tank covers & jumping fish

[jesshimom]

I've never used covers on my salt tanks because of the heat but recently I've had a couple suicidal fish. So, I need to figure out a cover..... was thinking about using that white grid stuff.. any other ideas?

And, where could I buy the white grid at?

Thanks, Colleen & Shilo

 

[reedman]

You can get the light grids at Home Depot or lowes in the drop ceiling area. It's used for flourecent lighting in the ceilings.

 

[Scooterman]

I think I posted this once but just in case this is what I've done with the lighting (egg crate) cover from HD.

 

[cdeakle]

I also lost 2 fish when I didn't have a top. It really hit me hard since I was the only one to blame, can't blame the fish.

I used a sheet of acrylic cut to fit. Not a single fish can get out now, period. I also looked at using eggrate because it would help with heat dicipation from my halides but won't they just jump out again? Those holes are definately big enough to let smaller fish out ie six-line wrasse, gobies, etc.

Why do you recommend cutting it so the holes aare even bigger? Doesn't that negate the original purpouse?

 

[Macbeth417]

Colleen,

I'm making a little combo of eggcrate and 1/4 acrylic tonight I will take picture for you. My idea is to let out heat while not reducing the intensity of the lighting. I plan on making a small acrylic window directly below the pendant. This way the light will not be reduced greatly and you can also remove this portion to feed without taking off the whole top.

I'll snap some pics for you.

-Erik

 

[Scooterman]

Well, my design lets in as much light possible while still protecting from jumping fish, to a degree, although it has held them in for the most part, it isn't fool proof, I had a yellow hog jump through it. I need the heat dissipation, otherwise I'd put my glass tops back on. Eventually when I do my in-wall tank, I'll probably leave it completely uncoverd, unless I get a chiller.

 

[jesshimom]

Thanks for the info... I'd love to see what you've come up with Eric. Hopefully the resourceful szidls can help put something together when I move my tanks around.....

Colleen

 

[iamjosh]

If your doing and inwall Tank you could raise your sides, depending on your hood setup.. they could try and jump but it would act as a backboard.. swoosh back in the tank.

Just a thought.
-josh

 

[Elmo18]

If your doing and inwall Tank you could raise your sides, depending on your hood setup.. they could try and jump but it would act as a backboard.. swoosh back in the tank.

Just a thought.
-josh

LOL oh i could see that happening

- Elmo

 

[iamjosh]

I had it happen last night with My new powder blue tang. He was in the bowl while I was acclimating him and that happend to be next to a bucket of sand, he jumped bounced off the bucket and plopped back in.. I was amazed but I move him to the middle of thppen e counter after that.

Luckily in the current setup there is no way for them to jump.

 

[kdwal]

don't you have a huge evaporation problem without a top or with the egg crate, especially with the high intensity lights?
I was looking for an acrylic or glass top for my little 30g now that I got my new light fixture, but what I am hearing, is this may not be necessary?

Kathy

 

[jesshimom]

Yeah Kathy, there is huge evaporation and I have to add water every day! I have a 55 and it's about 3/4 of a gallon or thereabouts.... and, it's a pain...

Colleen

 

[kdwal]

I am buying my RO, 5 gallon buckets, that might end up being a lot of trips to the LFS, but in the summer I may have a heat problem in the house, I do not have AC.

Kathy

 

[Scooterman]

don't you have a huge evaporation problem without a top or with the egg crate, especially with the high intensity lights?
I was looking for an acrylic or glass top for my little 30g now that I got my new light fixture, but what I am hearing, is this may not be necessary?

Kathy

Well, depends on how you look at it, really to cool your water temp. you want more evaporation, UNLESS your using a chiller, even then you still may need evaporation.

 

[Macbeth417]

Thought I would toss in another quick note on evaporation. One thing that is often overlooked is how much beaded water on a solid cover can refract and defuse those expensive lights of ours. I put together that combo lid I mentioned, however I didn’t like how much condensation was gathering on the solid portion below the light, so I think I’m going to drill some holes in it and see how that does. I'll try to snap some pics. In all it took me about 15 minutes to make. Just some wire snips and a scoring knife (ziptie hing). Former for the eggcrate, latter for the acrylic.

-Erik

 

[cdeakle]

we want pics, we want pics, we want pics........

 

[The R/C Man]

Hey everyone!

I had the same jumping problem with my Blue spotted jaw fish, Lucky. Lucky because I got up at 4am to find him almost dried up on the floor. I put him back in the tank and he made it. I ran out and bought eggcrate for the top. It was completely covered. A couple days leter he jumped through the little 1/2" squares. I found him dried up. Unbelievable! I left the eggcrate on for a few weeks and my corals lost their color. Took the eggcrate off and the color came back. I am now convinced to have a full canopy on the tank. If they jump they hit the side and fall back in. That and you don't cut your expensive lighting output down by 20%. It was hard lesson.....

 

[jesshimom]

Hey Greg... I have an oak halide canopy on! They jumped towards the back where it is open (you know the little cut outs on the back of the tank. I could hardly believe it. I'm gonna try the eggcrate and cut to fit and see what happens.

Colleen

 

[Witfull]

if its the back section, cover the eggcrate with nylon screen.

 

[jesshimom]

Wow Wit you're really getting smart. Must be the whiskey.

Colleen