[trogdor]

My long awaited ADA 90h just arrived today. I was setting it up, and I noticed that it came with a bunch of metal hooks for a lid, which I had not thought to order. I like the glass rimless look, which is why I went for the ADA, so I'd have to get a glass lid. Any thoughts on if this is necessary? If I don't get one, will my future cardinal tetras and angels jump out? If I do get one, will There be enough gas exchange? I'll be supplementing with CO2, but I didn't have any other plans for extra oxygenation.

Also, the garden mat is about an inch too large in each direction. Any tips for how to trim this so that it looks nice?

Thanks!

 

[klibs]

lids suck just go open-top

fish may occasionally jump out but whatever

 

[ichy]

corys will launch themselves when they come up to gulp air!

 

[latchdan]

I would worry more on the angels eating the cardinals.

 

[trogdor]

Aqadvisor suggested that neon tetras might become food for the angelfish, but didn't show any similar conflict with cardinals. I guessed that their slightly larger size would make them less of a target than neons. Has anyone had contrary experience?

 

[Doogy262]

Aqadvisor suggested that neon tetras might become food for the angelfish, but didn't show any similar conflict with cardinals. I guessed that their slightly larger size would make them less of a target than neons. Has anyone had contrary experience?

Iv'e kept both with some pretty large angels with no problem ad most angels are used to and accept flake and pellet food.just keep them fed and I second Nordic open top on all my tanks.

 

[trogdor]

Great, thanks for the replies everyone. This community's been a huge help towards getting things started.

 

[rick dale]

Lid

No Lid. Lids are a pain.

 

[Willcooper]

No one has problems with no lids and young kids? I'm dying to go lidless but my kids are tooooo nuts

 

[RyRob]

No problems with my kids (5&3) and I have 3 open top tanks. A 3g bowfront, 7.5g cube, and a rimmed 26g bowfront. The two smaller ones are in my kitchen and out of the way and the 26 is in my living room. IME, if your kids are going to screw with your tanks a lid isn't going to stop them but it does prevent stuff from getting in them easily, jumping fish, evaporation, and it protects your lights from water exposure. They also have the potential to diminish light that the plants need. If you have harder water it will cover the lid with calcium deposits when the water on it eventually does evaporate also adding one more thing to your maintenance schedual.

I've never had issues dealing with lids when I use them, it's just part of the game If you choose to play it that way. If you have a large area to cover (I see you have a 90H) and you are concerned about your kids, a big sheet of Lexan would be virtually indestructible but for an 18"x36" sheet it would be 50-100 bucks depending on thickness and location (im in MI). An 18x36 sheet of non-tempered glass would run you about 10-15 bucks and you may have to smooth down sharp edges. Keep in mind that if you go this route, you might have to get a larger piece and cut to fit.

As for your oversized garden mat, place your tank on it and use a razor blade to trim the excess mat flush with the tank creating a perfect fit.

 

[thejoe]

You know what would be interesting, Checking the par with and without a lid.

 

[RyRob]

That would be interesting. My water is very hard out of the tap. The last water report I seen said the tds was ~1100 in my town. That's why I don't use lids anymore. Calcium builds up on them very quickly for me and I've always been curious to how much light it is diffusing. Now I just wipe down my lights (finnex leds) every few days to keep up on the build up. I've had less salt deposits in my 7.5g fowlr cube with distilled water and instant ocean salt mix than I do with my 26g planted using tap and ferts.

At any rate, it's just another variable that determines tank stability and plant health. Numbers and data to obsess over that are unique to everyone's tanks.

 

[Calestus]

No Lid. Lids are a pain.

Truth.

roud: No lids.

 

[GraphicGr8s]

I prefer lids on my tanks. I'm working on making lids for all the tanks in the fish house. Humidity is killing me out there.
I don't have to worry about the kid just the cat. He tries to go fishing in my lower tanks even with the lids.

 

[Seattle_Aquarist]

You know what would be interesting, Checking the par with and without a lid.

Hi thejoe,

I responded to a similar question on another forum. GSAS has a PAR meter so I used it to do some quantitative measurements on the subject of PAR and glass tops or open top. The results were interesting.

I used my standard 30 gallon (36" length) with an 2X36 watt (6700K) AH Supply kit over a Aqueon Versa-Top. With new bulbs in the fixture and no glass top the PAR = 110; with "dirty"* Versa-Top in place PAR = 96; with cleaned Versa-Top in place PAR = 101. All readings were taken at the substrate level about 13 inches below the fixture.

dirty* = lots of dried water spots on top, condensation; dust

So in answer to your question it does block light; a dirty* glass top reduces light by about 13%; a clean glass top reduces it by about 8%.....not a much as some might think.

30 gal w/Versa-Top and AH Supply DIY 2X36 watt

 

[RyRob]

You know what would be interesting, Checking the par with and without a lid.

The results were interesting.

I used my standard 30 gallon (36" length) with an 2X36 watt (6700K) AH Supply kit over a Aqueon Versa-Top. With new bulbs in the fixture and no glass top the PAR = 110; with "dirty"* Versa-Top in place PAR = 96; with cleaned Versa-Top in place PAR = 101. All readings were taken at the substrate level about 13 inches below the fixture.

dirty* = lots of dried water spots on top, condensation; dust

So in answer to your question it does block light; a dirty* glass top reduces light by about 13%; a clean glass top reduces it by about 8%.....not a much as some might think.

30 gal w/Versa-Top and AH Supply DIY 2X36 watt

Great information there, thanks! That's a pretty significant drop in par relative to distance, light quality, and amount of dirt*. The equipment used worked well for the data. Considering most tanks aren't running AH Supply lights (light quality), are taller (distance - through personal research I've found ~17" to be the average light-substrate distance), and most likely lack a proper routine preventative maintenance schedule (amount of dirt*), one could expect a greater par reduction due to a dirty lid while trying to achieve the same results in growing plants without a lid. It all comes down to personal preference/needs and maintenance habbits. I imagine it would effect ground cover plants in deeper tanks the most along with light hungry plants in any tank.

I might be over thinking it a bit but I bet it contributes to more issues than we think. I suppose you could probably compare a dirty lid to fluorescent bulbs over an open top that need to be replaced, par wise.

 

[megatrev62]

I use lids and always have. I have sliding glass on my 90 gallon. Actually two sets, so rotate them Always clean and fresh. Ended up with two sets of glass for cheap. When I do maintenance I don't have to clean the lid right then and there. Just exchange it, and clean the other lid when I feel like it. Lol (lazy eh). I don't want the fish to jump and keeps evaporation down. The biggest reason for sure would be my lights which are affixed to my wooden canopy. The LED'S would be exposed to splashing etc (heat sinks screwed to the wood)......a definite no no. Lots of gas exchange at the surface also.