# All Glass vs Screen Top



## UmbraSprite (Mar 2, 2007)

So people seem to have pretty strong preferences on all glass enclosures vs those with full or partial screen tops. I have both in my collection and can say without a doubt I prefer the screen. I noticed someone make a comment the other day about how Exo-terra and Zoo-Med enclosures weren't made with frogs in mind due to screen tops.

I find full glass enclosures hold too much moisture and are prone to algae growth on the glass walls and lids. They also cause substrate and plant breakdown much faster. My screen tops require misting...say weekly by hand although they also do allow me to use automated misting which would keep full glass enclosures way to wet.

I have been doing this for a while and also have had the opportunity to visit some of the habitats in the wild and can honestly say that we drastically over estimate the humidity needs of our frogs. Take pumilio for instance. They often live in elevated areas or on islands where the ground (where they spend most of their time) is covered with leaves and dried plant material. Additionally the breezes at higher elevations and near the Caribbean dry things out nicely between the rain showers.

So my questions are these:

Which do you prefer and why? 

How often do you mist? Automated? Drains in tank?

What difficulties/advantages to you find with one method vs the other? (please keep this to actual personal experience)

Thanks!


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## rompida (Mar 15, 2004)

I prefer a half glass/half screen top. (I make my own). 

Most of the commercial screen tops I see or have tried aren't a very tight fit, and may be prone to escapes. Glass tops are more secure, but I agree they are too humid and probably create conditions that would encourage bacterial infections in our frogs.


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## tkromer (Dec 20, 2007)

I made one that is acrylic with a small screen opening above the front glass, I think it's the best of both worlds.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

People try to maximize the humidity as this them maximizes the activity pattern of the frogs. I tend to use screen lids and leave a couple inch gap all the way around them (at home). At work, I simply lay some plexi over most of the lid and spray or mist the tank. (I can also hose the floors down there a luxury I don't have at home. 

Ed


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## crb_22601 (Jan 12, 2006)

With the zoomed tanks and exo terra tanks, are the screens at the top fruitfly proof?


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## flyangler18 (Oct 26, 2007)

I prefer screen tops as well, and mist as necessary to keep humidity at acceptable levels. 

Jason


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## insularexotics (May 3, 2005)

I actually use aquarium hoods on a lot of my tanks. But I modify them by cutting out areas along the lid and back with my dremel. Then I glue or silicone the fine fruitfly-proof mesh over the inside of the holes. Gives good ventilation without compromising flyproofing. And I can always cover some holes if I want to bump up the humidity. Only downside is having all those bulbs to replace instead of fewer big bulbs.


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## Dancing frogs (Feb 20, 2004)

I have one tank that I built that has a small screen section 2/3 of the way up the back wall (idea came from a Marc Staniszewski book) and another similar sized up towards the front.
The tank is on a misting system, but always seems "dry" even though there is still some algae that grows on the walls near the bottom of the tank.
I also have to say the environment seems quite natural, and the pair+ of imitator in there are doing great and breeding like rats.


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## FrognWy (Apr 5, 2008)

Quick question for those of you using screen tops, what is the avg humidity in your house, and outside of your house? I live in Wyoming, and there is NO moisture in the air, except on the rare rainy day. I am talking I will get up and check my gauge that sits in my house, and the Lo will record 0% humidity. On one of my vivs, if I even leave it cracked for a day, (no frogs housed) the humidity in it will plummet in a matter of hours(and this is the one with a false bottom and water feature), but I have also noticed if I leave it closed up too long, some of my plants don't look too happy. It is so dry where I live, that I can watch the water level in my false bottom get lower and lower...now the vert with no false bottom or water feature I leave closed up, but I think I need to come up with a ventilation/fan setup for it

So I continue to try to find a happy medium where I am not going to dry my little guys out when they are housed in there, but also keep my plants from going all mushy on me.


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## UmbraSprite (Mar 2, 2007)

I find the exo-top fly proof. The doors however are not. People have come up with several ad hoc solutions for the doors. 

I should have some demo tanks available at NACC which will try out several designs. I am not sure I will have any for sale at the show (space is short in the truck!) but be taking orders. I welcome everyones input as I can have these made any way you like.

Please stop by and give me your thoughts and opinions on these enclosures.

Thanks,

Chris


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## shockingelk (May 14, 2008)

FrognWy said:


> Quick question for those of you using screen tops, what is the avg humidity in your house, and outside of your house?


I'm wondering this too. 80% humidity under a screen wouldn't surprise me with a screen in FL or GA; AZ an other thing.

Plus, having 20 screened tanks in a small room would raise ambient humidity considerably but put one of those in a livingroom with gas heat in n Feb ...


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## divingne1 (Mar 21, 2008)

The humidity in my house in GA is 38%. With all glass tops my humidity stays above 90% (gauge doesn't read past 90%). The glass always has condensation and fog on it. With the new tank that I am putting together now, I will use a small amount of screen on the back where the plastic sliding pieces usually go on a glass top. I am not real sure that will be enough ventilation for the plants but I am going to give it a shot and see. If not, I'll make a different top and use more screen area.

Candy


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## flyangler18 (Oct 26, 2007)

Humidity in my basement fluctuates according to season, ranging about 30% in the winter and swinging into the mid 80s during the summer. It's about 70% down there now (I just fed the newts and salamanders). I can adjust the degree of ventilation on the tanks to compensate for the humidity in the amphibian room. More coverage in the winter, less in the late spring/summer. Temperature fluctuates a bit too, so the frogs aren't in a constant state of reproduction.


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## rmelancon (Apr 5, 2004)

I prefer as much ventilation as possible for many reasons. I do like the option of closing things up a bit to increase humidity on occasion. The humidity in my frog room is around 35% in winter and up to 50% or slighlty more in summer. Most of my tanks have full mesh tops and the ones without have fans that come on once or twice a day to dry things out a bit. I tend to keep an inch or so of water in the tanks and the heat from lights evaporates this slowly. Even in a tank with a full mesh top, humidity can be as high as 80% inside the tank from the evaporation.


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## zachxbass (Apr 21, 2008)

I have a 55 gallon with the all glass aqarium top... i cut a few small vents in the plastic strip that goes along the back (cover in screen), anyway humidity in there is always around 75% w/out misting (large water feature)

I have an exo terra that with daily misting (about 2 times a day) stays around the same... although if i don't mist for an entire day it will drop to around 50% (no darts in here, just green tree frogs, anole, and house geckos, i know, crowded... but healthy)


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