I've got gas heat so in the winter my house is dry as a bone. So, I've had an idea... I'm about ready to set up my first aquarium at 125 gal and I thought...what if I just left the top completely open (mounting the lighting on the wall behind it) and let the water evaporate to help out my house's relative humidity?

Is this something that's feasible (assuming I stock with non-jumpers, looking at cichlids)? Once I establish a healthy bacteria balance would having to replace 10-20 gal of water a week be ok? An idea might be to direct a fan at the water so evaporation would be accelerated. Or is this idea just haywire? What kind of stress would be put on the tank by replacing that much water every week?

Thanks

So this is a fish forum question?

leave the top on its fine, i have a 20 gal and a ten gal in the basement both at 80, and they leave dew on the windows in the am, its fine with the top on, with 125 gals and a heater with the top off you will be drowning your room... Also this might have been better slapped in the offtopic section...

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When you pay that cash or swipe that card you are making a bond with that animal that you will treat it with love and respect, and its needs will be met, first and foremost (unless you have kids...) I don't care if you have to eat ramen noodles or nothing at all to feed your cat dog fish rat whatever. That's the bond you made! Life is precious!

ZachZaf is right. I have a 55 Gal, with a full hood, in a 1000 square foot house and I had to turn off the humidifier. I'm surprised, or maybe I just haven't noticed, why the LFSs don't have condensation running down the wall in winter.

DLH

Actually the opposite question can be important. People with very large tank report mold problems from all the increased humidity. to the point where they have to install a vent to remove the humid air.

If you do leave the top open just use 1/4" square plastic grid egg crate lighting diffusers instead of a glass top. It will allow air/gass interchange and prevent jumpers.


my .02

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fw leiden since 1979, fo salt since 1979, mixed reef 55g 2002-2009. Strong emphasis on the tank taking care of itself. Balanced with plant life, no water changes, tap water, no filters in FW. Only dosing calcium, alk, mag in marine reef tanks. http://www.aquariumforum.com/f15/my-...ods-26410.html
recent tanks (till 2009) 7 years- 10g FW leiden 7 yrs, 55g mixed reef 7, 2 yrs, 20g FW leiden, 10 g fw leiden , 29g mixed reef, current tank 55g leiden