Glass top and metal screen for Rimless tank

Hi guys my starfire tanks ar being process as we speek and will be ready in 8 weeks. I have the option to have a custom made metal screen for the top if i ever get jumpers, and a glass top if i want to control my evaporation.

Fairely expensive, so i was wondering if anybody else with rimless tanks had those made and if they've ever used them?

Should i go for it?

 

You should have a top on the rimless. I would not worry about the glass Top unless the tank might be unattended more often than attended. That being said... I would have a very hard time paying a company to make something that is very easy to make yourself. I made a custom screen top for my tank and it took very little effort. I used parts from an old screen door we replaced and it looks great. Just took some dremel'ing and 10 mins of planning.

Best of luck to you! Enjoy your star fire rimless!

 

Glass will get salt creep built up fast and block light. Go with a screen top.

 

What kind of metal?

 

Yes, I'm wondering this too, wouldn't metal corrode with the saltwater? I think many have opted for a mesh screen top due to this.

 

Thank you all

Thanks guys for all your posts, i get most of what you're saying i also know about some of the facts you've put foreward. I'm aware of the oxygen restriction i would impose on the system, the light diffusion by the glass and salt. I've done a plastic mesh for thanks before, no problem.

A few points i'd like to emphasise on;

-Those items would be back up options if my dehumidifier and air exchanger had problems getting rid of excess humidity during the winter only( december to march), night time mostly ; i'm the only guy who had to use an ice scrapper indoors when i had my 65G

- Making a net for me is no problem on a conventional tank, on a rimless if i ever decide to get difficult fishes ; at the factory they have all the tools to make a professional job.

- I'll enquire with the manifacturer what i'll use to make the screen cover, before agreeing, metal like you said might be a bad idea, thanks for that precision... I would also monitor my oxygen level if i ever had to use the glass, which would only be a temporary measure during the - 40oF we get and the humidity couldn't be taken out with exchanger.

My question is essentially, would it be a good ideal to have both items made professionally if i need them in the future, not as a permanent fixture but as an option in a crisis or emergency, i guess thats what i was aiming at. Thank you all for your time.

 

Make a DIY BRS screen top.

 

I would think you would want the screen top to use all of the time to prevent any fish from jumping. As far as the glass top, I wouldn't use one because of the potential lowering of gas exchange in the system. Just my .02. I kind of understand your plight with the humidifier and such but not totally......

 

metal screen is not a very good idea... why get a rimless tank if you are putting a screen on it?

 

My thoughts exactly, I am setting up my tank next month and have no plans on a top