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Open vs closed top

5K views 26 replies 22 participants last post by  Lucubration 
#1 ·
I've always run a closed top tank, but I'm thinking trying an open top, for no reason other than I'm tired of cleaning the glass lids. I really don't have any jumpers, so I'm not concerned about that. Any advantages other than helping my laziness, although that will be offset by top offs.

Thanks!
 
#6 ·
You may go through more CO2 with an open top. I have always had jumpers, so I always felt better knowing they weren't going anywhere. Besides, if you have kids, The covers my protect your tank from the inadvertent nerf bullet or an "accidental" peanut butter and jelly crisis.
 
#7 ·
I prefer open top because it encourages me to actually stick my arm in and do maintenance. For some reason, having a lid in the way makes it seem like more of a job, but without one it's like: "Oh, I'll just pinch off the tops of these plants real quick ... and move that one over a bit ... and clean the prefilter ... and clean the rest of the filter ... and scrub off some algae ..." You get the idea.
 
#8 ·
I keep large and expensive fish so jumping is not part of my thinking. I have to control them as well as splashing. For me closed tops create too much heat and do make a lot of work. Grubby glass is not very nice to see. Open tops with canopies open at the back to let heat out. Then to hold the fish I form a fence of light diffuser (aka eggcrate)
 
#9 ·
I too find that tops increase the heat too much. I might throw them back on in winter. I have frogbit as well so that encourages them to stay in the tank.
 
#11 ·
I have custom Lexan polycarbonate lids (husband cut) on a few tanks with jumpers and the quarantine tank. But I have 2 shrimp/snail picos and a 20g long riparium that are lidless. I hate cleaning the lids, but I hate loosing fish more (they are on tanks that have had jumpers in the past, due to other fish harassment or possibly pet attack). The ones without lids I had to take extra measures to make sure the monster furballs known as 'cats' in the house cannot jump up onto the respective stand/table and get a free drink or meal.
 
#12 ·
I have only had one tank with any sort of top but I actually just used a critter cage top for that.

The obvious downside for an open top is jumpers. The other is evaporation.

The upside is easy maintenance and seeing your plants from the top. You also get a small amount more light as well.

Given that I have done almost entirely open top, I am going to say it's the way to go but I have lost an entire tank of fish to jumpers as well. Keeping the water level low does help greatly, however.
 
#13 · (Edited)
I don't use them anymore because I've found IMO they're more of an annoyance than anything. I don't care for them. I don't like how every time you go and take the top off, water always runs off it and all over the floor from condensation. And how you always have to clean it. And it seems like the tank looks lit up a lot better without one.

Only problem is how without a glass canopy, the tank loses water quickly. That and some fish jump, though I've personally never had any jump out. I thought about trying a simple plexiglass cut out top. cheap and simple.
 
#14 ·
There are pros and cons. Personally, I do both styles depending on what I keep in the tank.

My 75 and 10 are close toped because amano shrimp and bichirs...I'd rather not have them on the floor dead.

My 5.5 is open top, I do grow small floaters and plan on letting them grow thick, but the fish I have (bumble bee gobie and green neon) are not really jumpers. My mom's spec V I want to keep open top as well, take advantage of the whole rimless thing.
 
#21 ·
I had a neon jump out one night while everyone was asleep. My daughter found him on the floor when she was doing her daily fish count before school. I also had a diamond jump one evening while I was sitting next to the tank reading. Fortunately, I heard him hit the floor and was able to get to him before the dogs. He's still doing fine several months later. After the second incident I put a glass top on, but took it off after a few weeks. I got tired of having to slide my lights back to open the lid in order to feed.
 
#22 ·
I had a glass top on my 10g, but now I don't. All the cons on glass tops applied.

I am really liking the idea of building say a 4" high eggcrate wall that sits on top of the tank. Maybe wouldn't even need 4"... I had a female betta jump and it was hard to take. My six X-rays, or Pristellas, are doing fine.

The one big con is evaporation. I think I'm getting 2-1/2 gallons a week, if that's possible.
 
#23 ·
I've been thinking about getting two of those critter cage tops for mine, as I have a bichir and will soon be getting a fire eel as well. I hesitate for the many reasons mentioned, and wonder if I could get frogbit or some other floater and see if that stops them, as Beast (my bichir) has jumped before. Thoughts?
 
#24 ·
I actually had this issue with my new 55. Because of the light's feet and the fact I lashed two driftwood branches to the center brace I couldn't use any kind of glass tops. I found out reefers often use window framing and various types of mesh (BRS sells the stuff I used) to build custom made fitted frames.

It works extremely well. No glass for build up and the small, plastic netting keeps your fishies in.
 
#27 ·
I've got both. I only run open tops when I need to have plants or equipment sticking out the top of the tank so that I can't actually put a top on there. I prefer not having evaporation messing with my tank parameters, I avoid splashy airstones, and there is not enough condensation to really require any regular cleaning the tank lids.
 
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