Water level in tank

JMorris271 · 07/16/2015, 08:36 AM

Hi guys
When there is no cover on a tank, what should the water level be to prevent the jumpers from bailing overboard? I guess there needs to be a tradeoff between appearance and fish safety.

ShesEasy · 07/16/2015, 09:02 AM

I'm going to go out on a limb and say if you have jumpers....you need a cover.... I've seen wrasses do a 1' vault so....unless you want your watwrlevel next to non existent I'd say... Top top top lol

Good luck friend

thegrun · 07/16/2015, 09:59 AM

+1, even if you kept the water 6" below the rim you would still have problems. Nearly all fish can jump.

m0nkie · 07/16/2015, 11:45 AM

I've seen my goby jump from sandbed out to the floor.. over 2ft of water..

if you have jumping fish, specially gobies and wrasse, make a cover! no other way around it

and cover up the overflow

gone fishin · 07/16/2015, 11:47 AM

I am going to agree with the others.

ca1ore · 07/16/2015, 11:48 AM

Agree as well; plus if you're dealing with a RR tank, the ability to vary the waterline is marginal at best.

MondoBongo · 07/16/2015, 12:02 PM

i had a problem six line wrasse that i had to remove from my tank a while back. caught him in the main tank using a fish trap and temporarily transferred him over to my QT tank until i could get up to the fish store.

i used a net in QT to try to catch him, tank was too small for the fish trap i had. he got upset being chased by the net and took off like a missile out of the water.

he landed about 4 feet away from the tank, and this is true, right in the bucket i was going to use to take him to the fish store.

i was 1.) amazed he jumped so damn far, and 2.) incredibly impressed that he went right where i ultimately wanted him.

so yeah, a tight fitting screen top is an excellent idea. unless the tank is empty, a suitably motivated fish can catch some serious air.

nuxx · 07/16/2015, 04:53 PM

I wouldn't keep any fish without some sort of screen.

Seen too many "non-jumper" fish try to jump...

oldbones · 07/16/2015, 05:00 PM

My recent loss, although related to tank level, would only have been prevented by a lower level because that would have allowed my to fit my lid down inside the rim of the tank thus sealing up any gaps. The fish can jump higher than I think you want to cover with empty tank space.

07/16/2015, 08:36 AM	#1
JMorris271 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Foothills of SC Posts: 2,010	Water level in tank Hi guys When there is no cover on a tank, what should the water level be to prevent the jumpers from bailing overboard? I guess there needs to be a tradeoff between appearance and fish safety. __________________ 120 gal mixed tank. Lightly stocked now but....

07/16/2015, 11:45 AM	#4
m0nkie Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: LA Posts: 6,264	I've seen my goby jump from sandbed out to the floor.. over 2ft of water.. if you have jumping fish, specially gobies and wrasse, make a cover! no other way around it and cover up the overflow __________________ 560gal in the making

07/16/2015, 11:47 AM	#5
gone fishin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Wyocena Wi Posts: 6,936	I am going to agree with the others. __________________ Tony Current Tank Info: 180gal DT, BM NAC77 skimmer,3 Maxspect razors, Maxspect Gyre 150, 30g QT

07/16/2015, 11:48 AM	#6
ca1ore Grizzled & Cynical Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 17,319	Agree as well; plus if you're dealing with a RR tank, the ability to vary the waterline is marginal at best. __________________ Simon Got back into the hobby ..... planned to keep it simple ..... yeah, right ..... clearly I need a new plan! Pet peeve: anemones host clowns; clowns do not host anemones! Current Tank Info: 450 Reef; 120 refugium; 60 Frag Tank, 30 Introduction tank; multiple QTs

07/16/2015, 12:02 PM	#7
MondoBongo Obligate Feeder Obsessed Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 4,061	i had a problem six line wrasse that i had to remove from my tank a while back. caught him in the main tank using a fish trap and temporarily transferred him over to my QT tank until i could get up to the fish store. i used a net in QT to try to catch him, tank was too small for the fish trap i had. he got upset being chased by the net and took off like a missile out of the water. he landed about 4 feet away from the tank, and this is true, right in the bucket i was going to use to take him to the fish store. i was 1.) amazed he jumped so damn far, and 2.) incredibly impressed that he went right where i ultimately wanted him. so yeah, a tight fitting screen top is an excellent idea. unless the tank is empty, a suitably motivated fish can catch some serious air. __________________ [Citation Needed] "You don't use science to show that you're right, you use science to become right" - xkcd Current Tank Info: A rectangular shaped money pit.

07/16/2015, 09:02 AM	#2
ShesEasy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Canada Posts: 378	I'm going to go out on a limb and say if you have jumpers....you need a cover.... I've seen wrasses do a 1' vault so....unless you want your watwrlevel next to non existent I'd say... Top top top lol Good luck friend

07/16/2015, 09:59 AM	#3
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	+1, even if you kept the water 6" below the rim you would still have problems. Nearly all fish can jump.

07/16/2015, 04:53 PM	#8
nuxx RC Sponsor Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Austin, Tx Posts: 3,990	I wouldn't keep any fish without some sort of screen. Seen too many "non-jumper" fish try to jump... __________________ Peter TankStop - Fish and Coral 470G Display - Build Thread Current Tank Info: Retired - 470 Gallon Mixed Reef (120x29x31")

07/16/2015, 05:00 PM	#9
oldbones Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 940	My recent loss, although related to tank level, would only have been prevented by a lower level because that would have allowed my to fit my lid down inside the rim of the tank thus sealing up any gaps. The fish can jump higher than I think you want to cover with empty tank space.