Top for tank....

[tskinner]

Thinking of adding a goby/jawfish to my tank but I know these guys like to jump.  What do you guys recommend for a top?  Should I go glass or just use egg crate cut to fit the top?  Would glass affect evaporation and would it affect heat in the tank?  Thanks. Any suggestions appreciated?  If egg crate, where I can I buy this stuff?

[Darth]

Eggcrate you can get at any lighting ceiling tile store ie home depot, rona

I have heard glass covers can help with evaporation, but I would worry about especially if you are using halides. I would make sure you have fans running accross it

jmo

[tskinner]

I'm running 4x24Watt T5HO on the tank.  I had to set up a fan to blow across it already to get the temp around 78-79.  As for evaporation, I add 1 cup RODI water at lunch every day.  Keeps salinty around 1.0245 - 1.025.  Would the tank still evaporate with a glass top or would the fresh water from the evap just go back into the tank?  I think I might just go with egg crate and keep up on my daily top up.

[yellowtang]

From My Own experience....I would rather use Clear plexiglass.
and here are the reason.
I once had custom made glass tops,but since I run dual 250 watts
they cracked with in a month,even with fans running during the whole
time the light were on and lights being about 12 inches off glass.
I now have egg crate covering my tank,however evaporation takes almost
2 gallons of water a day.
Since you run T5s which run way less hotter than MH a good Clear plexiglass
would work,considering you can cut holes and openings to run powerhead wires
heaters and so on.
The next step for me to stop all that water loss is to get plexiglass it might fade with time
but at least I will somewhat stop water loss or any off my fish from jumping out.
IMO......Iam sure there are other possitive ideas from other members.
cheers

[jpuncher]

When I had a 55G tank, I used two glass tops that I purchased at PetSmart. They were rather inexpensive and helped cut back the evaporation. These tops came in three folding sections, two glass and one hard plastic that could be cut to allow wires and hang-ons access to the tank. I had a wrasse that liked to jump and kept him the tank. My Coralife CF lights did not have any issue getting through them.

[328iGuy]

I just got a custom pine top made for my 30G SW setup, and he did a plexy top that opens.  Its fantastic, and to makes things tougher it was for a bowfront which I couldn't find a wood top to buy ANYWHERE.

If anyone wants/needs a custom wood top made, let me know and I can send out his details.  Highly recommended.

[sniggir]

just remember that if ya are gonna put any type of lid glass or plexi... and it is not a fish only system you will have to be very diligent with keeping it clean so that you can have proper light penetration.