Glass Tops Vs. Open Top,

Which one's better? Pros and cons?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by 1gh7ijdl92ra7 on August 27, 2011 at 10:27pm

I personally like open top. The reason being is the light doesnt have to pass through glass and plants can grow out of the water.

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Permalink Reply by AsianKidOnTheBlock on August 27, 2011 at 10:29pm

Thats what I liked about open top too. I'm just scared there might be jumpers and the evaporation rate is faster.

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Permalink Reply by 2apes2gp667wr on August 28, 2011 at 9:14am

I agree with the open top for the reasons tommy c said. Just make sure you don't have fish that jump beforehand. Also I'm looking for a piece of driftwood that sticks partly out of the tank. I like that look and you can only get it with open top.

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Permalink Reply by AsianKidOnTheBlock on August 28, 2011 at 12:47pm

I really like open top too, but even if i don't get jumpers. What about the evaporation? How often do you have refill the tank?

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Permalink Reply by PaducahFishFan on August 28, 2011 at 11:42am

I've posted a few videos on this. Good question and it impacts your lighting choices. I went with a canopy and open water. My issue was all related to heat.

http://fishtanktv.com/video/removed-glass-top-new-t5ho-lights-tool-...

If you go with a glass top here is a great light choice. http://fishtanktv.com/video/aqueont5dual

This was a tank I had in the 80's with a glass top. http://fishtanktv.com/photo/fish-tank-1-007

With swords it's all about the substrate more than lighting. Same is true for a few other other plants.

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Permalink Reply by AsianKidOnTheBlock on August 28, 2011 at 12:50pm

Im thinking of getting a 30" T5HO from Fishneedit. And I might use the mounting legs to hold it 4 inches above water. So Im not sure if I should have open top or glass top. Do you have a high evaporation rate with an open top?

Wow. Those aqueon T5 Fixtures are cheap! Are they for T5HO or just T5. Also, why would i need a glass top if i got the Aqueon fixture?

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Permalink Reply by PaducahFishFan on August 28, 2011 at 1:00pm

I got it for about $90 at PetSmart. It was 48'' and had everything in the box. All metal and it got pretty warm. Loved the light and reflector though. It is ONLY a T5 but it puts out VERY good light and it will use 1/2 the electricity since it's not 54W.

Evaporation isn't really a problem since you should be doing water changes every week imho.

Ironically, it's decisions like this that make every tank more and more like a game of chess. There are a lot of small decisions that add up over time.

Here is a low tech tank with 3 36W bulbs and it's amazing. Water quality, substrate and water changes add up. Keeping it stable and having your lights on a timer is a must as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4F-kMtpJM4

Watch it in HD. ;-) Killer video and I've got nothing like it. It takes years to get a tank to look like that.

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Permalink Reply by AsianKidOnTheBlock on August 28, 2011 at 1:26pm

I only need a 30" light since I only have enough room for a 29 gallon. Im thinking of getting Dwarf Hair Grass carpet, Ludwigia, Java Ferns, Anubias, Some kind of moss, and Crypts. Do these need HO lights? Or would the Aqueon T5 work? I don't really want to do Co2 but I knew that I needed it with the T5HO fixture. And Im only in High School so $400 dollars for a Pressurized Co2 system isnt gonna work out. So, if I do choose HO Im gonna have to do DIY co2, or dose Excel

I do like the look of the open top, but If I do choose the Aqueon fixture why would i need a glass top? Could I use it without the glass top or no?

That tank looks awesome, and the whole tank's low tech?!

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Permalink Reply by PaducahFishFan on August 28, 2011 at 1:34pm

That tank is low tech but it took it a few years to get to that. ;-)

The Aqueon fixture is made to set on a glass top. All of the plants you stated will do fine in moderate light. So a T5 light will work for you.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=768+2136&...

Good luck!

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Permalink Reply by AsianKidOnTheBlock on August 28, 2011 at 1:41pm

Awesome! The 30" Aqueon fixture cost about the same for the T5HO from Fishneedit, so thats good. And now i dont have to constantly check on the pH and change the yeast mixture for DIY co2. Save me a lot of time.

Oh, if I have the Aqueon fixture on the glass top, will it heat up really quickly? I won't have a canopy. I watched your video and saw that it was rising pretty quickly. Was that cause you had a canopy?

Thanks for all the help!

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Permalink Reply by PaducahFishFan on August 28, 2011 at 1:06pm

One final comment. There was a REALLY good post on the old web site that didn't get moved over. :-(

It was about low tech versus high tech and the different problems you run into.

As you start to move to HO and VHO lighting you usually MUST go CO2 or you run into a very nasty algae problem. If I find a good link on that with details I'll post it. Just something to consider.

I would stay away from CO2 unless you can drop around $400 on a PH controlled system. Then you never have to worry about it. DIY CO2 systems are dangerous because you really need to turn them off at night or split into the tubing an air pump that kicks on when the lights kick off. Plants will not pull the CO2 out if they are not in light.