# Using a lid/cover - does this inhibit anything?



## Andy D (17 Oct 2013)

Hi All,

Just a random thought today. On just about every tank I see on here no-one has a cover or lid on their tank. Is this just an aesthetics thing or does a lid/cover cause problems. 

I have a 30 litre nano that is my first foray into a 'proper' planted set-up which has a glass cover and I just wondered whether it is necessary to remove it?


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## Iain Sutherland (17 Oct 2013)

purely aesthetical andy, i have a glass lid on mine as it stops most jumpers and reduces the evaporation by about 90% which becomes even more important during winter months when evaporation is high.  If people are coming to visit i take it off as looking in from the top does add a different perspective.

The down side being i used to dip my hands in the tank every time i saw something i didnt like now it has to wait until water change day unless its important... that and keeping them watermark free is a bit of a pain.


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## Andy D (17 Oct 2013)

Thanks Iain.

That watermark is a pain!


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## Trevor Pleco (17 Oct 2013)

Good question, often wondered the same. I now have two simple perspex cover panels on top of my 760l which I take off during the day if I remember, but they are mainly to stop heat loss on the surface at night.. as our local electricity rates have gone through the roof. If I leave it on I can't see much drop in light with the powerful ATIs above, but guess I need to check properly with a par meter, which I don't have.. .


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## GreenNeedle (18 Oct 2013)

aesthetics AND even clean glass reduces PAR substantially.  I once saw a PAR test on flouros over a marine tank and the PAR was virtually halved with the glass covers on!!!  They weren't crystal clear of course but by no way dirty.  Even evaporation leaves a layer of droplets on the underside.

Unfortunately with a 2 year old in the house I made my own DIY acrylic covers.  Wet children's hands is the least of my concerns there


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## Trevor Pleco (18 Oct 2013)

I presume the ATI plexiglass cover is designed not to do this..? The plexiglass covers I made up for the tank are exactly the same brand unless there are special more transparent grades ?


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## Tim Harrison (18 Oct 2013)

What Ian said...so just your view and ease of maintenance, and lower PAR obviously but I can just lower my light to compensate. For me the pros outweigh the cons...I got fed up with picking dehydrated husks of the floor, so I use one on my high-energy tank...especially at night which seems to drastically cut down on escapees.


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## Trevor Pleco (18 Oct 2013)

what type of fish are jumping, presume your water level is also high ?


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## roadmaster (18 Oct 2013)

I like the open top tank's but I too lose too many fishes this way.
What types of fishes jump from my tank's?? those that can.


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## dw1305 (18 Oct 2013)

Hi all,


Trevor Pleco said:


> what type of fish are jumping, presume your water level is also high ?


 I have some form of lid or cover on all the tanks and floating plants, but as well as shrimps I've had _Apistogramma_ juveniles, Pencil fish (_N. marginatus_), Killies (Rocket Killi (_Epiplatys annulatus_), Norman's Lamp-eye (_Poropanchax normani_)), Marbled Hatchet (_Carnegiella straigata_) and my champion jumper the Splash "Tetra" _Copella arnoldi, _alljump_. _

If you want to keep _Epiplatys annulatus_ or _Copella arnoldi, _you need a lid that fits pretty tightly. A lower water level works for Killi's, but for _Copella _you need at least 15cm of space as they leap a long way towards the light when spawning.

cheers Darrel


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