Proper Level Of Water

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Michaela521

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Do you gyes know this one. I was reading a article and it said to always have the water lower than the top of the tank inorder to allow the fish to breath up there. It really didn't state though how low I need the water to be inorder to provide this. I suppose inorder for the water to continually take in oxygen from the air there needs to be an adequate space inbetween the top of the tank and the water surface, I think. Don't know how much this distance should be though. Thanks
 
This is a new one on me, provide a link or author name if possible. I keep tanks anywhere from a couple of inches low, to filled to the rim with a diffuser panel across the top. Never seen any difference in my fish either way.
 
Well, I certainly have never heard of anyone keeping their water level above the top of the tank. :D No, but really, just eyeball it. Probably a .5 inch gap. About ish I guess should be fine.
 
I've gotten the water level above the top edge of the tank, but I couldn't get it to stay that way. I probably should have been paying more attention when filling. :lol:
 
I've gotten the water level above the top edge of the tank, but I couldn't get it to stay that way. I probably should have been paying more attention when filling. :lol:

Ha ha very funny Not above the top of the tank but level with the top of the tank, so the water is touching the top piece you have on the tank. Most have a top piece inorder to prevent fish from jumping out and also so the light fixture can be set on something. Here is the site though http://www.firsttankguide.net/waterchange.php It says this "Remember, there needs to be some space between the top of the water and the aquarium cover, because your fish rely on oxygen exchange at the surface of the water in order to be able to breathe."

I suppose in my last thread I wrote it wrong by writting "up there". I think that was misleading. Sorry
 
Its basically saying not to seal the tank.

You'll find some tanks have cross members in that people use to support sliding covers, and the side glass goes up above these cross members (I had a large reef tank in this style). If you were using condensation covers and supported these with the cross members, and then filled the tank to the leverl or above the cross members, you would be reducing the surface around fo the water as it would be in contact with the cover.....

Something like that anyway.....
 
The main reason that I am asking this though is cause I think I have overstocked the tank some so the more water in there the better. The tank I have know really isn't that big at 36 gallons. every half an inch makes a big difference to me. Thanks
 
However that article seems to think that the decorations in a tank are an integral part of biological filtration and cleaning them can hae a detrimental effect on the tank.

It also talks about algae eating catfish for "additional cleanliness". They obviously have never seen the defecaeting attributes of a large pleco then...

So long as you aren't sealing the aquarium there will be oxygen in the air above the water. So long as there is adequate surface agitation (from powerhead or filter outlet) then you should be fine. I have never heard of anyone having oxygen troubles in their tank as a result of overfilling.
 

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