open tank net cover

[saltwatersig]

I have an open tank top and have avoided putting in any wrasses / gobies because they are prone to jumping out .

So I decided to make a couple of bird netting sceens that someone on Reef Central had previously made. They seem to block very little light and should keep fish from carpet surfing ( Hopefully )

 

[Thales]

Nice!

I do the same thing but instead of splining into the aluminum, I glue command strip hooks to the top of the tank. Its a bit messier, but I have a lot of manifolds at the top of the tank (or that is just an excuse and I am lazy).

 

[Lyn]

Neat net Sergio! I'll have to make something like this in the future. Thanks for sharing.

 

[krittertanks]

Looks clean!

 

[saltwatersig]

Thanks for the nice comments everyone. If anyone wants to try making some of these I have a bunch of the birdnetting material left over, just let me know.


Sergio

 

[adolfo425]

Very clean. Great job on the fish cover.

 

[glee]

hey serg, looks good! how much time did it take to complete?

that clam is huge! now please update us with some fts....lol.

 

[saltwatersig]

Garv ,

It took me a couple of hours but I'm not mech inclined so it probably took me at least twice the time than normal (lol)

 

[guihan]

Hi, Sergio:

What did you use to make the frame and where do you get the material? Any details would be very much appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[phishphood]

Looks like it was the aluminum frame used for windows. Avail @ HD, Lowes, OSH, etc. Easy to cut with a hacksaw, and then insert the corner pieces. Don't forget the spline and splining tool (little rubber strip) used to hold the mesh in place in a channel on the frame. As for the netting, he said he had some left. I can't tell if it's black or clear though.

 

[saltwatersig]

Looks like it was the aluminum frame used for windows. Avail @ HD, Lowes, OSH, etc. Easy to cut with a hacksaw, and then insert the corner pieces. Don't forget the spline and splining tool (little rubber strip) used to hold the mesh in place in a channel on the frame. As for the netting, he said he had some left. I can't tell if it's black or clear though.

Yep ....what he said . I purchased a 48" diy screen/frame kit and appx 6 packages of addt'l corner pieces. spline tool was extra but the neeting is black and I do have quite a bit left over.


Sergio

 

[screebo]

Sergio,
And where did you find the frame kit?

Thx

 

[saltwatersig]

home depot

 

[porksmash]

Just chiming in to say I did the same thing. The Lowes near me sells kits that include the corners, extrusion, and spline material. You can pick and choose your lengths of extrusion. I made a 60"x16" cover for the entire top of my tank, but I will probably take it apart and split it in half. One, it'll be easier to remove two smaller covers once things are in the tank. Two, the extrusion bows inwards due to the long length even though the netting isn't that tight. I wanted to use a clear material, but I could only find black opaque netting. I ended up buying some from acroholic over on nano-reef.com (link) which is also where I initially saw this idea.

 

[melly mel]

Looks nice Sergio, i plan on making one for my next tank since I just picked up a leopard wrasse. Would hate any fish to go carpet surfing since it will be an open top.

 

[arod2051]

Looks very nice!

Where did you get the netting? I have 1/4" and I feel it is a bit too small. I also made one for my rimless Elos so that it sits flush, but I want to swap out the netting material.

Here are a couple shots:

 

[bluevoodoo]

You guys that looks very good. Ill have to try and make one for my tank some day.

 

[melly mel]

Alfred, what did you use so the frame is flushed with the tank? Looks sleek.

 

[arod2051]

Hi Rommel,

I picked it up from a screen door shop in San Jose. I think the name was 'The Screen Door Shop'. I'm not kidding. But my memory might be bad. I'll look it up later today and post the name.

Here's another pick of the aluminum frame, from the side.

 

[arod2051]

The place I got the framing material with a lip is called "The Screen Shop" in San Jose. I'm sure other places have the same thing.