! With eggcrate like it is, I saw lots of light being blocked.

 

[wooddood]

alot of people use egg crate with no problems,mine is topless now but i might be using it soon.i found 1 of my barred gobys thats been missing on the floor behind my tank yesterday.hth.

 

[Icebox]

Most of the tanks I haev seen only have the canopy sitting on top of the edges of the tank. there is nothing seperating the water from the bulbs. for this reason you want to make sure that there is 4-6 inches between the water and VHO lamps and closer to 8 inches for MH bulbs.

Eggcrate will hlp keep fish in. Not sure if it would cast shadows, but it will keep light from going diagonally, and will therefore make the corners darker.

 

[F355GTB]

Thanks for the reply. I really don't want to keep it open & I don't want a fish to get out either. I will use the eggcrate.

John

 

[F355GTB]

Thanks Icebox. I really don't like the idea of it being completely open, but I also want as much light to get in as possible... Hmm this is a dilemma.

 

[Scooterman]

Originally posted by Icebox
. Not sure if it would cast shadows, but it will keep light from going diagonally, and will therefore make the corners darker.

Not so true if you cut the crate like I said.

 

[Icebox]

i lost a sandsifting goby at one point through my hood. I had left 3 inches in the back for Misc pipes, cords... Well he found his way through it. who would have thought that a sand sifting fish was a jumper. My plans for my second hood was to build a bit more of a lip and make sure that the hood enclosed the whole tank. An opening of a tank could be modified velcroing or glueing a piece of plastic onto the hood and connecting it to the tank which should keep any jumpers from getting out.

Anythought on a suicide hotline? Maybe that would keep any fish who is thinking about it from jumping?

 

[F355GTB]

Not sure if I follow you Scooterman... after you cut out the centers, did it just make the squares larger? If that's what you mean, then I understand & it makes perfect sense. Thanks for all of your help!

John

 

[Icebox]

Hey scooterman,

When you cut it did you just make the holes go longways. So you have big long rectangles going the length of the tank?


If you do not modify it in some way it would effect your light. With modifications you can get it to minimize the neg effect.

 

[Scooterman]

Every Wrasse I've had at one time or another Jumped!
Even through the cut eggcrate it has happened once but it still works for the most part! Usually fish jump when frightened like something at night wakes them.

 

[Icebox]

Originally posted by Scooterman
Usually fish jump when frightened like something at night wakes them.

Interesting... Thanks for the info.

All I knew was that I had him and then I did not. 3 weeks later I found him while I was cleaning.

 

[Scooterman]

Like this

 

[F355GTB]

Gotcha... I figured that's what you meant... looks like I have some work to do

 

[Scooterman]

Autocad helps asides work sometimes lol!

Light will be to some degree blocked but I spent time checking it out & the little I saw wasn't enough to not use it. Now if I had a higher lip all around, then yes I'd take it off. I usually leave the hood open all day when I'm not there, helps cool things down!

 

[F355GTB]

Thanks for all the help... here's a pic of what I'm working with right now. Any suggstions are welcome

 

[Icebox]

Thanks for the diagram scooterman. that makes sense. Bet you spent some time cutting the middles out of that.

 

[Scooterman]

Yes & Yes!

Put some water in that there Tank, and don't look Back!\ JK
Take your time and plan it well, once full of water it is so much harder to make changes!

Yes I watched TV while cutting it out but it paid off because I wanted the most light through it. Use wire cutters if you have some, the kind that have cutters all the way to the end like scissors!

 

[Scooterman]

Oh BTW, that is a very Nice looking tank!

 

[F355GTB]

Thank you Scooterman... I appreciate it... I can't wait to get it up & running. Only problem is the front glass panels have scratches on them (I got the tank from a relative). I would like to replace the panels, but don't know if it would be better to just buy a new tank. Have you ever replaced glass on an aquarium?

Thanks again!
John