New to Saltwater, in need of advice/opinions

I wouldn't use a cover it will restrict air flow and you need that air flow.

 

Ditto. It can impede the CO2/O2 exchange. You can then end up with increased concentration of CO2 in your tank, which can lead to carbonic acid build up, which can lead to pH drop.

 

Thanks for all the info. I am glad to hear it is good to gor without a cover. It just looks so much better IMO.

 

The rimless thing you mentioned has me a bit concerned. Did you remove the plastic rim from around the top of a glass tank? They look great but that is for support and on larger tanks, the 55 gallon I had, is absolutely critical.

 

It is the top plastic rim, however it does not serve as any sort of support to the tank. My tank is only a 29 gallon. on most tanks of this size it actually just sits down on the rim and is typically just secured with a few spots of silicone in each corner. For almost any tank i have had in the past (freshwater) i have removed the original rim and replaced it with a clear'low profile' version just for looks. I was planning on the same with this new salt tank, but i decided i liked the rimless look much better.

I understand the concerns about support, but if this piece was actually meant for support...well lets just say it wouldn't do a good job to begin wit

At one poine i had a really great freshwater tank with a similar set up that i had with a sort of overflowing action. It was rimless and overfilled. The water was circulated into the tank from a 3o gallon holding tank below and actually overflowed over the rim and then down the glass and behind a rim around the bottom and back to the holding tank. It looked great.

I won't be doing that with this tank, but the rimless look is just a lot cleaner IMO. My main concern about going rimless was that i wouldn't have a cover, but it looks like that's all for the best.

 

To each there own. I like the look of rimless tanks better my self and got the look without the worry using acrylic, after a bit of a fiasco with a glass tank.

The plastic is there for a reason and I gaurantee that manufacturers would cut it out if they didnt think it was needed to save on cost and provide a better looking tank. It probably wont be an issue on a 29 gallon but with my luck probably would end up all over my living room floor.