Open Top Tank Osaka

[colin1325]

hi i have now seen fluaval osaka 340 tank it is open at the top with suspended lights what would be advantages and disadavtages of this tank compared to closed top model . the tank will be for tropical fish ??? and is 48 inches x 46 deep x 64 high I noticed that there seemed to be a lot of extra light inside literally because it is open also i then looked back at the closed lid tank and saw how much gloomier it looked inside even though it was lit

 

[jennybugs]

That's a nice tank

For me having an open top tank would mean I am fishing cat fur out of it all day

Seriously though, you'd need to check that the fish you put in it weren't jumpers like the hatchet fish and bettas etc. I don't know whether water will evaporate more with an open top tank?

 

[ktricky]

you could always use the glass sliders to stop that happening and still have it open top tho

 

[colin1325]

i was thinking of water evap. being a problem i just wondered if any one here hed a tank like this see link http/www.seapets.co.uk/view-products/category/1217.html

 

[Ian H]

water evap will be a problem, i have a small 5gal with no lid on and i need to top the water up every couple of days.

also you could get all sorts of larvae in there killing off your fish

 

[ktricky]

if you used a glass slider again the evap would not be as bad

 

[colin1325]

if you used a glass slider again the evap would not be as bad

maybe ill stick to a tank with a top
why do they make tanks like this if they will be a problem to maintain etcc

 

[Tobigara]

maybe for planted aquariums with wood popping out of the top?

 

[jennybugs]

I'd love a tank like that with wood and plants hanging out the top tbh, just like the one in the link, but it's just not practical for me and my situation.
The cats would get a shock when they tried to jump up on it too

I had a glass top on my Arc tank and a betta still managed to jump out I had to make a perspex top at work that leaves just a few mm gap all round. The evaporation is still quite high though. Nice looking little tank all the same and I just have to skim the fur off the top each evening

 

[evilchild]

all so you have to be careful when cleaning around the place, you don't want and thing like polish or any other sprays getting in your tank.

 

[Nim]

Some drawbacks of open top tank that I faced:
If room temp is cold (below 22c) then you will have horrendous evaporation. My 30 gallon used to lose about 1-2 liters of water every day.
To keep the aesthetics of open top all glass tank good, you will really need soft water to avoid calcium deposits around the frame that look much more pronounced then in a tank that has a frame.
If it is in a small room, the humidity and the slight smell of water can make the room unbearable
The best effect of open top is actually achieved IMO by single point source lights like Metak Halides or Mercury Vapour lamps. Fluoroscents wont provide the effect that you get to se ein pictures as there is a lot of surface reflection.
You are ofcourse limited to what fish you can keep as has already been pointed out.
Nim

 

[ollyhtafc]

I don't know where you're based but petsathome in the UK sell cheap sheets of thin plastic as evaporation lids.That's what i use, it looks cheap but its better than nothing and also cheaper than a lid.A happy medium.