Top or topless that is the question...

[MC Lighting]

Ok so as many know I have a 180, 90 and 26 with 2 -40g sumps all tied together into one system since adding the dehumidifier I am evaportating over 4 gallons of water per day from the 1 before. I have added a glass versatop to the 26 gallon since I lost a wrasse to jumping thrugh the egg crate. Now I am starting to wonder if I should consider glass tops for the 180 not only is the 180 noisy but it is where a lot of the evaporation is occuring. What kind of loss of air exchange benefits would I be loosing or if any. Also what kind of light defredation would I be loosing with the glass tops? Thanks for any input on this.

 

[MC Lighting]

wow no opinions on this I am shocked...

 

[dnjan]

Personally, I would think that a glass top on a 180 would be too big/cumbersome to clean. Admittedly, you aren't as lazy as I am, but it still would need to be cleaned.

Given your combined tank volume, I wouldn't consider 4 gal/day to be excessive. And that evaporation is providing cooling. Since you have a handle on the excess humidity problem with the dehumidifier, I wouldn't go with glass tops on the tanks. Sumps perhaps (smaller, and not as critical as to cleaning), but not the 180.

One question - are you getting so much evaporative cooling that your heaters are running a lot?

 

[DonW]

4 gallons per day isnt mich at all especially for all those tanks combined. I would not put tops on them. I evap more than that on my little tank, the cooling benefits are a big plus along with the gas exchange of the open top.

Don

 

[mfinn]

Glass tops have a tendency to get dirty pretty fast, accumulate salt, which will block light. I don't have any numbers to support it. but it is obvious. You pay good money for your lights, so you want every bit possible.
Also the glass tops will trap heat.
So I'd say no to the glass tops.

 

[plack]

Leave as is. Don is right I agree !

 

[vinny2261]

With your light system I do not believe you are supposed to run glass tops....

 

[MC Lighting]

alright sounds good it was just a thought I already thought about the trapped heat but I do have a ton of other open air space for heat exchange its not that I think that 4 gallons is excessive so much as it has doubled since adding the dehumidifier thats all... Thanks for everyones opinion on this.

 

[burning2nd]

topless..... wide open...

gas exchange... and as don said cooling.

 

[burning2nd]

dehumidifier= lower humidy= more evap...


whats the humidity in the room

 

[RockyHeap]

I lose about 1-1.5 gallons a day from my 135 with semi-closed top. I've recently added several power heads highly agitating the surface of the tank, and have noticed my evaporation highly elevated.

 

[schigara]

Any solid top sucks, glass or acrylic.............let the tanks breathe.

The greater the evaporation, the more kalk can be injected.

 

[Jobiwan]

A good skimmer should give you all the gas exchange you need, the biggest drawback to a top IMO is degradation of lighting no matter how often you clean them...As Mr. Mackie would say, "Tops are bad....."

 

[reeftank1]

I ran into a CO2 problem with this a while ago on a big tank and the key that Boomer recommended was to get the outside air feeding the skimmer intake. My PH has been raised .2 with no other changes. From what I have "read" the gas exchange is important in a tight house. HTH