To Cover or Not to Cover

[Dr. K]

Hi All:

I am taking the plunge and starting my own Opae Ula tank. It is 2.5 gallons in size and has a tightly fitting glass lid. It will not have a filter. I am somewhat concerned about gas exchange. Should I keep the lid or ditch it? I would love to hear from anyone with a similar setup. Thanks!

[Dr. K]

I think my question may be answered in an earlier post, "Iwagumi Low Profile Opaeula Tank Setup". Seems like I should be OK to use the cover. Sorry to retread something that is already posted. Thanks!

[hardware_failure]

My setup is covered and its VERY tight. Not quite air/water tight but very close.

Just keep in mind that if you keep your water level too close to the lid, you will likely get a ton of salt creep.

[mcdaney]

It's a good idea to cover your tank as it is filterless.
You won't want to see dust or fur (if you have a pet cat/dog) on the water surface and floating around in the water .

Welcome to the hobby!

[Dr. K]

Thanks for the feedback. This is my first foray into a shrimp only tank but I have kept fish of various types for many years.

I am surprised about the mention of salt creep. I kept a saltwater tank years ago and dealt with it there but I would not have expected it on a small filterless tank. I will keep and eye on the water level and see what works to prevent it.

My order of macro algae shows up today...let the cycling begin!

[Flippers]

It's a good idea to cover your tank as it is filterless.
You won't want to see dust or fur (if you have a pet cat/dog) on the water surface and floating around in the water .

Welcome to the hobby!

I have a cat. Will his hair harm the Opae Ulas? I have covers and weights on all of my fish tanks and I just ordered my first Opae Ulas... His hair gets into all of my tanks since he sits on them but none of my fishies have ever been harmed. I understand that Opae Ulas are very different than aquatic fish, so I wanted to double check before they arrive!

[Mustafa]

Excessive cat hair would simply be unsightly. It may cause long term problems as hair doesn't biodegrade immediately or quickly in general. I'd cover the tank.