Mesh Aquarium Lids

After setting up their tank many reefers find themselves asking “do I need a lid for my tank?”  While there are pros and cons to adding a lid, many reefers find that the advantages outweigh the drawbacks and choose to add a lid to their aquarium.  For hobbyists who add a lid to their tank the clear choice is a mesh lid.  Mesh offers significant advantages over polycarbonate lids, such as improved gas exchange, better heat dissipation and the fact that they will not collect condensation or turn yellow over time. To make things as simple as possible, Reef Casa offers  pre-assembled mesh aquarium lids that will fit snugly on your Studio 12 aquarium while still looking great.

So what are some benefits to adding a lid to your aquarium?  First and foremost, lids keep your fishy friends in the tank and furry friends, such as cats, out of the tank.  While not all fish are known to be jumpers, if you are planning on keeping nano tank classics such as dartfish, basslets or certain types of blennies, a tight fitting lid is a must have item.  A lid will also keep invertebrates such as snails from climbing out of the tank and exploring the floor of your living room.  In addition to keeping pets’ paws (or children’s hands) out of the tank, a lid will also dramatically reduce the amount of dust, hair etc. that enters your tank.  A mesh lid will also help to reduce the amount of water lost due to evaporation, which means you will have to fill up your ATO reservoir less often.

So if lids can help keep your fish in the tank where they belong and unwanted things out of the tank, why don’t all reefers have them?  Are there any drawbacks to a tank with a lid?  Apart from aesthetic reasons, which are highly subjective, the two most commonly citied reasons for not using a lid are reduced PAR and salt buildup.  Fortunately, both of these problems have easy solutions.  While it is true that a mesh lid will reduce the intensity of the lighting, this can easily be solved by turning up the lighting intensity about 10%.  Since very few reefers run their lights at full intensity on a nano tank this is an easy fix.  It is also inevitable that salt will build up on the mesh, but a quick rinse of the lid on water change day will easily remove any buildup.

While some reefers choose to go lidless on their tanks, a lid offers a simple and practical way to keep your fish safe and reduce water evaporation.  If you have any questions about whether or not a lid is a good choice for your Reef Casa aquarium please reach out to us, we are happy to help.  Happy Reefing!