# How many of you planted tank warriors have a glass lid on your tank?



## PRIMESIX (Dec 20, 2011)

I was thinking of getting a glass lid on my tank. What are the pros and cons?


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## Boredomb (Feb 21, 2011)

I have a glass lid for all of my tanks. 55 gallon is all I have running right now but I love the glass lids. I have the ones that hinge in the middle so you can open just one side without having to take off the whole piece. Before I had the glass on. I have a solid piece of Plexiglas on the tank. It work good but to do anything in the tank I would have to take the lights off and then take the Plexiglas off. It was kinda pain. Glass lids with hinges are much better no need in having to take anything off to work in the tank (Well to a point).


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## zof (Apr 23, 2010)

Glass all the way if possible, the best part about glass is it helps controls evaporation if its a good fit, only con I can think of is its hard to modify if you need to add something in the tank.


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

This may be a silly question, but I'm rather inexperienced when it comes to plants in the aquarium. Do the glass lids allow for more light to reach the tank? I've noticed with my stock tank lids there is really only strong light directly under the light (possibly because that is the only spot that allows light into the tank). My water sprite isn't doing so hot as a result of this. Would a glass lid help this?


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

To the original question first, I feel there are several benefits to a cover, be it glass, hood or Plexiglas. Restricting water evaporation into the room (which can affect your walls and ceiling) and retaining water in the aquarium, maintaining a moist and warm air space above the water (some fish like anabantids, corys, etc will appreciate this and anabantids need it), keeping dust out of the tank (wiping off the top of the glass and light fixture regularly will show you just how much dust would have got in without the cover), and of course keeping fish in where they belong. Some fish will always jump out if not covered, but many fish that would not normally be considered likely to jump will from time to time, especially at night if startled by something.

To Izzy's question, not likely. After all, if raising the tank light fixture a couple of inches above the tank, directly, can impact the light entering the tank, you would need a lot of very bright light in the room before it would have any impact. I have the standard tank hoods with the light fixture over my 10g, 20g, 29g and 33g tanks because they came with them. My three larger tanks have glass canopy sets and then a dual-tube fluorescent fixture across the centre.

Byron.


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## Geomancer (Aug 23, 2010)

I have glass on my 125, and the black plastic hoods on the 20 and 10. The 125 looks to have better light distribution on the top, but it's also so much larger, and brighter lights too so... not really much grounds to compare.

I like the glass better though, gives you more options for lighting. Always that fear of breaking them though =o


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