Carol, mine would generally be considered partially to mostly closed, I believe. When I obtained my 90 and 55 gal tanks, the top glass came with each. (The 90gal was a garage sale purchase, and the 55gal a hand-me-down from a friend's father who decided that after 20-30 years he was tired of keeping cichlids.) With the 55gal, the top glass covers about 75-80% of the tank -- it's missing the rubber "hinge" section as well as the plastic backsplash section. With the 90gal, about 90% of the tank. Having the top glass does help with keeping the humidity higher and more consistent. The only way the "above fluoros" would be anything more than useless would be if the tubes sat across the top of the tank. Sorry about that. You are absolutely correct that you would need to provide supplemental lighting. I did have a buddy who did just that with one of his larger terrs. He got 2 -two bulb 4ft shoplights and sat them across the top of the tank. Worked well. My tanks both have simple hoods I designed and my dad helped me make years back when I went upstate to visit. Each hood is hinged so I can flip back half of the hood to access the tank and the bulbs. The hoods -- from front to back -- cover about 90% of each tank. For lights I use six 200W equivalent coiled fluorescent bulbs in my 90gal and four 200W equv + two 100W equiv in my 55 gal. I have pondered trying some of the newer tube LEDs (I know a grower who supplies plants to the pdf hobbyists. He has done a great deal of investigating to find a brand of LED he feels will actually work for growing plants... as opposed to the junky ones you will find at a BBS.) Unfortunately, the suckers are EXPENSIVE. That has held me back. I'm currently testing out 2 LED tube bulbs on my plant stand. I'll see how they work out. (Definitely a LOT less heat than even regular fluoros, but haven't had them in play long enough to see what the plants think of them.) If your tanks are open, you will have to play much closer attention to humidity issues ... or more to the point a lack there of. Even without a top, you should wind up with an overall higher humidity level within the tank than the rest of the room. And depending upon just what plants you wish to grow, the humidity levels you will need to maintain may or not be more challenging to maintain in an open system. The buddy of mine who had the shoplights lying across his tank had a stream running through the tank (I think it may have been a 125gal L tank but it has been too long so memory is fuzzy.) The stream kept the tank envir. quite humid even though the tank was open.

Hey everyone, I will not be able to come to the swap this weekend. I just got back from the vet and my doggie is not doing so well...apparently her spine is degenerating....anyway I can't leave her alone all day. For anyone that I was trading with I'm very sorry but hopefully I will make it to the next swap. If anyone is in the Miami area or passing through and would like to pick up their plants I am available and we can make a bar-b-que out of it.

Olympia, there is no end to this obsession. I need some serious therapy as do you! I saw your other posting confessing to your sins, you added some great plants to your collection. Great choices in the bulb section. You won't be disappointed with Tuberose, spider lily & crinium. I was under the impression that the Japanese beetles are in the midwest, now I see they are in OK/VA ,everywhere. Yes they do chew up anything in their sight. The other day, one was sitting on my Hibiscus flower & had eaten his/her way through to the calyx. 4 o clocks are wonderful flowers. pretty pink and bright orange and marble colors, pleasing to the eye & nose. I grow them from seed. Next season I am going to try Mirabilis longiflora, sweet 4 o clock. Chlidanthus, I tried to grow it a couple of years back, got it from touchofnature.com. It never bloomed for me, then I read about how deep it has to be planted to get it to bloom. I am impatient unlike you, so I wouldn't give it a chance and threw it. But now my interest is renewed. Keep us posted on the progress. Where did you find it this time of the year? Ok to test/ tempt you , have you tried Peacock gladioli! Nice fragrance too. Here is a link that might be useful: Chlidanthus care

Tulips for sure are #1 for me; some roses ( but growing them is somewhat aggravating!); quince; honeysuckle for the scent; lilacs; dahlias because they are so easy; foxglove; columbine; sweet peas; poppies; bright blue and deep purple morning glories; lacecap hydrangea; tuberous begonias; Japanese iris (which I can't grow successfully); and a sweet little flower called lewisia (which I also cannot keep going more than a year or two). I've got lots of garden stalwarts like coneflower. beebalm, various types of lilies, bulbs, and so many more, but they don't thrill me with their beauty the way the ones mentioned do. Rob333, I can appreciate chicory. Such a lovely blue haze along the highways in early summer!