Anti-jumper mesh "lid"?

mrwilson · #1 12/27/2007, 12:08 AM

I have a flat back hex tank with an Orbit lighting fixture on top of it, but no canopy. That leaves the front few inches of the tank uncovered, which means that my fish stocking must currently exclude notorious jumpers (wrasses, gobies, etc.). To open more possibilities in terms of fish I can keep, I'd like to fashion some sort of mesh "lid" for this open space, something I can either attach to or set on top of the glass bracing of the tank. Looking bad is fine, since this will only be visible when looking straight down on the tank.

Seems like the standard eggcrate or light diffusers that lots of people use should work fine, as long as I can cut it to fit the trapezoidal shape. Where can I get something like that locally (or alternatively, anybody have any better suggestions)?

USAquatics · #2 12/27/2007, 01:03 AM

would egg crate work? The white grid used in commercial lighting fixtures?

mrwilson · #3 12/27/2007, 01:18 AM

I don't see why it wouldn't. Where would one get that, either in the Columbus area or online?

nrstype · #4 12/27/2007, 03:40 AM

I was at LOWE'S & saw they carry egg crate (for Fluorescent lighting) in large panels you can buy individually, & you could probably take it in and get them to cut it for you. Very cheap too. Only a few bucks per panel.. I wanna say the panels are 2' X 4' Not sure on the measurements.. but that should do ya. Any home depot or similar should have them also.

If you order online, you usually have to buy them by the box, ranging from 10 - 13.99 a piece, with several pieces in the box (Usually around 15 or so, costing $150 - $200).

Just go to Lowe's or Home depot locally. I didn't find it under "egg crate", I found it under the fluorescent lighting panels.

USAquatics · #5 12/27/2007, 08:02 AM

that's the stuff. Usually in the back of the store where the "drop ceiling" supplies are. Cut easily with tin snips. comes in crome or white.

TOURKID · #6 12/27/2007, 08:14 AM

i thought it was expensive when i bought it. like 16 a sheet (sheet being huge, maybe 4x3)

And if you want to get technical I lost 2 fishes thru the eggcrate. 1 wrasse and 1 anthias.

Its way better than nothing, but if you can fashion a window screen on there u might want to check out the mesh some of us have been ordering thru another reefer on RC.

Ill get you the thread later if no one else posts it, promise. Im just waking up right now lol

haggarse · #7 12/27/2007, 10:46 AM

I hot-glued screen mesh on egg crate (prchsd from Lowe's) and have never experienced an issue.

mrwilson · #8 12/27/2007, 11:20 AM

I figured Lowe's would have it someplace; I've been looking in the wrong section. I'm surprised to hear that fish can get through the holes in the egg crate - how large are the holes? (Can you get them in different sizes?)

I would glue mesh on the egg crate, but the trouble with that is that I'd like to be able to feed the fish without having to take off the egg crate/screen every time. Maybe if I cut it into a couple of pieces, I could just easily remove one section of it for feeding, and that might not be too much of a hassle. Is that how others do it who have mesh?

nrstype · #9 12/27/2007, 11:37 AM

Just be careful to NOT use metalic egg crate or mesh. (aluminum, etc.)
Salt will cause it to degrade, and could leach toxins into the water.

sukie80 · #10 12/27/2007, 11:40 AM

One of our members loves fairy wrasses and made this for his tank:
Mesh Top

mrwilson · #11 12/27/2007, 12:23 PM

Great call on nixing the metallic grate/egg crate. I wouldn't have thought of that.

Kung · #12 12/27/2007, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mrwilson
Great call on nixing the metallic grate/egg crate. I wouldn't have thought of that.

Funny you say that, because I was thinking the opposite, "Who would need to be told that?"

I guess I was wrong.

It's good advice.

mrwilson · #13 12/27/2007, 03:17 PM

Ha, ha - it would probably be hard to overstate how much I still have to learn in this hobby. Actually, I think I've seen threads on RC and elsewhere in which people do use metallic grates on their tanks. I bet they haven't thought of this potential downside either.

nrstype · #14 12/27/2007, 03:58 PM

sukie80 link to the plastic mesh top was great. There was a link in there on exactly how to make it. Could even be more cost effective and flexible than the egg crate. GREAT Mesh top.

The plastic mesh that was mentioned, is spectacular, and not hard on the eyes either. It blends into the tank very well, without sticking out like a sore thumb. (as in comparison to egg crate)

As for the most metals near the SW.. Yes.. I had to be told that. I am always learning also. I stated "could leach toxins into the water"..
I'm revising that to say "it WILL leach toxins into the water ".. I'm upgrading that statement. I don't want anyone to have to learn the hard way. (I didn't, but almost did... long story.)

Keep us posted, and post some pics with what you come up with on this thread. I'm very interested to see how this works out.

And that you sukie80 for sharing that informative thread.

sukie80 · #15 12/27/2007, 04:08 PM

No problem!

I think one of the worse feelings regarding the hobby is finding a dead fish on the floor.

nrstype · #16 12/27/2007, 04:10 PM

(or dead fish/corals in a tank from leached metals!)

sukie80 · #17 12/27/2007, 04:24 PM

Also - if you do make the mesh top, I would suggest putting (2) layers of mesh.

TOURKID · #18 12/27/2007, 04:50 PM

yeah thats what I have, that mesh top. Its AWSOME.

No need for 2 layers if u use the 1/4 inch

if you choose eggcrate, there is a right way and a wrong way to put it on the tank. one side diffuses light

mrwilson · #19 12/27/2007, 07:09 PM

Actually, since I was planning to put the eggcrate or mesh just over the portion of the tank that isn't already covered by my light fixture, diffusing light won't matter - that is, no light except for ambient room lighting is going through those couple of inches anyway. Is there a drawback to not putting the mesh over the whole tank? (I figure the light fixture will keep them from jumping out of most of the surface area of the tank, and the eggcrate/mesh will keep 'em from jumping out of the currently-uncovered part.)

TOURKID · #20 12/27/2007, 08:18 PM

you can make the mesh any size you want, but you have to make a frame for it using window frame and a few tools. the thread should give directions

heres mine. notice how i had to go around the overflow. as long as its going to be a complete square/rectangle you can do it this way.
eggcrate should be fine and less work. its just that small fish can fit thru the eggcrate but then cant get back thru
(found my anthias on top roasting under the light.) *shiver*