George Farmer helps one of our readers who's getting into aquascaping but is concerned about potential issues of evaporation and fish jumping out of the tank.
I currently have a Juwel Rekord 60 aquarium but I’m looking to upgrade to a larger tank with an open top. I am getting into aquascaping and want the clean look of a rimless aquarium, glass lily pipes and suchlike.
My concerns with having an open-topped tank are mainly evaporation – and possibly damp in the room it's in. However, I also worry about the risk of jumping fish. Are these things I need to concerned about?
ALEX BURGESS
Related article: 5 easy and beautiful stem plants for your aquascape.
George's advice on open-top aquariums:
Great to hear you're getting into aquascaping more seriously! Open-top (rimless) aquariums with glass lily pipes are indeed the preferred choice among aquascapers. They have a clean, minimal aesthetic that keeps the focus on the aquascape itself rather than the equipment.
You’re right to consider evaporation and the risk of jumping fish though. In my experience with over 20 years of keeping open-topped tanks, I’ve never had issues with damp from evaporation. It typically only becomes a problem if you have several large tanks in a small, poorly ventilated space. Most living areas will be perfectly fine a reasonable rimless aquarium.
Tai Strietman's aquascape at PFK's social event at Aquarium Gardens
Top tip
When replacing water that has evaporated, use pure reverse osmosis water to avoid the mineral content of your water creeping up. Only water evaporates, leaving everything that was dissolved in it, behind!
Related article: Our favourite tanks for beginner aquascaping.
How to prevent fish jumping from an open-top fish tank
Fish choice is key. Most species won’t jump if they feel secure. To help with this, consider using lighting that gradually ramps up and down to avoid startling them. Also, try to position the aquarium away from busy walkways, as sudden movement can spook fish into jumping.
Marbled hatchet fish are known jumpers and are not suitable for open-top tank Photo by Shutterstock.
Species that are known jumpers include larger rasboras, hatchetfish, danios, and rainbowfish, although good planting and cover can reduce this risk significantly. Many fishkeepers have success using floating plants to help reduce the risk of fish jumping, so perhaps incorporate these into the aquascape, too.
Good luck with the new set-up. Remember, you can share your scape photos with us for a chance to feature in the magazine!
George Farmer built a beautiful aquascape in a rimless aquarium in our editors home. You can check it out here for inspiration.
