Glass top on Tanks

[Ramirezi]

I am building a new top for my tank and installing compact floresent lights in it. My question is do you need to put the glass between the lights and the water like store bought tops? What is the purpose of this glass?

 

[CAPSLOCK]

The glass prevents the moisture and condensation from getting into the lights. It also serves as a lid to prevent fish from jumping. I believe you need glass between it if you have a hood trapping the condensation. Otherwise, I've seen open top tanks, I think they just pull the lights up farther so they don't get all moisture-ridden.

 

[timisu87]

The Glass tops are cheap preventive measure from your electrical lighting being damaged. My dad makes glass tops for about 10 dollars a piece.

 

[Ramirezi]

my other tank (current tank) does not have a glass top I just wanted to do this next correctly. You said that if they are high enough away from the water...is 12" enough?

 

[Lotus]

We have a tank with a hood we built, and no glass hood. It works well, and the moisture isn't a problem with the amount of air room we have (about 12"). You should make sure you have holes in the hood for airflow through the hood, and possibly a fan later if you find the tank getting hot.

 

[fishbrain]

The Glass tops are cheap preventive measure from your electrical lighting being damaged. My dad makes glass tops for about 10 dollars a piece.

Just curious; how does he hinge them (that's assuming they open). I ask because I have a peice of plexi-glass that plan on cutting for a top my 44gal pentagon tank (I hate how little the current top accomadates!)

 

[PlecoCollector]

I've always thought as the tops being to protect the lighting from the moisture and from falling in. Most lights only have a few centimeters that they rest on and a good hit from the side could send them into the tank.
I guess it's different for everyone

 

[Ramirezi]

I guess that I would use the glass tops if I were balancing my lights on the edge of the tank but I screw them into a wooden cover above the tank. When I first started out with fish I used the glass tops that came with the light but they always seemed to get encrusted with deposits cutting down on light into the tank.